Great Retro Gambling Movies

Gambling movies appear to be coming back into vogue after a period of rest for this genre. The big screen is all lit up with tales of high rollers and big spenders once more, but when looking for some of the best gambling movies you have to go retro.

As far as remakes go, Mark Wahlberg’s The Gambler couldn’t come close to the original 1974 film. This movie by Karel Reisz created huge amounts of anticipation and put the audience directly in the shoes of the gambler himself with an exceptionally well written script. Few movies can come close to the amount of tension that this movie played out and in this case the original is still the best. If you want to get the same amount of tension, perhaps while watching the most recent version, then you can play casino games on cbsongs.com or even paypal bingo.

The Hustler is another excellent gambling movie and this tale centred on the story of a young pool shark. Fast Eddie Felson, played by Paul Newman, is known as one of the best pool players, until he takes on Minnesota Fats. His defeat at the hands of another player pushes him into a downward spiral until he gets his chance at a rematch. Newman perfectly portrays the gambling spirit and shows the huge psychological effect that these games can have. The crux of the movie comes during the rematch and viewers have their heart strings tugged as they empathise with Fast Eddie during the movie’s most emotional scenes.

Newman appears to have a penchant for gambling movies as he makes another appearance in one with long time screen partner Robert Redford. The Sting brought these retro movie actors back together and film fans may remember this duo best as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Far from the Wild West, the pair play con artists in Chicago with Redford as the greener of the two. Their shenanigans to take the riches of a greedy gambler takes viewers on a journey through the whole escapade. The Sting is an unexpectedly funny movie with plenty of heart, making it one of those must see films.

For a gambling film that has a flair for the dramatic and is dramatically cool, Bob le Flambeur is the one to watch. If you enjoyed the Ocean’s franchise of films then you’re sure to enjoy this story of how one man sets out to con a casino. This French film is the basis for many of these heist movies and the set-up is incredibly masterful. It was a movie that successfully predicted the future of cinema and pioneered many camera techniques that are still in use today.