Gambling Movies: Casino (1995) by Martin Scorsese, Film About Stardust
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“Casino” is a 1995 film by Martin Scorsese about the rise and fall of the mafia’s stranglehold on Las Vegas. It starred Robert DeNiro and Sharon Stone. The film was released in November 1995. Scorese made it with a budget between $40 and $50 million and it earned $116 million at the box office.
Martin Scorsese's 1995 film Casino is based on a non-fiction book written by Nicholas Pileggi. The book tells the story of a Chicago bookmaker named Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal who was hired by mafia bosses to run the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas. Lefty's childhood friend Anthony Spilotro is also hired to watch over him. Scorese and Pilesi co-wrote the screenplay for the film, but changed the names of all the main figures involved.
"Casino" is a 1973 film about a teamsters union that lends $62.7 million to a developer to open a new casino in Las Vegas. The Italian mafia bosses send a Jewish bookmaker and gambler, Sam "Ace" Rothstein, to manage the Tangiers. Ace is thrilled to operate in a legal gambling industry. The mafia takes their cut by skimming profits from the count room.
The mob sends enforcer Nicky Santoro to keep an eye on Ace and the casino. Nick expands his empire in the shadows of Las Vegas in criminal activities ranging from loansharking to high-end robberies. Ace falls in love with a prostitute and hustler named Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone). Ginger's ex-boyfriend/pimp Lester (James Woods) is a low-rent golf hustlar from LA. Ginger eventually turns to Nick to protect her.
The Fall is a film about a gambling business in Las Vegas. Nicky's criminal ways get worse and Ace's martial problems get more serious. The mafia tries to kill Ace, but he survives the attack. He relocates to San Diego and bets on sports. The film ends with a montage of modern-day Las Las Nevada.
Scorsese's "Casino" is a film with many actors he worked with before. Scorses used many Vegas entertainers, including Don Rickles, Frankie Avalon, Jerry Vale, Oscar Goodman, Dick Smothers, Sam Rothstein, Nicky Santoro, Joe Pesci, Ginger McKenna, Kevin Pollack, James Woods, Andy Stone, Frank Marino, Remo Gaggi, and Frank Vincent are also featured. The costume and wardrobe budget for the film exceeded $1 million.
Catherine Scorsese plays Piscano's mother in "Casino". Saul Bass created the opening credits for " Casino" and "Goodfellas". The Tangiers Casino is based on the Stardust Casino, where Lefty Rosenthal managed in the 1970s. The money count scene was filmed on a soundstage in Hollywood. Sharon Stone was considered for the role of Ginger. The movie is not available for free on streaming services, but you can rent it on Amazon and Apple.
