Casino (1995), starring Robert De Niro, is a tale of greed, money, power, deception, and murder that occurs between two best friends: a mob enforcer and a casino executive compete against each other over a gambling empire, and over a fast-living and fast-loving socialite.
Casino was directed by Martin Scorsese.
Table of Contents
Casino (1995) Plot
Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, mobsters who move to Las Vegas to make their mark, live and work in this paradoxical world.
Seen through their eyes, each as a foil to the other, the details of mob involvement in the casinos of the 1970s and ’80s are revealed.
Ace is the smooth operator of the Tangiers casino, while Nicky is his boyhood friend and tough strongman, robbing and shaking down the locals.
However, they each have a tragic flaw – Ace falls in love with a hustler named Ginger McKeon, and Nicky falls into an ever-deepening spiral of drugs and violence.
Casino (1995) Cast
Robert De Niro Ace Rothstein
Sharon Stone Ginger McKenna
Joe Pesci Nicky Santoro
James Woods Lester Diamond
Don Rickles Billy Sherbert
Alan King Andy Stone
Kevin Pollak Phillip Green
L.Q. Jones Pat Webb
Dick Smothers Senator
Frank Vincent Frank Marino
Erika VonTagen Trudy
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Produced by Barbara De Fina
Screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese
Story by Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese
Production
Casino is based on New York crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi’s book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas.
Release
Casino was released in theaters in the United States on November 22, 1995.
Reception
Casino was well-received by movie critics.
The movie Casino was a 1995 American epic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone.
The film is based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese.
The two previously collaborated on the 1990 hit Goodfellas.
In Casino, De Niro stars as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, a Jewish American gambling expert handicapper who is asked by the Italian mob to oversee the daily operations at the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas.
Pesci plays Nicky Santoro, Ace’s childhood friend and tough strongman, who the Casino bosses ask to protect their investment.
Sharon Stone plays Ginger McKenna, Ace’s scheming, self-absorbed wife, based on Geri McGee.
The film received mostly positive reviews from movie critics.
Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars, writing “Martin Scorsese’s fascinating new film Casino knows a lot about the Mafia’s relationship with Las Vegas. Like The Godfather it makes us feel like eavesdroppers in a secret place.”
He further added, “Unlike his other Mafia movies (Mean Streets and Goodfellas), Scorsese’s Casino is as concerned with history as with plot and character.”
Conclusion
Casino is a 1995 American epic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone.
The film is based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi.
Casino was released in theaters in the United States on November 22, 1995 and received mostly positive reviews from movie critics.
Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars.
Casino is considered one of Scorsese’s best films.
