Casino (1995)

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers (WGA):

Nicholas Pileggi (book)
Nicholas Pileggi (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 November 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

You don't stay at the top forever

Plot:

Greed, deception, money, power, and murder occur between two mobster best friends and a trophy wife over a gambling empire.

Plot Keywords:

Casino | Las Vegas | 1970s | Mafia | Murder

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Robert De Niro	...	Sam 'Ace' Rothstein
Sharon Stone	...	Ginger McKenna
Joe Pesci	...	Nicky Santoro
James Woods	...	Lester Diamond
Frank Vincent	...	Frank Marino
Pasquale Cajano	...	Remo Gaggi
Kevin Pollak	...	Phillip Green
Don Rickles	...	Billy Sherbert
Vinny Vella	...	Artie Piscano
Alan King	...	Andy Stone
L.Q. Jones	...	Pat Webb
Dick Smothers	...	Senator
Joseph Rigano	...	Vincent Borelli
John Bloom	...	Don Ward
Melissa Prophet	...	Jennifer Santoro

Also Known As:

Casino (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive strong language, drug use and some sexuality.

Runtime:

178 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Brazil:18 | Australia:R | Italy:VM14 | Philippines:R-18 | Israel:18 | India:A | Poland:15 | Austria:12 (TV rating) (cut) | Argentina:18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | Denmark:16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #34125) | Finland:K-18 | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Singapore:R(A) | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Baker, Mojave Desert, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

While the movie begins by stating it is based upon a true story, it never names the actual casino involved. The Tangiers casino is fictional. The story is actually based upon the history of the Stardust casino, a fact well documented in the Vegas history books. Scorsese discreetly documents this fact via the soundtrack, in which the song "Stardust" is heard three different times. An instrumental version plays during Ace and Ginger's wedding and a vocal version is heard during the scene where Remo asks Marino if Nicky and Ginger are having sex and also during the very end of the final credits.

Goofs:

Continuity: Before the pen-attack in the bar Nicky can be seen drinking his drink. Seen from another angle, the glass is on the bar is untouched.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ace Rothstein: [voice-over] When you love someone, you've gotta trust them. There's no other way. You've got to give them the key to everything that's yours. Otherwise, what's the point? And for a while, I believed, that's the kind of love I had.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: College (#1.5)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

The 'In' Crowd

Brilliant acting. Superb story based on events that happened in real life.

Martin Scorcese's harsh and yet delicately balanced masterpiece rises above anything petty meaning that if one wishes and has the ability and means to create a Sicilian mafia movie he should do so with grandeur and put into it as much effort as possible for people remember those who take advantage of their talent and circumstances and are diligent in their undertakings. Casino is in my opinion an epic, but it's much more than that. This film speaks even to those who dislike the subject of organized crime. You have to be objective when judging this movie and those of us who criticize everything that stands out amongst the grey background of that which is mediocre are fools who envy others' accomplishments and view them as insults to their own personal uselessness. Casino is one of the best movies of the 90's. In fact, in my opinion, it's one of the best organized crime movies of all time. Its moral is that no matter how tough you think you are there's always someone you answer to and that you ultimately will, indeed, if you screw things up.