The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

An up-and-coming poker player tries to prove himself in a high-stakes match against a long-time master of the game.

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Richard Jessup (novel), Ring Lardner Jr. (screenplay)

Stars:

Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret, Edward G. Robinson

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve McQueen	...	The Cincinnati Kid
Ann-Margret	...	Melba
Karl Malden	...	Shooter
Tuesday Weld	...	Christian
Edward G. Robinson	...	Lancey Howard
Joan Blondell	...	Lady Fingers
Rip Torn	...	Slade
Jack Weston	...	Pig
Cab Calloway	...	Yeller
Jeff Corey	...	Hoban
Theodore Marcuse	...	Felix (as Theo Marcuse)
Milton Selzer	...	Sokal
Karl Swenson	...	Mr. Rudd
Émile Genest	...	Cajun (as Emile Genest)
Ron Soble	...	Danny

Storyline

In 1930s New Orleans, the Cincinnati Kid, a young stud poker player who travels from one big game to the next, stopping along the way up with various girls, is pitted against the legendary champion card-sharp Lancey Howard in a high-stakes poker game.

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Plot Keywords:

bluff | card game | playing card | poker the card game | professional gambling | 

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Taglines:

A RAMBLING - GAMBLING MAN ... ! !

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 October 1965 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Cincinnati Kid

Filming Locations:

600 St Charles Ave. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$15,260,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmways Pictures, Solar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Sam Peckinpah insisted on changing an early expository scene in which a girl in her underwear is massaged with a vibrator. He removed the vibrator from the scene altogether and had the girl lie naked but completely covered with a fur coat. Producer Martin Ransohoff was unhappy with the shift in tone and fired Peckinpah.

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Goofs

In the final hand, Lancey overlaps his exposed cards similar to a solitaire row, the queen of diamonds is the top card while everyone is discussing if he has the jack or not. A few seconds later, the cards are reversed and the queen is the bottom card.

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Quotes

Cincinnati Kid: I don't need marked cards to beat you, pal.

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Alternate Versions

There are two different endings to this film. The first ending, which is shown in all vhs releases, after Stoner loses the coin throw to the shoe shine boy, the boy walks away saying "You're not ready for me yet, Kid." As the boy walks away, Stoner turns around and it fades into the ending credits. In the second (or extended) ending, which was shown on Turner Classic Movies, after Stoner loses the coin throw to the shoe shine boy, the boy leaves saying "You're not ready for me yet, kid." Stoner turns around and continues walking until he sees Christian, then embraces her. The frame then freezes and says "The End" before fading into the credits.

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Connections

Featured in The Cincinnati Kid Plays According to Hoyle (1965)

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Soundtracks

The Cincinnati Kid
Music by Lalo Schifrin
Lyrics by Dorcas Cochran
Theme song of "The Cincinnati Kid"
Sung by Ray Charles

User Reviews

Leaves You Breathless.............And Gutted

Edward G. Robinson as Lancey Howard has been King of the Poker Players for a good long time. But as that eminent American philosopher Ric Flair says, "to be the man, you got to beat the man." And there's a kid from Cincinnati played by Steve McQueen who thinks he can do it.

McQueen's up for a fair and square game, but Robinson's developed a bad enemy in Rip Torn. Torn is this rich hotshot who thinks he's good, but he gets in a game with Robinson who guts Torn good and proper. No markers for Torn, he's rich enough to write out a check and pay it up front. But Torn's looking to get even and he ain't too squeamish about what he has to do.

The action of The Cincinnati Kid takes place over a three day period in New Orleans and in the French Quarter which was left fairly intact after Hurricane Katrina. It's fitting and proper the story location should be there, a city with a rich gambling tradition.

There's a couple of nice women's parts, kind of a coming of age for two young actresses who played virginal teenagers up to then, Tuesday Weld and Ann-Margret. Ann-Margret is the nymphomaniac wife of dealer Karl Malden, the Nathan Detroit of the piece. After The Cincinnati Kid, Ann-Margret never played innocents again.

Torn is a slick and malevolent villain who tries to compromise Karl Malden in his quest for vengeance against Robinson. Malden has a great part as a man who's caught by the short hairs.

Originally Spencer Tracy was to do the Lancey Howard role, but according to The Films of Steve McQueen, Tracy thought his role subordinate to McQueen's and bowed out. Other sources have said it was health reasons. Probably both are true. Anyway Robinson is a wily and wise old soul who goes to the poker table like most of us go to the office, to work.

This is one of Steve McQueen's four or five best screen roles, he's an ultimate rebel hero here. He's got what it takes to win, but he'll win it on his own terms.

This film is always called The Hustler at a card table. Like The Hustler, the last climatic scene of the poker showdown with McQueen and Robinson crackles with tension. Who's going to pull it out.

Don't think you can guess the outcome and all its ramifications. Not by a jugful