Tag Archive: Martin Campbell

Because gambling is mainly based on chance, it makes a great subject matter for directors the world over. Many characters involved with gambling are flawed in that they are relying on luck to turn their fortunes around. From the cheeky gunslingers to the mafia bosses, they all love the rush of the win and the passion of the loss. It's also possible to construct a great story around a sympathetic gambler, as elements of good or bad fortune play a central role in driving the narrative forwards.

No movie catches those early years of the building of las Vegas better than Scorsese's Casino. Set in a fictional Tangiers Casino, it tells the story of the casino's manager, Lefty Rosenthal. Trying to run an upright establishment, ut with the mafia wanting their cut, and a crazy mobster constantly undermining him, Rosenthal has to walk a fine line. When things do go sideways, the movie descends into the dark and grim universe of the mafia's underbelly. Robert De Nero absolutely nails the part.