Going to the cinema and watching films is a great way to engross yourself in a by-gone era you were never fortunate enough to witness first hand. The director’s portrayal of different time periods through the storylines, characters and artistic impression is one of the reason by the movie industry is thriving. With releases depicting the Roman, Cowboy and Prohibition eras, the casino industry has been an ever changing frontier on the silver screen.
To give you a better idea, here are a few films showcasing some of the most iconic casino periods:
It wasn’t just money that the Romans gambled with, they often placed wagers risking slaves and gladiators lives – and sometimes even their own! The 1960 film Spartacus is set in the 1st Century BC, with the Roman Republic being rife with corruption and crooked behaviour. The Roman Senator Marcus Licinius Crassus forces Spartacus into battle, but his opponent Draba spares his life despite disarming him. However, the corrupt dictator Crassus doesn’t take too kindly to Draba’s generosity and orders his guards to kill him. With sentencing people to death for a wager being the norm in the Roman era, who knows what else they would be willing to stake.
The Bootlegger – Scarface (1932)
Although the 1983 blockbuster starring Al Pacino may be the more popular Scarface film, the original movie highlights the trials and tribulations of the Prohibition in much more detail. The film is loosely based on the life of Al Capone and the illegal alcohol and gaming circles he ran in Chicago during the speakeasy period. Tony Camonte will do anything to ensure he wins, not only on the poker table but in the gang wars with his North Side rivals. He deceives the O’Haras by impersonating a police officer, just so he can gun down members of the rival gang, showing he lives for danger and is not adverse to a bit of foul play.
The Swinger – Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Mike Myer’s comedic creation Austin Powers has become more of the cult figures of modern day cinema, mainly due to his mocking of the James Bond styled secret agent. After being frozen for 30 years, Powers is finally awoken in 1997 but he is still the free kindred spirit he was back in the swinging 60’s. During the casino scene where he faces off against Number Two, Powers decides to stick during a game of Blackjack despite only having a hand of 5, stating “I also like to live dangerously”. Inevitably, he loses the hand but you can tell by his reaction he was never taking the game to seriously to start with.
To pay homage to differing façades of gambling scene in films, Ladbrokes Casino are offering you the chance to find out what era you would be from by undertaking their quiz! You could be a Mr Cool James Bond style of player, or something more along the lines of Austin Powers!
