Casino (1995) is based on the true story of two mobster best friends and a trophy wife who create their own gambling empire. It’s jam-packed full of violence, money, power and greed – and it is no surprise it now viewed as one of the world’s finest gangster films. Here are 10 Casino movie facts you must read.
The movie Casino remains one of the most successful films in American history. It’s based on Nicholas Pileggi’s book ‘Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas’ and follows the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro), an American Jewish gangster who is sent to Las Vegas to oversee the Tangiers Casino and increase its profits. The movie shows the characters talking on cell phones and playing blackjack at the Red Rock and Planet Hollywood casinos, which didn't open until 2006 and 2007, respectively. The 21 true story reveals that the real MIT Blackjack Team, on which the movie was based, played in the early 1990s. The MIT Blackjack Team first came into existence in 1980. Martin Scorsese's fascinating new film 'Casino' knows a lot about the Mafia's relationship with Las Vegas. It's based on a book by Nicholas Pileggi, who had full access to a man who once ran four casinos for the mob, and whose true story inspires the movie's plot. Like 'The Godfather,' it makes us feel like eavesdroppers in a secret place. Casino: Based on a True Story. Scorsese’s film is directly inspired and based on “Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas”, a non-fiction written by Nicholas Pileggi, which focuses on the mafia as silent partners in Las Vegas casinos in the 1970s and early 1980s. The true tale of Jack Abramoff — lobbyist, restaurateur, Republican zealot and brazen swindler — has so many remarkable twists and colorful characters that it all but defeats Mr.
1. The Real Mobsters
Remember the scene where Nicky (Pesci) visits Ace (De Niro) at his house to talk to Richard Rheil, the banker? Look at the photograph on the counter – as it is a picture of Lefty Rosenthal and Tony Spilotro, who are the real guys De Niro and Pesci are playing.
2. Continuity
As Robert De Niro’s character was a chain smoker, he always held his cigarettes the same distance from the lit end so the lengths never appeared to change on film.
3. Juggling
Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal hated the scene where Sam juggles on his TV show, The Frank Rosenthal Show, maintaining that he never juggled and that De Niro’s scene made him look foolish.
4. The Jewellery Store
The Jewellery store owner who is robbed by Nicky’s boys was a real-life Las Vegas jeweller, and his line “I just got a shipment of diamonds from Israel” was not in the script.
5. James Woods
James Wood’s limes were mostly improvised. He was not supposed to speak at Ginger’s wedding scene, but came up with an idea that it would suit Lester’s character to be with a prostitute whilst doing cocaine when talking to Ginger on the phone.
6. Criminal Consultants
Martin Scorsese hired a number of real-life parolees from the same era as consultants. He also worked with F.B.I agents who had busted the same parolees.
7. Three-Hour Movie
Cinemas aren’t overkeen on lengthy movies, as it means less screenings and therefore less money. He was aware that the producers wanted it to be a three hour movie, but he ignored them anyway, saying it is a “fast three hour movie”.
8. Broken Rib
Pesci suffered a broken rib when De Niro threw his character through a glass door in Raging Bull. The injury led to Pesci breaking the same rib once again when filming the Casino scene where he is bundled into the cornfield hole with his dead brother.
9. The Costume Budget
The costume budget for Casino was a whopping $1 million, as Robert De Niro wore 70 different costumes, while Sharon Stone wore 30 vintage and bespoke outfits. The actors were also allowed to keep their costumes afterwards.
10. 7,000 Extras
7,000 extras featured in the Casino movie, from bellboys to strippers – and 120 of them had speaking parts.
Love gangster movies? Check out 10 Goodfellas Facts You Should be Reading.
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Casino Movie Facts For True Fans
Every casino regular has probably seen the classic Casino movie starring Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone. However, only true fans of both casinos and cinema know the following facts about the movie and its production.
Not surprisingly the movie is based on a true story that took place in Las Vegas, the capital of American gambling. Unlike today when you can enjoy casino games at leading sites like Thailandonlinecasino.com, this movie takes us back to the classic era of gambling, the mob, and Las Vegas in all its glory. When casinos still had a hint of mystery about them.
Casino Movie Fact – The Movie Wouldn’t Have Been Made If Not for the “Sam Rothstein”
Here’s one little Casino movie fact that only true fans know, the real guy the movie is based on is not Sam Rothstein. His name was Frank Rosenthal, also known as “Lefty” in the casino circuit. Surprisingly, Frank was not interested in having his life made into a movie. That is until she found out that Martin Scorsese would direct, and Robert De Niro would star in it.
It turns out that Frank was a huge fan of both De Niro and Scorsese.
It Was Filmed in a Real Casino
To make the Casino movie as true to life as possible, Scorsese wanted to film in a real-life casino. We have to admit, a fake casino just wouldn’t have been the same. The only problem was that a casino that size never closes.
Casino Movie True
Therefore, the crew had to work outside of peak hours and only take up a corner of the casino. Another thing that makes it so realistic is that instead of hiring actors, they used real dealers and pit bosses whenever they could.
Throughout the filming of the movie, people were enjoying the games on the other side of the casino floor. They surely didn’t know they would become a part of classic movie history!
Legal Ramifications
Studios are always nervous about making movies that concern the mafia. In this case, Universal Studios lawyers were the ones who suggested calling Frank Rosenthal “Sam Rothstein” and using the nickname “Ace” instead of “Lefty”.
Casino Real Movie Bond
You’ll also notice they never mention Chicago as being the headquarters of the Las Vegas Mob. Rather, they used “back home”. Additionally, saying the movie was “adapted from a true story” rather than “based on a true story” gave them much more freedom creatively. However, Scorsese himself confirmed that most of the movie is based on facts.
Frank Rosenthal Died Without Seeing the Final Cut of the Movie
Casino Movie Real Ginger
Frank Rosenthal admitted that he only saw the rough cut of the movie once. According to the screenwriter Pileggi, his response was positive. However, later on in an interview, Frank stated that the film “lacked many details” of who he was. And that certain aspects of the movie made him seem silly and inarticulate.
This was all Frank said about the film, but sadly, we will never know if he really liked or disliked the final cut of the movie.
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