Greatest Poker Movies of All Times

Throughout the recent years poker has been enjoying increasing popularity. And, it is no wonder then that poker has also become part of the Hollywood movie industry. In fact, poker has been there from the very beginning as the first movie incorporating a poker scene, 'Beresford and the Baboons,' was released back in 1919. The more recent films featuring today's most celebrated Hollywood stars, such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig, include 'Casino Royale' and the 'Ocean's Eleven' installments. In short, poker has experienced some significant changes in status over the last fifty years and the question of what is expected for it in the movies is yet left to answer...

Casino Royale (2006)- This time the handsome and charming British secret agent James Bond is portrayed by prominent actor Daniel Craig. The film first introduces Bond just before he receives his license to kill. However, Bond has always been Bond and after performing two successful professional assassinations he obtains the prestigious '00' status. Following the investigation of a certain lead, Bond finds himself in the Bahamas where he meets a criminal named Dimitrios and his highly enticing girlfriend Solange. Bond finds out that Dimitriois is cooperating with the villainous Le Chiffre, a man who funds some of the world's largest terrorist organizations. The Secret Service intelligence officials learn that Le Chiffre is going to play in a high-stakes poker game scheduled to take place at Le Casino Royale in Montenegro in order to raise money. The agency orders Bond to infiltrate the game and play against Le Chiffre, knowing that, if the criminal fails winning, his evil plans would surely collapse. Just as expected, the poker game turns out to be full of violence and dirty maneuvers...

Ocean's Eleven (2001)- George Clooney does a magnificent job portraying good humored con artist and gangster Danny Ocean. When Ocean is paroled from a New Jersey prison facility, he already has a plan regarding his next sting. His first move is recruiting a team of professional fellow gangsters, including a retired thief, a pickpocket, a poker dealer, a surveillance man, an acrobat, a pyrotechnician, two brothers to serve as frontmen, and a former casino owner. Ocean also uses the services of a card genius by the name Rusty Ryan. Each of them is assigned a special role in the sting. His goal is to rob three prestigious Las Vegas strip casinos which belong to gaming industry powerhouse Terry Benedict. Some members of Ocean's gang have a personal vendetta against the not so friendly Benedict. Ocean establishes three operative rules not to be broken under any circumstances: 1. No killing. 2. Rob only the bad guys. 3. Do it as if you have nothing to live for. The movies is set in a highly violent poker and casino gaming environment.

Luckytown (2000)- The heroine of the movie, 18-year-old Lidda Doyles (Kirsten Dunst), leaves her birth town and goes on a search for her long lost father who left her years ago. The father, Charlie, portrayed by prominent Hollywood actor James Caan, is a professional poker player settled in Las Vegas. On her way to Sin City, Lidda picks up Colonel, a young video store employee to whom she feels very attracted. On his part, Colonel is very attracted to... the world of high stakes poker and dreams to become a famous poker player one day. By the time Lidda arrives at Vegas, Charlie is already set to play against Tony, an old enemy with rather unfriendly intentions. To make a long story short, Lidda and Colonel fall in love but their lives are eventually threatened by Tony who turns up to be a gangster. Will they make it and will Lidda ultimately get a father?

Rounders (1998)- First and foremost, we feel the need to explain the meaning of the term 'rounder'. Rounders are people who make their living by playing poker. This being said, here goes the plot. 'Rounders' offers the story of Mike McDermott (played by Matt Damon) and Lester 'Worm' Murphy (Edward Norton). McDermott finds himself torn between the promise he made to his girlfriend to never play poker again and the urge to help his best friend who needs to settle a major gambling debt to a powerful, mafia-related casino owner. As the time passes by Worm becomes successful in persuading Mike to use his poker talent to help him out with the debt and save him from being beaten to death. The irony is that while Mike is on his way to becoming a prominent lawyer, Worm is an ex-convict who has nothing to lose. What's a best friend to do? The plot of the movie has truly earned its tagline: "In The Game Of Life... Play The Cards You're Dealt." Edward Newton collected the SEFCA Award for best actor performance.

California Split (1974)- The film depicts a developing friendship between two poker aficionados. Charlie (portrayed by Elliott Gould) is a seasoned and reckless gambler who is constantly on the search for the next big game. Bill (George Seagal) who is recently single and very likely to lose his job has nothing to lose. The two meet at a Las Vegas poker room and pair up. Although, at first, Bill is not as addicted to the game as Charlie but he ultimately becomes as committed to it as his advenurous buddy. The two commence a loony gambling spree, beginning at Charlie's condo with prostitutes as roommates, then progressing to LA racetracks and bars, and culminates at Reno casinos. As the plot of the film progresses and the two men spend more time together, Bill gets increasingly addicted to the gambling lifestyle and its side effects. The film was ultimately directed by Robert Altman, but Steven Spielberg was originally offered to direct it.

The Gambler (1974)- The movie is loosely based on Dostoevsky's short story 'The Gambler'. It narrates the story of Axel Freed (James Caan), a literature professor in a New York City university, who, ironically enough, teaches Dostoyevsky's The Gambler to his students. Just like Dostoyevsky's hero who is struggling against a destructive addiction, so is Freed has an addiction of his own that he must defeat. Freed is desperately trying to quit gambling but is rather unsuccessful in his attempts to do so. The movie offers its viewers a realistic look at the dangerous and violent world of bookies and loan sharks. Throughout the film the thrill and glitter of gambling is closely intertwined mortal risk and constantly living on the edge between life and almost inevitable and complete self-destruction. In short The Gambler is a splendidly acted and directed movie. Interesting is the fact that while the movie was being filmed, Caan was trying to stop consuming cocaine.