Casino is a 1995 American epic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone. The film is based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese.
The film marks the eighth collaboration between director Scorsese and De Niro. Set in 1973–1974, it tells the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro), a Jewish American top gambling handicapper who is summoned to Las Vegas to run the Tangiers Casino on behalf of the Chicago Outfit, after previously serving as a enforcer for them back in Chicago.
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Pesci plays Nicholas “Nicky” Santoro, Ace’s childhood friend and partner, who heads up the operations at the Tangiers. Nicky is sent to Vegas to make sure that money from the Tangiers is skimmed off the top and redirected back to Chicago.
When Ace refuses to allow Nicky to run things his way, tensions arise between them, culminating in Ace firing Nicky from the casino.
Stone plays Ginger McKenna, a former hustler and con artist who becomes Ace’s wife. The primary supporting cast features Don Rickles as Billy Sherbert, Ace’s casino manager; James Woods as Lester Diamond, a gigolo and friend of Ginger; Alan King as Andy Stone, an associate of theTangiers Casino; Kevin Pollak as Phillip Green, an entertainment lawyer representing Steve Wynn; L.
Q. Jones as Pat Webb,owner of Webb Casino in Laughlin; Dick Smothers as Nevada State Senator Harrison Roberts; and Billy Sherbert as Frank Marino, one of Ace’s friends and fellow casino managers. .
Casino was filmed on location in Las Vegas at several casinos: Caesars Palace, Golden Nugget Las Vegas, Stardust Resort & Casino (now demolished), and The Mirage. In addition to these real-life locations, some scenes were filmed aboard a vintage steam train known as Sierra No.
3 at Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City.
Scorsese brought back several of his usual collaborators for Casino: composer Howard Shore,[17] cinematographer Robert Richardson,[18] editor Thelma Schoonmaker,[19] producer Barbara De Fina,[20] art director Dante Ferretti,[21] costume designer Rita Ryack,[22]and makeup artist John Caglione Jr.[23] For casting his actors and actresses Scorsese looked towards contemporary critically acclaimed films like Goodfellas (1990)and Pulp Fiction (1994) for inspiration.[24][25] In an interview with Charlie Rose De Niro stated that he initially turned down offer to star in this movie because he wasn’t interested in playing a gambling addict but after reading Pileggi’s book he decided it was time for him “to make that picture.”[26][27][28] Sharon Stone was cast after Barbara De Fina saw her performance in Basic Instinct (1992).[29][30] In casting Stone for Ginger McKenna Scorsese sought an actress who was “something other than what she’d been” in her previous roles.
[31][32] According to Pileggi Martin Scorsese had set out to make “the most honest tough gangster film ever made.”[33][34][35] Many of those associated with the production were quite vocal about how they felt working on Casino was quite similar to making Goodfellas.[36][37][38] However unlike Goodfellas where everyone eventually got fed up with De Niro’s perfectionism Casino actually benefited from it according to Scorcese himself who said “It turned out very good because everyone tried very hard on this movie.”[39][40][41] Joe Pesci also gave De Niro some advice during production: “You know Bobby you could have done this picture if you hadn’t been so crazy all those years ago.”[42][43] .In conclusion, Casino was filmed on location in Las Vegas at several casinos: Caesars Palace, Golden Nugget Las Vegas, Stardust Resort & Casino (now demolished), and The Mirage.
