Bugsy: The Man Who Founded Las Vegas
We decided to arrange the films in chronological order to avoid favoritism. It’s fitting that Bugsy ended up first on the list. This biographical crime drama tells the story of none other than Benjamin Siegelbaum, known as Bugsy Siegel — the gangster founder of Las Vegas.
Benjamin got the nickname “Bugsy” because of his explosive temper; it comes from the slang expression “go bugs,” meaning to go crazy. Throughout his life, Bugsy was a classic New York and California gangster, but one day he found a dream while driving through the Nevada desert on his dark business.
In the tiny town of Las Vegas, he saw a future oasis of legal gambling and became passionate about building a second Monte Carlo in the lifeless desert. Bugsy opened the first casino in the city, The Flamingo. It was built with mob money, and business initially went, to put it mildly, not very well. Therefore, Benjamin himself did not live to see Las Vegas become the embodiment of his long-held dream.
Barry Levinson’s film Bugsy won two Oscars for good reason. It’s a vivid and dramatic account of the life of a man who could have become a legend but was remembered only as another name in the bloody history of the American mafia. Warren Beatty fully embodies the role of the gangster founder of Sin City, which, combined with the director’s genius, makes this film a classic.
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Find Me Guilty: Money or Friendship?
For many people, gambling is a way to spend time with friends. Given how rarely anyone hits the jackpot, especially on slot machines, borrowing a couple of cents from a buddy for another spin hardly seems like a bad or dangerous idea. But if you don’t think about the consequences, you could end up in a very unpleasant situation that could have been easily avoided.
According to the plot of Find Me Guilty, two friends and cousins, Richie and Evan, go to Atlantic City to gamble. Richie is short two quarters for one last pull of the slot machine handle, so he borrows them from Evan. Then luck smiles on him: that very spin becomes a winner, bringing him $436,000.
Croupier: The Dostoevsky of the Casino World
Gambling isn’t just entertainment for those with too much money or hope in probability theory. It’s a state of soul and mind; a belief that the world is ruled by those who aren’t afraid to take risks and trust in their unshakable luck. And you don’t have to be a gambler yourself to approach life that way.
Croupier tells the story of a struggling writer, Jack Manfred. While he hasn’t published his first book yet, he needs to make ends meet. Through his father’s connections, he gets a job as a croupier in a casino. Despite initial resistance, Jack soon finds the world of gambling seductive.
The Grifters: Talent Finds a Way
As they say, a talented person is talented in everything, and geniuses are prone to taking risks. Unsurprisingly, many famous actors, athletes, and politicians are drawn to gambling: nothing tickles the nerves and enlivens the mind like Friday night poker in good company, or even a whole tournament where more than money is at stake.
Mike seems like an ordinary law student, talented and quick to learn. Few know that he used his genius for underground poker and was extremely good at it. That chapter of his life ended when he lost to a major crime boss and barely managed to pay off his debts.
However, the “new Mike” is not destined to stay on the right side of the law for long. His childhood friend, nicknamed Worm, is released from prison: he has huge debts to influential people and needs Mike’s help. The student can’t refuse his old friend and gets involved in a risky attempt to pay off Worm’s debts through poker cheating.
High Roller: The Story of the Ultimate Poker Legend
Some people are born to be great scientists or poets; others are destined to become gambling legends. While Einstein and Byron are known worldwide, professional players are mostly celebrated only within the narrow circles of their peers, but tales about them are retold for a long time by expensively dressed people around colorful tables.
Such was Stu Ungar, the legendary poker, blackjack, and gin player — and his story is told in the film High Roller (also known as Stuey). He alone managed to win the Poker Super Bowl three times and is one of two people who have won the World Series of Poker three times. Ungar’s life was one big gamble.
Stu was the son of a bookmaker and loan shark, and his father’s business undoubtedly influenced the boy’s mindset. He showed his talent for gambling at a young age: by 14, he was the best card player in New York; at 18, he befriended crime boss Victor Romano; and by 20, he had moved to Las Vegas.
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