Casino (Movie Review)
When it comes to gangster movies, few do it better than Martin Scorsese. His Casino is a fascinating look at the Mafia’s relationship with Las Vegas. It is based on the book by Nicholas Pileggi, who had full access to a man who ran four casinos for the mob. It reveals how the mafia skimmed millions from the city’s gambling machines. It is a fascinating tale of greed, treachery and violence that makes us wonder if there are any good guys left.
The film stars Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein and Sharon Stone as Ginger McKenna. It also features Joe Pesci as Santoro, a muscleman whose machismo exceeds his short frame. The cast is rounded out by the always-dependable Thelma Schoonmaker and a young Frank Vincent as Nicky Santoro. The costume design is by Rita Ryack, who favored vivid mustard yellows and electric blues and crimson blazers for Ace and glamorous cocktail dresses and slightly tackier white leather miniskirts for Ginger.
Casino is one of Scorsese’s longest films but it never lags or runs out of steam. The direction is sleek and fast, and the use of music is spot on. Most of the film’s exposition is delivered through voice overs and much of the footage is filmed in documentary style. But the movie works because the performances are stellar and the story is compelling. Even the sex scenes are well done and don’t overshadow the storyline.