We are all drawn to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas – be it for its amazing stage shows, gaming or parties – and the world of casino-based entertainment, and the movie world is similarly infatuated with it. But casinos and gaming stretch further than Nevada – all over the world and even online with many film companies offering up their properties and licensing their movie titles.
Casinos are found all over Europe as well as in North America. For example, the casino industry in Sweden is growing at a massive rate, particularly for slot machines online and other inventive online games for all to play. The industry is massively growing there – the Swedes have a huge love of gambling – and indeed our first film on the list is actually of Swedish origin.
Check out our top three casino scenes from films below.
Kom till Casino! (1975)
This little-known movie from Sweden from Gösta Bernhard and Mille Schmidt may not be from more recent times, but it ranks up there on the list of one to definitely check out. The film was made all of the ways back in 1975 and features the likes of Anna Sundqvist, Siv Ericks, Gösta Bernhard and Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt amongst its glittering cast. There are many musical scenes, most of which set in a Swedish casino in the film, but here’s a taster of what to expect.
Dr. No (1962)
James Bond’s first cinema outing is up there with his very best, over fifty years on. Sean Connery was the man who stepped into the black tuxedo of the British super-spy, and it is during the film’s pivotal casino scene part way through the movie where we see 007 utter his famous line, ‘the name’s Bond, James Bond,’ for the very first time on-screen. The film features a brilliant performance from Connery, and also boasts superb support from the likes of Ursula Andress as one of the first Bond girls, Honey Ryder.
Rain Man (1988)
It is back to the casinos of Las Vegas for our third film on the list, and back in time to the 1980s for this Oscar-winning film Rain Man from director Barry Levinson. Rain Man features a superb cast, including Hollywood mega-star Tom Cruise and a stunning, award-winning performance from Dustin Hoffman. The duo line up for the close of the movie, all set in the casino at Caesars Palace on the famous strip. Hoffman’s character, Raymond, is seen counting cards alongside his brother Charlie (Cruise) in an attempt to pay off his sibling’s mounting debts. It was one of the very first scenes to be shot in Caesars, and remains truly iconic thirty years on.
