But Casino digs deep, laying bare the origins of the city and its past ties with organized crime while at the same time showing the opulence, neon signs, and gamblers having fun at cards and slots. They barely scratch the surface, only showing the “good” side of partying and weekend getaways. No other movie has done such an excellent job of portraying what Las Vegas is all about. The notorious Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) is based on real-life mobster Anthony Spilotro, and Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) was Geri McGee, a Vegas socialite. Frank Rosenthal, a manager at three different Vegas casinos, is the inspiration for De Niro’s Sam Rothstein. It is based on real peopleĪll the main characters are based on individuals who lived and worked in the Vegas casino industry in the 1970s and 80s. Here are a few reasons why Casino is such a beloved classic: 1. It continues to enthrall us today as one of the finest movies set in Sin City. When it was released in 1995, Casino was both a critical and commercial success.
Thanks to its long association with organized crime, the Vegas gambling business makes the perfect backdrop for a Scorsese movie. The corrupt Wall Street financiers, Chicago mobsters, a deranged would-be assassin – the subjects explored by Scorsese through his movies are quite diverse. When it comes to making movies about people involved in violent or shady business, Martin Scorsese has no equal.
