Since the golden age of the Western, poker playing has always been a popular theme in Hollywood. Although many of the Hollywood films that feature poker are not very good and some of them even display poker in a ridiculous manner, watching poker action on the big screen is great fun, especially if you play poker yourself.
Here are the best poker movies that were ever produced in Hollywood. Some of the movies are actually excellent movies regardless to their display of the poker game, while in others the poker games is the feature that makes them worth watching. However, if you are a poker fan, add these movies to your musts list.
The Sting directed by George Roy Hill in 1973
The Sting is less about poker and more about the art of card sharking but it will provide you two hours of sophisticated fun. The 1973 Academy award winner features young Paul Newman as the greatest con artist of them all who mentors young Robert Redford in the art of trickestry. David S. Warn screenplay is based on true con games stories.
The Cincinnati Kid directed by Norman Jewison in 1965
The classic stud poker film known for its climatic final hand and the unforgettable quote: Gets down to what its all about, doesn't it? Making the wrong move at the right time. In short, The Cincinnati Kid is about the battle between Steve Macqueen who plays a young poker player also known as The Kid and the veteran poker gambler known as The Man who is played by Edward G. Robinson during the Great Depression in New Orleans. It may not appear at any other list of best movies, but it certainly has one of the best poker scenes ever seen on the silver screen.
California Split directed by Robert Altman in 1974
California Split may not be the pick of Robert Altmans creation, but is one of the best movies to depict the messy everyday life of two professional gamblers played by George Segal and Elliott Gould. Like in many of Altman films, the narrative is not particularly straight and the end is not necessarily happy, but it does succeed in describing an authentic experience. Additionally, poker trivia fans would be thrilled to learn that poker legend Amarillo Slim plays a small role.
Rounders directed by John Dahl in 1998
It is hard to tell whether the movie pushed to the 21st century poker boom or the rise in the popularity of poker during the last decade made Rounders a cult hit. However, Rounders is one of the best poker films to display the contemporary high stake poker scene. The core of the movie is a long poker marathon in which Mat Damon and Edward Norton are trying to earn money to pay off the latter gambling debts. World Series of Poker champion Johnny Chan plays a featured role.
Maverick directed by Richard Donner in 1994
Although Maverick is not the most brilliant film ever made and some of the poker scenes are kinda silly, it is a fun and lightheaded poker movie. It might even provide you a basic idea on what it was like to be a rambling gambler in the old west card scene with Mel Gibson as a maverick who tries to earn enough money for the big five card draw poker tournament.
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Amongst the glitter and glamour, the stalwart rain umbrella has made more than one cameo in many a star-studded Hollywood extravaganza. Rain umbrellas have been used in countless romantic scenes to protect couples from perfectly choreographed downpours. Interestingly, umbrellas have just as often been used as poisonous weapons in many films. Often carried by covert spies, the deadly device disguised as raingear can be cleverly used on an unsuspecting victim.
Of course, who can forget the handy umbrella utilized as a prop in musicals? This leads us to number one in the top five rain umbrella movie scenes of all time. Here we go!
1.Singing in the Rain-The ultimate movie about rain and umbrellas. Gene Kelly delivers one of the most memorable dance scenes in cinematic history as he splashes, leaps, and twirls with his dance partner-an umbrella. His performance is particularly remarkable considering he was sick with the flu and had a 103 degree fever when it was filmed.
2.Mary Poppins-This 1960s Disney classic starring Julie Andrews certainly wins the award for the most creative use of an umbrella in film. Sailing through the clouds, holding her parrot-headed umbrella, she literally "lands"jobs as the "practically perfect in everyway" nanny who leads her charges through many magical adventures. The performance certainly didn't leave Ms. Andrews all wet. She was awarded the "Best Actress" award in 1964 for her heart warming performance.
3.Foul Play-A comedic, Hitchcock influenced mystery set in rainy San Francisco, Goldie Hawn uses her trusty rain umbrella to defend herself against an "albino" and a "dwarf" who are working on behalf of a group of thugs plotting to assassinate the Pope. She carries her rain umbrella through most of the movie, and ultimately falls in love with a bumbling detective, played by Chevy Chase. The movie, while not considered a monumental artistic piece, is incredibly fun and entertaining, and has some unexpectedly wonderful performances by Burgess Meredith, Dudley Moore, and Billy Barty.
4.Les Parapluies de Cherbourg-Pastel colored rain umbrellas take center stage in this hauntingly, beautiful romantic French film. "Les Parapluies" launched starlet Catherine Deneuve into international stardom. Directed by Oscar award winning Jacques Demy, the plot tells the tale of Genevieve who lives with her widowed mother who owns an umbrella shop in the city of Cherbourg. Genevieve falls in love with an auto mechanic who is drafted to serve in the war in Algeria. It's a perfect film for a rainy day.
5.For Your Eyes Only-Umbrellas have been used in more than one James Bond movie. However, this 1981 box office hit, starring Roger Moore, has a classic scene where Bond uses an outdoor table umbrella as a parachute while he's being shot at by the "bad guys." Before Bond hits the ground, the umbrella is riddled with bullets. Yet, he thankfully survives to recover a piece of defense equipment on a British spy ship that has struck a mine in Albanian waters.
Why not add a little intrigue, romance, and adventure into your own life's plot? A rain umbrella is the perfect accessory to bring some Hollywood flair into everyday life. And, there are many more choices, styles, and colors to choose from than ever before.
Both Jack Reider & Jim Rowland are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jack Reider has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Music and Recreation and Sports. Renaldo Micheals is an enthusiast player and an amateur movie critic. Renaldo writes about poker and popular casino games to the. Jack Reider's top article generates over 673000 views. to your Favourites.
Jim Rowland has sinced written about articles on various topics from Movie Reviews, Environment. To find one of the largest selections of rain protection products available on the Internet, go to
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