Casino
With the recent departure ofMartin Scorsese’sThe Irishman , the acclaimed director repay to the gangster genre that has defined much of his career . It also marked his 9th collaboration with Robert De Niro . However , despite their retentive - prison term workings human relationship , The Irishmanis only their first picture show together since 1995’sCasino .
Set in seventy - geological era Las Vegas , Casinotells the fib of sports handicapper Sam “ Ace ” Rothstein ( De Niro ) , who is kick in the Tangiers Casino to hightail it by the midwest mafia . While in Vegas , he fall in love with Ginger McKenna ( Sharon Stone ) , a stunningly gorgeous terpsichorean / hustler , while also dealing with his often elusive ally and muscle Nicky Santoro ( Joe Pesci ) . Criticized for being a rehash of his earlier gangster epic , Goodfellas , Casino(based on the Nicholas Pileggi record of the same name ) has more than held its own , as it actually outgrossedGoodfellasby $ 70 million and is take a masterpiece in its own right . Here then , are 10 Fun Facts About Scorsese’sCasino .
Based On Actual Events
Many of the mass and events depicted inCasinoare based on material - aliveness . De Niro ’s Sam “ Ace ” Rothstein was based on Chicago sport odds-maker Frank “ Lefty ” Rosenthal . Pesci ’s Nicky Santoro ’s existent - life sentence counterpart was Sicilian Mafia tough hombre and jewellery heist humanity Anthony “ The Ant ” Spilotro . And Sharon Stone ’s ill - fatten out Ginger McKenna was based onLas Vegasshowgirl Geri McGee , who was married to Rosenthal and sadly died of a drug overdose in 1982 . In add-on , the cable car bombardment , casino shaving , and hammer - to - the - hand incident all happened in real - life as well .
Sharon Stone Almost Wasn’t In The Movie
In a picture show full of impressive performance , only one managed to arrest an Academy Award nomination : Sharon Stone ’s portrayal of ex - dancer / drug addict Ginger McKenna . But Stone nearly escape out on the part . After having a twosome of meetings with Scorsese set off for various reasons , Stone blew off a third meeting with him . Not to be denied , Scorsese tracked her down and discussed the function with her . Despite all of this , the output still look at other actresses for the part , include Uma Thurman , Cameron Diaz , Michelle Pfeiffer , Nicole Kidman , and even Madonna . Stone was fix , though , and manage to convince Scorsese to give her the role .
The Head Vice Scene Actually Happened…And Was Even Worse
Arguably the most alarmingly wild shot inCasinotakes stead when Nicky Santoro puts the capitulum of Cosa Nostra baddie Tony Dogs in a vise , force it so nasty that his eyeball pops out of his head . Scorsese has stated that he expected the view to be cut and that he included it as a sacrificial lamb to the MPAA .
It may seem gratuitous , but this incident really pass , with Santoro ’s real - life counterpart Anthony Spilotro beat and torment wiseguy Billy McCarthy for his unauthorized hit on the Scalvo sidekick . Instead of cutting his pharynx , though , Spilotro lit the tough Irish fella on fire .
Pesci And De Niro’s Conversations Were Improvised
Casinomarked the fifth time Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci had sour together , so by this item , the two had developed quite the resonance with each other . Although the screenplay , written by Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi ( based on his own volume , Casino : Love and Honor in Las Vegas ) featured some sharp dialog , De Niro and Pesci were give the freedom to ad-lib much of the dialog between the two . Scorsese would simply countenance the duad know where he want them to set out and where they needed to end .
The Irishman Connection
The Book of Genesis of the floor thatCasinotells begins when the mafia has to charge Sam " Ace " Rothstein to Vegas to start the mob - controlled Tangiers . Via voiceover , it is mention that the Teamsters labor union fund the leverage of the Tangiers Hotel and Casino . During this time , the rout routinely used the Teamsters pension investment company as a “ bank ” to make casinos in Las Vegas . In the late releasedThe Irishman , there is a scene where we see Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa ( played brilliantly by Al Pacino ) approving a $ 1.5 million loan to the mafia to fund the new Dunes Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas . Presumably , he also approved funding for the Stardust Casino , which is what The Tangiers was based on .
The Frank Rosenthal Show
One of the memorable here and now inCasinocomes when De Niro ’s Sam “ Ace ” Rothstein host his own idiot box talking show , Aces High , out of the Tangiers Casino curtly after being denied his gaming license . He has Frankie Avalon on as a guest and call out County Commissioner Pat Webb to moot him on the show .
In substantial - life , Frank Rosenthal actually did hostThe Frank Rosenthal Showfrom the Stardust Casino . Guests included Frank Sinatra , Bob Hope , Liberace , O.J. Simpson , andCasinoco - star Don Rickles . Sadly , there was no juggle .
Scorsese’s Mom Had A Minor Role In The Film
Scorsese has a history of casting his family in minor persona in his flick . His father , Charles Scorsese , appeared in eight of his film over the years , with his last beingThe Age of Innocencebefore his last in 1993 . It ’s his mom , however , who had a use of being a scenery - thief in several of his films . Catherine Scorsese had small part in nine of Marty ’s films , with her most memorable being that of Tommy DeVito ’s female parent in 1990’sGoodfellas . InCasino , Catherine had another memorable part , this meter as Artie Piscano ’s cursing - averse female parent ( “ Take it easy . You ’ll get a mettle approach like that . ” ) Sadly , Catherine slip away out in 1997 .
Cornfield Burial
After running wild and unbridled for most of the movie , Nicky Santoro finally go too far when he log Z’s with Rothstein ’s married woman Ginger . This inexcusable offense leads to Nicky and his sidekick Dominick being beat with atomic number 13 baseball squash racket and buried alive together in a unmarried , shallow grave in a cornfield . In reality , Anthony Spilotro and his pal Michael recollect they were being “ promoted ” within the mafia only to get ambushed and murder in an Illinois cellar . The cornfield burial still happened , but the brothers were numb by then .
K.K. Ichikawa Had A Real-Life Counterpart, Too
It ’s a minor scene in the almost three - time of day flick , but it demonstrates the power and reach of the casino ( and therefore the mob ): Japanese high roller K.K. Ichikawa , refreshed off making a killing at the Tangiers pressure table , is told his plane ca n’t take off due to a mechanically skillful failure . He ’s forced to stay another night and he end up losing all his winnings back , and then some .
Ichikawa is based on an real Japanese heavyweight key Akio Kashiwagi who thread up 1000000 in debt to the cassino . He was found dead in his house in 1992 , allegedly at the hands of Japan ’s adaptation of the mafia , the Yakuza .
The Tangiers Was A Combination Of 3 Vegas Casinos
As mentioned originally , The Tangiers Hotel and Casino was based on the Stardust , one of four casinos that Frank Rosenthal was in charge of ( the others being the Marina , Hacienda , and Fremont casinos ) . For the film , exteriors were shoot at The Landmark ( which had been close for several years at that stage ) and the internal scenes inside the Riviera Casino ( shooting would take billet in the early first light hours ) . During production , the Riviera would advertize the fact that visitors to the casino could watch the film being shot . Sadly , all three casinos have since conclude and been demolished .
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