Poker has been one of the most popular card and casino games for many decades now. While it is very difficult to master, it is relatively easy to learn and has multiple variations that allow a wide variety of players to enjoy it.
Poker movies have also driven the popularity of the game, and with online poker now one of the most played games in the world, it can thank films such as The Cincinnati Kid for helping poker enter the mainstream.
Cast
The movie stars the legendary Steve McQueen as Eric “The Kid” Stoner, a young poker player during the Depression who is on a journey to prove that he is the very best. He meets Lance “The Man” Howard, a player that many consider the best poker player around and the one Eric has to beat if he wants to establish himself in the poker world.
The film stars Edward G. Robinson as “The Man,” Ann-Margaret, a Swedish actress, singer, and dancer, Karl Marden, Tuesday Welden, and Rip Torn.
Production
The Cincinnati Kid is based on the book, with the story taking place in St. Louis, Missouri. However, the film takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was originally meant to be filmed in black and white.
However, the original director was fired, and the black-and-white idea was scrapped, as the new director wanted the black and red of the cards to pop, while the rest of the colors in the film were muted to convey the period in which the film is set.
Plot
The movie starts with us being introduced to Eric Stoner, also known as The Kid; he is a young up-and-coming poker player in New Orleans, trying to make a name for himself in the poker world and make some serious money in the process.
He learns that the famous Lance “The Man” Howard is in town, a poker player known to be a master of the game. Eric sees this as a chance to become The Man himself, but his friend, Shooter, reminds him of the time he played Howard and lost everything he had.
Shooter gets roped into being the dealer for a high-stakes game between The Man and the very wealthy William Slade. Howard wipes the floor with Slade and takes home $6,000 after 30-hours of playing.
This sets up the game between Howard and The Kid, with Shooter as the dealer. Without any spoilers, this film’s second half and climax may seem predictable at first, but if you haven’t seen it, you are in for a big surprise.
Reception
The film received mixed responses after its release. Many criticized the flaws in the storyline, as well as how the poker games played out and the ending of the film. However, many thought the characters of The Kid and The Man were not only brilliantly portrayed but were believable and gritty, a great representation of the types of people and players involved in poker games at the time.
The film was also compared to a similar story released a few years prior, The Hustle. However, many believed The Cincinnati Kid was more realistic and suspenseful than The Hustle, even if the latter was viewed more favorably.
Influence
While poker has been popular almost since its inception, it has enjoyed many spikes in said popularity thanks to the media, especially movies. Films such as The Cincinnati Kid, Rounders, Molly’s Game, and Mississippi Grind have all played their part in bringing more people to the table.
The Cincinnati Kid is also widely recognized as one of Steve McQueen’s best films, often ranked better than hits such as Towering Inferno and Le Mans. Overall, his portrayal of The Kid was noted as a highlight for the great actor.
To conclude, while the film wasn’t a generation-defining hit such as Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, the film is a piece of poker history that introduced the game to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. They were drawn in by its story-telling and incredibly tense and enjoyable game scenes.