SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Edgar Allan Pooh . . . why the South lost the War Between the States in this 1965 Civil War Centennial piece, THE CINCINNATI KID. Steve McQueen plays the title character here, who grew up at the doorstep to the Confederacy. He heads South to New Orleans, absorbing such Southern values as 1)Try to spend as much time as possible gambling, especially with money you don't have. 2)See if you can pass the rest of the time smoking and guzzling booze. 3)If there's still time to kill, tie razor blades to anything that moves, and force it to fight some other innocent critter to the Death, so that you can gamble on the outcome and potentially make money while getting your sadistic jollies (look again at the close-ups of the lead actors' eyes during the cockfight, which are seen again in the poker finale to this story). 4)Fooling around under the sheets with your best friend's wife always is preferable to sleeping. 5)Don't worry yourself about #1, #2, #3, and #4 causing your woman to leave you, since it's highly unlikely that there's another man in town sober enough to stand upright as an alternative meal ticket to your gracious self. 6)Whenver possible, reenact Pickett's Charge by putting all of your eggs into one basket. 7)If there are any minority people within earshot, be sure to say something to make them feel inferior.

blanche-2 Five-card stud isn't played much anymore, but it's played for something like 30 hours in the final hour of "The Cincinnati Kid," a 1965 film directed by Norman Jewison and starring Steve McQueen, Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden, Ann-Margret, Tuesday Weld, and Joan Blondell.McQueen is The Cincinnati Kid, a rounder, someone who looks for poker action in various towns, and Robinson is a long-time champion, also a rounder. There were no casinos in those days, the '30s. The story takes place in New Orleans.Robinson, as Lancey Howard, has made a few enemies in his day, notably Slater (Rip Torn, who in these '60s films reminds me of Bradford Dillman). Slater is determined that when Howard hits town, he loses to The Kid. Toward that effort, he bribes one of the dealers, Shooter (Karl Malden). The two men finally meet in a poker game, one which has breaks - you can't play nonstop for 30 hours. During one of the breaks, The Kid tells Shooter that he knows the deal is rigged and insists on a clean game, saying that he doesn't need help to win.Subplots concern Melba, Shooter's gorgeous wife (Ann-Margret) who is after The Kid, and The Kid's romance with a local girl (Weld).The poker game is great. It's tense and exciting, although the hands are statistically nearly impossible to appear in the same game.McQueen does a lot with a little - a look, a stare, a smile, He was a master of subtle acting, plus he has natural presence and sexiness. He died way too soon. The versatile Robinson, who could be a down-low crook or a mogul, is charming and elegant here.The location, the period, and the dialogue lend themselves to the atmosphere created. And the cast is terrific -- Joan Blondell as a replacement dealer, Jack Weston as a fellow player, Torn as the angry Slater, Ann-Margret in top form in looks and sex appeal, Malden as the frustrated Shooter - all are excellent.Considered one of the best, if not the best poker movie of all time. It's also a wonderful example of how "action" can take place without car chases and bombs going off.

nodialogue Reading through all the other comments let me give you my idea what the movie is about: The Cinicinnati Kid, a young talented but poor poker player gets the opportunity to play against Lancey, an old and rich master player.The Kid thinks he has nothing to lose, it is the only opportunity he's got, poker is the only thing he can do, the can succeed alone on his own, he is in control of his side of the game, life would change for the better should he win, he is respected, Lancey is the man to beat, it is a fair game. All of these assumptions will prove wrong during the course of the film.The kid learns that Lancey, who is a cynic, old and sick, has nothing to lose. He himself on the contrary is young and energetic, looking forward to a lasting relationship with his girlfriend. He has got everything, his entire future, to lose. He has these opportunities outside of poker. He even learns he can use his skill with cards, not to win money, but to make his girlfriend's parents laugh. They all enjoy the moment together rather than him being alone winning at poker.The action starts when Slade tries to buy first Shooter, then him. This way he learns that he is not respected nor is Lancey. He is being watched for entertainment like the roosters in their fight. It is other people who control the game. Slade is the man to beat, not Lancey. It is not at all a fair game. Just like Melba trying to make the pieces of the puzzle fit into the picture, it is all a cheat. Slade buys Shooter who as a side-effect sends Melba into his bed, an event that almost compromised the Kid's entire future. Melba is a poker-player in real life, she only trusts in recklessness.So if the Kid wins the money, will he change into a corrupt man like Slade or Lancey or even worse ? It is the poor people that demonstrate dignity to him, like the shoe-shine boy. The rich and successful are all fake. The film makes this point by revealing Slade's relationship with his wife and children are all a facade, not regardless, but because of his wealth.When the Kid finally loses at the gambling table he wins in life. He is not ready yet, not ready to be a lonely cynic without a future in a corrupt world.This great movie gives you all my words in pictures which is what movie making is all about.

gazzo-2 Quite a fine movie. The cast is the best part-McQueen doing his uber-cool thing, Ann-Margret as the sultry decoration, Malden the jittery best friend, a youngish Rip Torn as the baddie, Edward G. as Minnesota Fats, more or less.It's set in New Orleans in the thirties, it involves a killer marathon poker-showdown between the reigning champion of these events-Edward G. Robinson, and the local up and coming hotshot, Steve McQueen. Familiar faces such as Cab Calloway, Dub Taylor, Jeff Corey and Joan Blondell get into the action and help make this one even better me thinks just because.Only real debits-slowish pacing in the middle, Malden too trusting w/ his gal A-M around McQueen, and it really doesn't have that authentic Sting/Thirties look to it. A-M and Weld could have walked in off the Viva Las Vegas sets, you know? The marathon poker match is the best part, certainly, keep an eye out for Jack Weston here-he certainly adds something to the preceedings.I was surprised by Edward G winning by the way-it looked like a real set-up to have McQueen take him down at the end. No dice. I think Edward G also steals the show here, he's quite in his element and the camera just loves him.Check it out, well worth your time. *** outta ****