Criticism / "Casino"
“Casino” [Martin Scorsese]
According to the terms of the course syllabus, this essay will be “on the style and themes of, preferably, a significant world class director. I have chosen Martin Scorsese, whom I feel utilizes the styles and themes studied in this course to great effect. The film I will focus on is Casino, specifically the first act, with emphasis on the script, the casting, the cinematography, and the soundtrack.
Casino holds a special place in my heart. I am drawn to it by a primordial sense of familiarity; having grown up in the movie’s setting Las Vegas, Nevada. I also have personal ties the real life counterparts of the three main characters. Anthony “Tony the Ant” Spilotro was my judge at a high school Speech tournament. Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal and his wife, Geri, used to visit her mother at the nursing home that my mother worked at.
There are two factors that have deepened my appreciation of this film; First, I read “The Last Mogul,” a fascinating biography of Lew Wasserman, the head of MCA, that contains an account of the ordeal that the Mr.’s Wasserman and Scorsese went through in releasing “The Last Temptation of Christ.” The book also contained evidence that I had, in all likelihood, once worked for a member of the Cleveland syndicate, or I should say “alleged” member of the Cleveland syndicate that Mr. Wasserman ‘had dealings with.’ Secondly, and more pertinently, using techniques learned in class and through the text, I was able to take a movie I had seen and enjoyed, and review it as a completely new experience. This is the first time I’ve ever watched a film and sought to find out the names of the Cinematographer, Film Editor, and Casting Director. Kudos to, respectively, Robert Richardson, Oscar winner Thelma Schoonmaker, and Ellen Lewis for their great work Even the act of timing the length of each scene, was a revelation. The way Scorsese embraces the past, while defying convention, is a treasure to watch.
I consider myself fortunate to have seen the movies Red Heat and the 1932 version of Scarface. They served to lay a frame-of-reference from which Scorsese is able to tell the story of La Cosa Nostra in 70-80’s Las Vegas. Red Heat’s tale of a violent lover’s triangle and Scarface’s unflinching portrayal of a gangster’s bloodthirsty quest for power both echo through Casino like the ringing of a spent bullet, still smoking as it lies on the floor.
So, how did Scorcese take the genre of “Gangster Films” and put a fresh spin on it? Easy, he took the “Gangster Film” to Confession, in GoodFellas, and then made it spill its blackened heart to God and man. Here, in Casino, the act of confession is also a key. Look at the lighting in the scene between Alan King (as Andy Stone) and Robert DeNiro (as Sam Rothstein), as they sit in a car discussing Nicky Santoro’s future. There is a glow coming from the dashboard area that is reminiscent of the glow from banks of votive candles, the kind you’ll find in a Catholic church. Mr. Scorcese repeats this theme several times in this film, reinforcing my belief that he is Obsessive-Compulsive. Furthermore, ya gotta’ love that faithful Catholic dogma nipping at your heels. Dogma isn’t the only thing that is feeding from Father Scorsese’s hand. Old-fashioned morality is thrown a bone, in the form of the almost biblical punishments endured by the reprobate main characters. This is the sort of milieu, combining the Sacred with the Profane, which Mr. Scorcese excels at, and he proves that on many levels of this film (And, yes, he did it better, and earlier, in GoodFellas).
Let’s look at the movie from the ground up, so to speak, and start with the story idea and source material. Once again, Scorsese teams up with author Nicholas Pileggi whose novel “Casino” is a fictionalized account of Mafia activity in Las Vegas from the mid-70’s to the early 80’s. Of course, the main theme Mr.’s Scorsese and Pileggi use is as old as the bible; Money is the root of all evil. Add to that another maxim, ‘Pride comes before the fall,’ and you have the film’s moral core. The opening scene is almost a literal depiction of the main character descending into a fiery Hell, and, for me, the underlying theme immediately takes a turn for the Mythic. Thus, Mr. Scorcese is compelled to tell us the story of these modern-day Roman Gods, builders of great temples, the sacrificers of innocent flesh. As the movie’s tag-line states, “No one stays on top forever.”
That load of stupefying rhetoric having been said, let’s look at the Casting and Acting aspects of this picture. Before I discuss the “Star Power” in this film, I’d like to bring attention to the supporting cast. Reading the full credits for Casino is a treat in itself; perfect for light reading when the film starts to drag in the middle. Attorney Oscar Goodman plays a “Mob” lawyer- named Oscar Goodman! I hope that cameo doesn’t come back to bite him in the ass (ed. note- Goodman is now the Mayor of Las Vegas). I scanned the credits some more and discovered these nuggets of useless trivia: The actor who plays “Crooked Poker Dealer” is named Tommy DeVito, the same name as Joe Pesci’s character in “GoodFellas.” In addition, the actor playing the “Winner” in the two-man blackjack scam is none other than Associate Producer Joseph Reidy. Then another name on the credits leapt out at me, Joe LaDue, who plays Joseph Reidy’s partner in the scam. I know Joe LaDue; I met him through his daughter, Jodi, who was a co-worker of mine in Las Vegas. Joe was a stuntman, as well as actor, on TV shows like “Vegas” and “Airwolf.” It’s apparent that Joe’s background in stunts came in very, er… handy in his performance. This is typical of the casting touch of Ellen Lewis, and the Director himself. Besides the frequent use of “nonprofessional” actors, such as Martin Scorsese’s mother, Catherine, and self-portrayed celebrities like singer Jerry Vale, the casting of familiar faces makes the detail to authenticity ring true. The brief cameos, made by some of the city’s real-life newscasters from that era, add to a layer of nostalgia to the film’s tone. For example, the appearance of Anchorwoman Gwen Castaldi rekindled long-forgotten adolescent memories.
Some might think the casting of DeNiro, a veteran of seven previous films with Scorsese, and Pesci, Scorsese’s favorite comedian, was a no-brainer, that they can simply turn to the camera and deliver a perfect take, first take. Not so, as evidenced by the following anecdote, which deals with the problem of getting actors out of their comfort zone of familiarity and into the area of naked emotion, which is what great directors demand. While filming “Raging Bull,” with DeNiro and Pesci, Mr. Scorsese noted of Mr. DeNiro’s approach to acting:
“Bob is a very generous actor . . . and he really gets other actors to act in his scenes. For example, when Jake asks Joey, ‘Did you fuck my wife?” … I told Bob that I wasn’t getting enough reaction from Joe Pesci. He told me to roll the cameras, and then said, ‘Did you fuck your mother?’ When you see the film again, look at Joe’s reaction!”
I love that story, and would have referred to it regardless of which Director I chose for this essay. Obscene, yes, but it does serve as a glimpse into what it’s like on the set of a Scorsese film. While the sub-plot of a co-dependant relationship between Sharon Stone and James Woods (who is creepy for all the wrong reasons) never seems to ignite, sparks do fly elsewhere in this film. The scene with Joe Pesci, framed in smoke and red hues, filmed in a subtle slow-motion, as he glowers over the obnoxious bar patron he has stabbed with a pen is a moment of violent poetry that could not have been pulled off without all of the elements coming together so precisely. This scene occurs less than fifteen minutes into the film, a twist of moods so mercurial that it necessitates having time slow down. A long slow-motion scene is a risky move in a conventional film, but in a feature that runs three hours, it would be suicidal. When Scorsese does it it’s a stroke of genius.
Another example of his genius is the brilliant, almost arrogant, use of “Voice Over” narration throughout the film. This accomplishes two things; First, it allows him to fill in the narrative to fit in his time-line, to explain the plot or move characters in and out of the action. Secondly, the easiest work in Hollywood is the “voice-over” and this enables Scorsese to utilize his two main actors in a way that is not demanding on them physically, yet also establishes them as a presence in the audience’s mind. We don’t have to see Nicky Santoro “whack” some poor shlub and then dump the body in a desert grave, we just have to hear him tell us about the ritual of the digging, and we know we’ll see a grave sometime later. That is why the scene where Nicky stabs the obnoxious bar patron with the pen is so unsettling, because by then, we had gotten to know Nicky Santoro in a conversational way.
The dialogue is excellent, textbook ‘wiseguy.’ Hell, by the nine minute mark into the film, I could have hung with the Goomba’s in Vegas. The narration, explaining the inner workings that facilitate the ‘Graft on the Grift’ by the various castes of the Gaming industry, is done in such a conspiratorial tone that you get swept up into the mind-set of the mob. In a sublime way, the voice-over becomes a homage to Raging Bull. DeNiro and Pesci take turns, unloading barrages of bruising dialogue like two boxers circling in the ring. The narrator shifts between Sam and Nicky in intervals of, mostly, twenty or thirty seconds each. Nicky’s speech about digging holes in the desert lasts twenty-five seconds, tops. I’ll never forget that scene, no matter how brief, or how inappropriate my laughter felt at it. This is Black humor. The soliloquies in the opening ten minutes are revealing. Scorsese used this humor where most “Gangster” films would simply rely on bloodshed. For example, when Nicky confronts the two wiseguys, Jerry and Eddie, in front of the cashier’s cage. After they walk away, the cashier says, “They forgot to sign their tickets!” and Nicky says, “They won’t be needing them no more,” the delivery of the line is the perfect blend of menace and sarcasm. Adding to the almost sub-audible sense of self-absorption is the deft use of the Soundtrack, which becomes another voice to the narrative.
The soundtrack to Casino is a blend of classic Rock and classics from the Big-Band era, each serving to help shade in parts of the story. Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” is a nod to the Stardust Hotel and Casino, one of the four that Frank Rosenthal ran in real life. “Go Your Own Way,” by Fleetwood Mac, matches the scene where Sam And Nicky sit in Sam’s car, sensing their lives will soon be coming to a crossroads. My favorite blend of music and dialogue comes when Sam segues from the breakdown of how they swindled a Japanese high roller out of millions to the pecking order of a casino, where everybody is watching everybody else. In the middle of this now-classic monologue, a soulful voice cries out, “GODDAMN!” and DeNiro’s internal monologue becomes accompanied by a visceral, verbal Doppelganger.
I apologize for skipping over Cinematography, although I could claim that I’m merely copying one of Scorsese’s trademarks; avoiding the chronological narrative. The fact is I forgot. I have to apologize, because the camera work in Casino is one of its strong points. Sharon Stone looks every bit a beautiful Starlet, thanks in no small part to Robert Richardson’s age-defying cinematography. The costuming in this picture allows for the use of dramatic, flashy clothes, from vintage 70’s threads to Designer dresses, and all those hand-made Italian suits. Somehow, these garish clothes and colors never take away from the equally garish and colorful characters.
The contrast in the film’s locations, from neon Vegas jungle to sandy Nevada deserts, plus the obvious contrast of night and day, offers Mr. Richardson a wide palette of colors and textures. Filming inside an actual casino and truly capturing the feel of it, is a dicey proposition (pun intended). Casino does a fine job in hitting the right notes. However, I have a hard time believing that Sharon Stone’s character could actually cause that much anarchy in a casino gaming area and walk away from it, no matter how sexy she is. However, it does serve the storyline well.
That’s because Martin Scorsese is the master storyteller when it comes to the flawed, but charismatic anti-hero. Combined with his “Backstory,” his Catholic upbringing and brief flirtation with the Priesthood, and the question of why he makes movies like this becomes apparent. A priest gives sermons, he hears confession, he gives absolution, and he re-tells the myths that make us tremble in the pews or stare in wonder at powers that are beyond our grasp. Casino takes on a spiritual dimension that reaches into my own past, taking me to a time and place I could never describe as vividly as a man from the other side of America, from an era and environment far different from mine.
That, to me, is proof that Martin Scorsese is the premier American director in cinema today. If Steven Soderburg disagrees with that statement, he can call Joe Pesci. I’m sure Joe wouldn’t hesitate to “go to bat” for Marty.
You need to log in to urbis or create an urbis account to review this writing.
Reviews
Sort Reviews by Newest | Oldest | Highest Quality | Lowest Quality | Newest Comments |
This 53 word review has not been unlocked.
This 320 word review has not been unlocked.
This 268 word review has not been unlocked.
From AMC and I quote:
“Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese has deservedly earned a reputation as one of the leading filmmakers of his generation. He has a style all his own, and can be mentioned in the same breath with directors such as Woody Allen when talking about artists who have helped clearly define the image of New York City on-screen.
Growing up in the tough downtown neighborhood of New York’s Little Italy would help Scorsese later on in his career, as he would draw on these experiences to help inject his films with gritty realism and street-smart savvy.
His first critical success, in fact, was the largely autobiographical street-epic Mean Streets (1973), where most of the incidents depicted were drawn from personal memory.
The picture garnered him the Best Film Award from the New York Film Critics Circle, and, of equal importance, was also the first of his eight collaborations with Robert De Niro.
In fact, it is with De Niro that Scorsese has achieved his greatest fame. In 1976, they teamed up for Taxi Driver, a film that earned several top prizes (Cannes, NY Film Critics), as well as thrust De Niro into superstardom. Scorsese teamed up with his favorite actor once again in 1977’s New York, New York, before going on to make what has been named the Best Film of the Decade by numerous magazine and critics’ polls—1980’s Raging Bull. The picture received eight Academy Award? nominations, including Scorsese’s first as director.
During the eighties, Scorsese worked consistently, although not with the same degree of success as in the previous decade. He memorably brought Paul Newman’s “Fast” Eddie Felson (first seen in The Hustler) back to the screen in 1986 with The Color of Money, the film that would earn Newman his only Best Actor Oscar?. Two years later, he outraged many with his controversial depiction of a more “human” savior in The Last Temptation of Christ. Despite all the controversy surrounding the picture, it still earned Scorsese a second Academy Award? nomination, and the respect of many critics.
In 1990, Scorsese and seven other prominent filmmakers created the Film Foundation, which serves as an intermediary between the studios and film archives to encourage the restoration and preservation of the films in their libraries. A tireless supporter of film preservation, Scorsese has done much to increase public awareness regarding this issue.
During this decade, Scorsese returned to familiar territory with several of his projects. GoodFellas (1990) and Casino (1995)--both starring Robert De Niro—were gangster dramas, while The Age of Innocence (1993) allowed him to once more explore his favorite city--New York—albeit in the 19th century. Additionally, he remade the Gregory Peck/Robert Mitchum classic Cape Fear (1991), tackled Tibetan spirituality with Kundun (1997), and revisited the urban drama with Bringing Out the Dead (1999), starring Nicolas Cage.
Scorsese is set to make another big splash with his latest feature--Gangs of New York--where he will again use New York as the backdrop in which his tales unfold.”
In closing, I love Martin Scorcese. I wish I was one of the ‘Goodpigeons’ from ANIMANIACS, perching on the head of Marty Scorceeese. He is a god, and your essay is succint, beautiful and amazing. You rule.
- add/view comments (0)
Showing 1 - 4 of 4
Review item
Add to faves
GENERAL
REVIEW QUEUE
Ratings & Rankings
