Casino Movie Cast
| The Cooler | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Wayne Kramer |
| Produced by | Sean Furst Michael A. Pierce |
| Written by | Frank Hannah Wayne Kramer |
| Starring | William H. Macy Alec Baldwin Maria Bello Shawn Hatosy Ron Livingston |
| Music by | Mark Isham |
| Cinematography | James Whitaker |
| Edited by | Arthur Coburn |
Production company | Furst Films Pierce-Williams Entertainment Dog Pond Films ContentFilm Gryphon Films VisionBox |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
| |
| 101 minutes | |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million |
| Box office | $10 million |
The Cooler is a 2003 American romantic drama film directed by Wayne Kramer. The original screenplay was written by Kramer and Frank Hannah. In old-school gambling parlance, a casino 'cooler' is an unlucky individual, usually a casino employee, whose mere presence at the gambling tables usually results in a streak of bad luck for the other players.
Casino Tycoon (賭城大亨之新哥傳奇) is a 1992 Hong Kong action drama film written, produced and directed by Wong Jing starring Andy Lau, Joey Wong and Chingmy Yau.The film is inspired by stories of Stanley Ho, Henry Fok and Yip Hon.It was followed by the sequel Casino. Watch Casino movie trailer and get the latest cast info, photos, movie review and more on TVGuide.com.
Plot[edit]
Unlucky Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) works at the Shangri-La casino as a 'cooler' - a man with professionally bad luck designed to stop people from winning. A cocktail waitress, Natalie (Maria Bello), takes no notice of Bernie, who is smitten with her. The casino manager, Shelly (Alec Baldwin) prides himself on running a 'classically' Vegas casino and resents the new places that attract a lower clientele. The owners, however, hire an advisor named Larry (Ron Livingston) to help bring in more money with techniques contrary to Shelly's outdated policies. Bernie informs Shelly that he's leaving town in a week.
After an encounter during which Bernie rescues Natalie from an aggressive customer, she appears to take an interest in him. They begin dating, but Bernie is apprehensive due to his bad luck. He reveals that he used to be a gambling addict in huge debt to several casinos. Shelly 'saved' him by breaking his kneecap and paying off his debt in exchange for Bernie's work as a cooler for 6 years, which ends at the end of the week. Bernie and Natalie run into his estranged son Mikey and his pregnant wife Charlotte who are scamming a diner by faking labor. Bernie tells Mikey to stop by sometime.
Bernie is happy with his relationship and his 'cooling' abilities fade, much to Shelly's chagrin. Mikey and Charlotte come by and Bernie gives them $3000, but Natalie is skeptical of Charlotte's behavior. When Bernie reveals to Natalie he intends to leave Vegas, she says she won't go with him, and Bernie is upset. Now unhappy, his luck turns again and he begins cooling effectively. When he intentionally fails to cool a hot table which is being cheated by Mikey, Shelly takes Mikey and Charlotte upstairs and begins beating them. Bernie promises to pay the $150,000 Mikey was up, but Shelly breaks Mikey's knee and reveals Charlotte's pregnancy was fake anyway. Though distraught, that night, Natalie and Bernie confess their love for one another and Bernie again becomes a good luck charm.
Shelly calls Natalie to his office and reminds her that he hired her to date Bernie so he wouldn't leave Vegas, not to fall in love with him, which has made him both happy and lucky. He forces her to leave town abruptly, which hurts Bernie and ruins his luck. She does truly love Bernie, though, and returns, restoring Bernie's luck. Shelly goes to Bernie's motel room and begins packing for Natalie and hits her, cutting her face. After a tense exchange wherein she claims Bernie is the closest thing Shelly has to a friend and he doesn't want him to leave, he simply leaves her there. When Bernie comes home, she reveals Shelly hired her to pretend to like him, but she actually fell for him.
Banking on his good luck brought on by Natalie's devotion, Bernie confronts Shelly and calls him a coward with nothing in his life but the casino. Shelly lets him go on the condition he pay back the $150,000, which Bernie tries to win at craps. Bernie leaves and he and Natalie drive away from Vegas. He pulls over and reveals that he won a lot of money, but a cop approaches and readies to kill them. Shelly gets in his car and finds his partner waiting for him. On Larry's behalf, he whacks Shelly, presumably for letting Bernie go with his winnings. A drunk driver hits and kills the cop, presumably sent to whack Bernie, and Natalie and Bernie drive off.
Cast[edit]
- William H. Macy as Bernard 'Bernie' Lootz
- Alec Baldwin as Sheldon 'Shelly' Kaplow
- Maria Bello as Natalie Belisario
- Shawn Hatosy as Michael 'Mikey' Lootz
- Ron Livingston as Larry Sokolov
- Paul Sorvino as Buddy Stafford
- Estella Warren as Charlotte
- Arthur J. Nascarella as Nicky 'Fingers' Bonnatto
- Joey Fatone as Johnny Cappella
- Ellen Greene as Doris
- MC Gainey as Highway Patrol Officer
- Michelle Lopez as the Red Headed Craps Player 'cooled' by Bernie
- Timothy Landfield as The Player
Production[edit]
The film premiere was at the Sundance Film Festival. The Cooler was shown at the Cannes Film Festival, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Deauville Film Festival, among others, before going into limited release in the United States. During that limited release, The Cooler was primarily shown in Reno, Nevada. The Cooler was mainly filmed in Reno at the Golden Phoenix Reno in Reno. The Golden Phoenix Hotel Casino is now a completed condominium project called The Montage.
In an episode of the Sundance Channel series Anatomy of a Scene, director Wayne Kramer and members of his cast and crew discussed various aspects of The Cooler. In order to show Bernie's evolution from loser to winner, costume designer Kristin M. Burke dressed him in suits and clothes that progressively became better fits. Early in the film, the character resembles a boy dressed in his father's oversized clothing. By the end, Bernie is not only wearing the right size suit, but he has accessorized it with a brightly colored shirt and tie that represent his sunnier disposition. Lighting schemes designed by cinematographer Jim Whitaker also contributed to documenting Bernie's progression. In early scenes, his face is kept in the shadows, but later he is filmed in a spotlight and backlit to make him stand out from everything behind him.
The Golden Phoenix Reno, which was already scheduled for a total condominium refurbishment, was used as the interior of the Shangri-La. The Golden Phoenix was finally closed for building rehab in 2006, and since2006 there has been a complete conversion to condominiums, which are named The Montage. Golden Phoenix Reno casino employees and Reno locals were used extensively in the filming of The Cooler. The hotel buildings demolished during the closing credits are the Aladdin, the Sands, the Landmark, and the Dunes hotels.
The song 'Almost Like Being in Love', used to mark Bernie's transition from mournful sad sack to winner, was written by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner for the stage musicalBrigadoon.
According to the 2006 documentary filmThis Film Is Not Yet Rated, the MPAA originally rated the film NC-17 because of a glimpse of Maria Bello's pubic hair during a sex scene. An edited version rated R was released in theaters. A director's cut has been broadcast by the Independent Film Channel and Cinemax.
The Cooler, budgeted at under $4 million, grossed $8,291,572 in the United States and $2,173,216 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $10,464,788.[1]The Cooler earned about $40 million more with DVD and online sales.
Critical reception[edit]
The film received generally positive reviews from critics with considerable praise for Alec Baldwin's performance. Writing for The New York Times, A. O. Scott said, 'The setting ... is a little tired, and the premise is pretty hokey. Mr. Kramer, rather than trying to discover anything new, is content to recycle familiar characters and story lines. The script ... and the direction are skillful, if occasionally gimmicky ... Luckily this picture is rescued from cliché by the quality of the acting, and Mr. Kramer wisely gives the actors room to work.'[2]
On Rotten Tomatoes the film a has a 77% 'Certified Fresh' approval rating based on 174 reviews, with an average rating of 6.75/10. The site's consensus reads: 'A small movie elevated by superb performances.'[3] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 69 out of 100 based on 36 reviews, indicating 'generally positive reviews'.[4]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said the film 'has a strange way of being broad and twisted at the same time, so that while we surf the surface of the story, unexpected developments are stirring beneath ... This is a movie without gimmicks, hooks or flashy slickness ... The acting is on the money, the writing has substance, the direction knows when to evoke film noir and when ... to get fancy.'[5]
In Rolling Stone, Peter Travers rated the film 3½ out of a possible four stars and added, 'Wayne Kramer, who co-wrote the scrappy script with Frank Hannah, makes a potent directing debut and strikes gold with the cast... Top of the line is Baldwin, whose revelatory portrayal of an old Vegas hard-liner in thrall to the town's faded allure is the stuff Oscars are made of. From James Whitaker's seductive camerawork to Mark Isham's lush score, The Cooler places all the smart bets and hits the jackpot.'[6]
Mark Holcomb of The Village Voice said, 'Taking a page from the Sin City cinema revisionist's handbook, The Cooler mimics the Vegas insider's perspective of Casino (without Scorsese's fetishistic attention to detail), the seedy/saccharine insouciance of FX's Lucky (devoid of quirky chutzpah), and the couch-potato glitz of NBC's Las Vegas ... What's left never gels as fantasy, drama, or romantic comedy... [the] film never amounts to more than a cute idea stretched to poker-chip thinness.'[7]
Awards and nominations[edit]
- Wins
- National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor (Alec Baldwin, winner)
- Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture (Maria Bello, winner)
- Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor (Baldwin, winner)
- Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (Baldwin, winner)
- Nominations
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture (Baldwin, nominee)
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Baldwin, nominee)
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture (Bello, nominee)
- Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama (William H. Macy, nominee)
- Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture (Baldwin, nominee)
- Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay (Frank Hannah and Wayne Kramer, nominees)
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (Baldwin, nominee)
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (Bello, nominee)
References[edit]
- ^The Cooler at TheNumbers.com
- ^Scott, A. O. (26 November 2003). 'FILM REVIEW; To a Guy Who Banks on Bad Luck, Good Luck Can Be Bad'. The New York Times.
- ^The Cooler at Rotten Tomatoes
- ^'The Cooler'. Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
- ^Ebert, Roger. 'The Cooler movie review & film summary (2003)'. Chicago Sun-Times.
- ^'Rolling Stone review'. Archived from the original on 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- ^'Village Voice review'. Archived from the original on 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
External links[edit]
- The Cooler on IMDb
- The Cooler at AllMovie
- The Cooler at Box Office Mojo
Questioning the Story:
Did Sam Rothstein manage any other casinos besides Tangiers?
Unlike the portrayal in the movie Casino where Sam 'Ace' Rothstein (Robert De Niro) runs only one casino, the Tangiers, in real life Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal ran four casinos simultaneously, including the Stardust, Hacienda, Fremont and Marina for the Chicago mafia. For legal reasons, the Stardust was renamed the Tangiers in the film. -Las Vegas Sun
Did teamsters really fund the Tangiers?Yes. After being pressured by the mob, the Teamsters fund loaned the Argent Corporation, solely owned by Allen Glick, the money to buy the Stardust and other casinos. Mr. Glick was portrayed in the movie Casino by character Philip Green (Kevin Pollak). -Online Nevada Encyclopedia
Did security really crush the hands of a cheater?
According to Frank Rosenthal himself, yes, this did occur but not under the circumstances portrayed in the movie Casino. The two men who were electronically signaling each other were part of a larger group that had been scamming all the casinos for an extended period of time. The actions taken were meant as a message to the group to deter any of the others from coming back to do the same. -Miami Herald
Did Sam and Ginger have a daughter like in the movie?
The Casino movie true story reveals that Sam and Ginger Rothstein's real-life counterparts, Frank and Geraldine Rosenthal, had a daughter named Stephanie and a son name Steven. Geraldine also had a daughter from a previous relationship with her high school love, Lenny Marmor (James Woods' character in the movie). Robin Marmor was born on December 27, 1957, and was eleven years old when her mother met Frank. She was not depicted in the movie. To learn more about Frank Rosenthal's wife and family, read Nicholas Pileggi's book Casino, which was the basis for the Martin Scorsese movie.
Were the lion performers Sam hired to work at the Tangiers based on Siegfried and Roy?
Indeed they were. When Siegfried and Roy's contract was about to expire with a competing casino, Mr. Rosenthal (Sam) hired them to perform at the Stardust. Part of the agreement was a significantly higher salary, custom dressing room and space for their animals. 'Lido de Paris Starring Siegfried and Roy' was born and so was a friendship that lasted a lifetime. -FrankRosenthal.com
Did Nicky really get banned from every casino in Vegas?Yes. In December 1979, Tony Spilotro, the real-life Nicky Santoro, was blacklisted by the Nevada Gaming Commission, preventing him from entering any casino.
Did the real Nicky Santoro have a son?
Yes. In 1966, Tony and Nancy Spilotro (the real Nicky and Jennifer Santoro) adopted their only son, Vincent. -The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law vs. The Mob
Did Nicky really recruit his brother and other guys from back home to commit heists?
Yes. The pack was referred to as 'The Hole in the Wall Gang' because they cut holes in walls and ceilings to enter their target locations. Included in this group were his brother, Michael Spilotro, Herbert 'Fat Herbie' Blitzstein, Wayne Metecki, Samuel Cusumano, Joseph Cusumano, Ernesto 'Ernie' Davino, 'Crazy Larry' Neumann, Salvatore 'Sonny' Romano, Leonardo 'Leo' Guardino, Joseph Blasko and their leader, Frank Cullotta. Frank Cullotta is portrayed in the movie Casino by actor Frank Vincent, as Nicky Santoro's sidekick Frankie Marino.
Did they really put a rival's head in a vise after he shot up a bar?
Yes. Anthony Spilotro, the basis for Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro character, caught one of the two men who killed the Scalvo brothers without permission. Frank Cullotta testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial that Spilotro did torture Billy McCarthy. Spilotro told him that McCarthy was beaten and when he refused to name his accomplice, his head was put in a vise and tightened until his eyeball popped out. At that point, he gave them Jimmy Miraglia's name and they slit his throat. -Sun Times
Did Nicky Santoro sleep with Sam Rothstein's wife?
Yes, the real Nicky Santoro, Tony Spilotro, did sleep with Frank Rosenthal's wife, which ultimately played a part in his demise. Nicholas Calabrese testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial in 2007 that mob hit man John Fecarotta told him that Spilotro was targeted for his affair with Rosenthal's wife. -Chicago Tribune
Was Phillip Green's business partner, Anna Scott, murdered in her home?Yes. The real-life Anna Scott, Tamara Rand, was murdered in the kitchen of her San Diego home. She was shot on November 9, 1975 soon after having loan issues with her mob-tied business partner, Allen Glick. -San Diego Reader
Was there really a Gaming Control Board investigation into Sam's attempt to get a gaming license?Yes. The real Sam, Frank Rosenthal, did have a hearing with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Furthermore, he argued with the chairman, the current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and was denied a gaming license. In 1988, he was officially put in the 'Black Book' (List of Persons Excluded from Licensed Gaming Establishments in the State of Nevada). -Las Vegas Sun
Did FBI agents run out of gas and land their plane on a fairway?
Casino Royale Movie Cast
According to the Casino true story, the FBI agents did land their plane on the fairway at the Las Vegas Country Club where the Rosenthals lived. However, it was due to mechanical problems rather than a lack of fuel. -Skimming the Las Vegas Casinos
Did the real Sam 'Ace' Rothstein have his own TV show?
Yes he did. The Frank Rosenthal Show was taped at the Stardust and brought in many big-name guests, including Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Wayne Newton, Liberace and O.J. Simpson. For those of you who are curious, he claims to have never juggled on the show. -FrankRosenthal.com
Was Sam the best handicapper in America?
Casino Movie Cast Trudy
According to Sports Illustrated, Frank Rosenthal is 'one of the greatest living experts on sports gambling'. -Sports Illustrated article 'The Biggest Game in Town'
Is Sam responsible for putting sports betting into casinos?
Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal, the real Sam, is credited with putting sports betting in Las Vegas casinos. In 1976, he set up the first sports book in the Stardust, which featured six large televisions. -USA Today
Did Sam and Ginger really get divorced?
Yes. According to Frank, the real story is that he filed for the divorce and for full custody of their children. Geri did not contest it. Their divorce was finalized on January 16, 1981. -FrankRosenthal.com
Did Ginger really try to run off with their daughter and Lester?
According to Frank Rosenthal (the real Sam Rothstein), his wife and her ex-boyfriend, Lenny Marmor, ran off with his daughter, his son and his money. In the movie, Lenny Marmor is the Lester Diamond character portrayed by James Woods. -FrankRosenthal.com
Did Artie Piscano die of a heart attack when the FBI found mob records in his home?
No. The Casino movie character Artie Piscano was based on Carl 'Tuffy' DeLuna. The raid on his home happened on February 14, 1979. Unlike what is depicted in the movie, Tuffy did not die of a heart attack during the raid. He was sentenced to prison for his participation in skimming Las Vegas casinos and was released in 1998. He died ten years later on July 21, 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri. -The Chicago Syndicate
Did Sam survive a car bomb assassination attempt?Yes. On October 4, 1982, Frank Rosenthal left Tony Roma's restaurant on East Sahara Avenue and got into his Cadillac which then exploded. Amazingly, he survived with minor burns and injuries. A variety of factors have been attributed to his survival, including a metal plate under the driver's seat, the driver's side door being open at the time of the explosion, and pure luck. -NY Times
Why did Sam's car have a metal plate under the driver's seat?
The 1981 Cadillac Eldorado had a balancing problem that was affecting the car's handling. GM installed the metal plate under the driver's seat to correct the problem. -UniqueCarsandParts.com/au
Did Ginger end up with low lives and drug dealers in Los Angeles?
Yes. The true story behind Geri Rosenthal (Ginger in the movie) reveals that her interaction with these people ultimately led to her untimely death. On November 9, 1982, at the age of 46, she died in an LA motel from a drug overdose of valium, cocaine and whiskey. She is buried in Mount Sinai Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Were Nicky Santoro and his brother, Dominick, really killed?Yes, the real-life Spilotro brothers were beaten to death, but not in a cornfield as portrayed in the movie. According to Nicholas Calabrese, a former mob hitman who testified in the Operation Family Secrets trial, the brothers were told they were being promoted in the mob. Anthony Spilotro was to become a 'capo' and his brother, Michael, was to become a 'made member'. They were driven to a mob home in Bensenville, Illinois and were beaten to death in the basement. They were later transported to the cornfield in Enos, Indiana. -Chicago Tribune
Casino Movie Director
Is the real Sam still alive?
Mr. Rosenthal died at the age of 79 after suffering a heart attack at his Miami Beach home on October 13, 2008. -NY Times
Did Sam insist on having an equal number of blueberries in each muffin?
According to Nicholas Pileggi, author of the book Casino, Frank Rosenthal was extremely meticulous. He did regulate the number of blueberries per muffin, with each muffin containing at least ten blueberries. -NY Times
Casino Movie Cast Members
Casino: Behind the Movie Interviews & VideoCasino Movie Star
Casino Jack Movie Cast
Watch video featuring interviews with Frank Rosenthal, the real Sam Rothstein, portrayed by Robert De Niro in the movie. Also, see footage of Tony Spilotro, the real Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci).
Frank Rosenthal Interview Watch Frank Rosenthal interviews andhistoric video featuring mobster AnthonySpilotro, portrayed by Joe Pesci in themovie Casino. |
Casino Trailer Watch the Casino movie trailerfor the film starring Robert De Niro, JoePesci and Sharon Stone. Directed by MartinScorcese, Casino tells the storyof sports handicapper Frank 'Lefty'Rosenthal in mob-run Las Vegas during the1970's. |