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.

dougdoepke Poker whiz The Cincinnati Kid arranges a marathon showdown in New Orleans with the reigning poker champ, Lancey.The cast and crew manage to pull off a difficult cinematic trick—make action around a stationary poker table interesting. So does Lancey (Robinson) have that jack of diamonds in the hole or not. If he does, the Kid (McQueen) may be finished. Those hard-eyed stares give away nothing, but I'm sweating just watching. Not all the action is around the 5-card stud contest. There're a number of subplots, the best one being the struggle for Shooter's (Malden) integrity, pitting his sense of right and wrong on one side against the lusciously devious Melba (Ann Margret) on the other.It's a heckuva colorful cast with a good dash of local New Orleans exotica thrown in. McQueen's perfect as the quietly cocksure challenger, while Robinson exudes the self- assurance of a long-time champion. In fact, the plot's crux strongly resembles that of a big boxing match or an epic western showdown, except the stakes are big money and a poker crown. (Then too, I'll bet Robinson and Blondell {Ladyfingers} had fun talking over old times at Warner Bros.) Add the always reliable Karl Malden, a slimy Rip Torn (Slade) and a sweaty Jack Weston (Pig), along with the ravishing Ann Margret and the vixenish (not here) Tuesday Weld, and you've got a cast that could carry even a bad movie, which this movie definitely is not. Besides, there's that downbeat ending that nevertheless shows how losing can sometimes be winning.

ebiros2 Gritty and glamorous comes together in this classic Steve McQueen movie.Movie is about the cold world of gambling, where "Kid" (Steve McQueen) excels in his art. The story revolves of course around his gambling, but there're two beautiful girls Melba (Ann Margaret) and Christian (Tuesday Weld) who are interested in him. Kid hears that legendary gambler Lancey Howard (Edward G Robinson) is in town, and gambling match is on. The game starts innocently enough, until Kid discovers that his friend Shooter (Karl Malden) who's dealing the card is passing him favorable cards. Someone wants Kid to win at all cost.The movie is beautifully shot, and casts are all A list. They really catch your eyes with their star qualities. So although the movie is supposed to be happening in a seedy place, the atmosphere is gorgeous. We don't see movies like this any more as somehow the star quality has gone down in recent years with actors.Tuesday Weld who's the inspiration for Rolling Stones' song Ruby Tuesday plays Steve McQueen's fiancé. Over doing anything is detrimental to life, and maybe the point of this movie is just that. But knowing your place in life is more difficult than winning a poker game.

Anthony Pittore III (Shattered_Wake) "The Kid" (Steve McQueen) is the up-and-coming new player in the stud poker world. He travels from game to game, usually with the help of his buddy Shooter (Karl Malden), only to clean out his competition in good form. When Lancey "The Man" Howard comes to town, the Kid and Shooter arrange a high-stakes poker game with some of the best players around to find out who the real king of stud poker is.There have been a number of solid poker movies throughout the years, with the most recent being the Matt Damon vehicle "Rounders," a film which basically spurred the "poker boom" back in the early 2000s (along with donkey Chris Moneymaker's World Series of Poker win in 2003). One poker flick that's never forgotten in the wide array of films in the subgenre is 'The Cincinnati Kid.' The film features one of Steve McQueen's most legendary performances (in a long list of great roles) and puts him alongside such other great actors like Karl Malden, Rip Torn, and oh-so-sexy Ann-Margret.One issue that has come along with this film is that it does feature a LOT of poker, but what really works about the poker scenes is that it's more about the characters than the actual game. The dialogue, the staredowns, and everything else at the table works so well that it never, ever gets boring. Away from the table, there are some terrifically formed bonds between the friendship of Shooter & the Kid, along with the Kid's relations with girlfriend Christian (Tuesday Weld) and Melba (Ann-Margret). Including this additional drama helps to round out the film into something entertaining and interesting for all viewers, whether they be poker fans or not.Overall, while I do, as a poker player and cinema enthusiast, prefer 'Rounders' slightly, 'The Cincinnati Kid' is one of the best films you can find on the subject. It's just a shame that McQueen wasn't around long enough to have a showdown between The Kid and Mike McDermott.Final Verdict: 9/10.-AP3-