Movies can include popular culture references to add depth and context to the setting and ultimately create a deeper connection with audiences. Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Bastards’ is one such film, as it makes ‘70s-heavy pop culture references across various scenes. These range from a Mexican standoff scene with cinematic techniques inspired by the Italian Western genre, which thrived in the ‘60s and ‘70s, to a character mirroring a line in a similar war adventure movie, ‘The Great Escape.’
However, beyond referencing other movies to both appeal to viewers and pay homage to the film industry, filmmakers can also reference casino games to draw viewers into a story or plot that they immediately recognize. Among the popular games referenced throughout film history is poker, a card game that has been around since the late 18th century and whose rules are thus familiar to general audiences. Below, we take a closer look at what makes poker a significant addition to films, before highlighting the most memorable poker scenes in film history.
The creative and cultural significance of poker
Since poker is a high-stakes card game that involves a blend of risk and strategy, movies can employ poker scenes as a narrative device. The game’s randomness and unpredictability can increase onscreen tension and drama, while also serving as a metaphor for socioeconomic themes like luck, success, and ambition. As players must bet, bluff, and strategize their way through winning, poker scenes also offer a glimpse into the characters’ respective psyches — whether they approach the game and, by extension, the world with skill or luck, with strategy or deception.
On a historical and cultural level, poker and its principles of odds and probabilities have been ingrained in viewers’ consciousness—even evolving into different formats in the United States throughout the years.
In fact, the cultural longevity of poker is evidenced by how even its online format remains entwined with the movie industry, specifically Hollywood. Take the platform America’s Card Room, which is known in the industry for hosting the biggest poker tournaments online, with promotions like Million Dollar Jackpot and the monthly Mystery Bounty, with a guaranteed combined prize pool of $225,000. As a leading poker platform in the US, it has been the go-to choice for actors who play poker not just for leisure but also for charity. Notably, movie stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have previously partnered with America’s Card Room to host a virtual poker tournament in 2020, which managed to raise more than $1 million for the hunger relief organization Feeding America.
Meanwhile, film and television actor Jason Alexander participated in poker tournaments as a professional player and has also used his celebrity influence to promote poker and elevate its popularity and adoption. In line with the rising popularity of mobile poker, Alexander starred in a series of World Series of Poker commercials and ad campaigns. The ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Shallow Hal’ actor also previously had an exclusive contract with PokerStars. Overall, the deep connection between poker and the film industry has made the following movie scenes all the more iconic and memorable to audiences all over the world.
Rounders (1998)
A gambling noir movie released in 1998, ‘Rounders’ features various poker scenes with a young Matt Damon as the main character Mike McDermott, who returns to high-stakes gambling to earn money and help a friend pay off his debt. The final poker scene will always be unforgettable, as this is where Mike takes on the Russian gangster Teddy “KGB” (played by John Malkovich) and baits him into going all-in before defeating him in the final hand. The encounter hence depicts the importance of game theory and physical reads in poker.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
The star-studded ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ sees A-list actors George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon playing poker with movie stars. Aside from poker setting the perfectly engaging environment for a heist movie with visual and auditory elements like the shuffling of cards and tossing of chips, it also establishes the brotherly dynamic between the characters Rusty (Pitt) and Danny (Clooney) as the former takes him under his tutelage.
Casino Royale (2005)
The twenty-first installment in the James Bond series, ‘Casino Royale’, features an almost half-hour-long casino sequence to showcase not only Bond’s (played by Daniel Craig) mental prowess but also his impulsive, daredevil approach to everything in life, including poker. Interestingly, co-actor Mads Mikkelsen, who played the main antagonist Le Chiffre, shared in an interview that Craig was actually not skilled in poker off-screen. Yet the masterful screenplay and cinematic techniques still portray 007 as a force to be reckoned with, as he defeated the villain in a high-stakes poker game to take down terrorist organizations.
Runner Runner (2013)
Meanwhile, ‘Runner Runner’ approaches poker in a more modern way than the aforementioned titles, as it revolves around a poor college student, Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake), who refers other students to online gambling to fund his master’s degree at Princeton. At the beginning of the movie, Richie is shown using his skills in statistics and probability to play online poker and try to earn his tuition. However, he loses the money to a cheater, which sets him on a journey to confront an online gambling tycoon, Ivan Block (Ben Affleck).
Molly’s Game (2017)
Lastly, ‘Molly’s Game’ depicts the true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a young Olympic skier who had to give up her dreams after an injury and ended up running an underground poker empire for celebrities, athletes, business tycoons, and the Russian mafia. One of the most iconic scenes in the movie features Harlan Eustice (Bill Camp), a successful poker player who eventually spiraled out of control and suffered heavy losses after accidentally losing a hand to an otherwise unskilled player. Those interested in witnessing how high-stakes poker isn’t just about money but, more importantly, about human psychology may consider watching the movie on streaming platform Netflix.
