What do you think makes a film into an all-time classic? The director, the storyline, the script? All of these are important elements, but it is the cast and characters that create an epic encounter worthy for cleaning up at the awards ceremonies. When depicting historical bygone eras, it is massively important to ensure the characters are exactly how people were during the period, so an honest representation can be created.
With the theme of gambling being evident in eras ranging from the Romans to the Bootleggers in cinematic releases, Ladbrokes Casino have created a quiz so you can find out what time period your gaming style would be best suited to.
But how do these eras come across on the big screen? Here are a few examples of the characters seen in these periods:
The Roman – Commodus (Gladiator, 2000)
When it came to gambling, the Romans had no limits on what to throw down as a stake – betting on everything from jewellery, to slaves and even their own lives! The Ridley Scott directed Gladiator sees Emperor Commodus challenging Maximus to a battle to the death to end their feud. However, with corruption being a common occurrence during period, there were no surprises when Commodus resorted to cheating to gain the upper hand. The crooked Emperor stabs Maximus in the shoulder as they are preparing to fight, seriously wounding him before the contest has begun. But the cheater gets his comeuppance, as the skilled gladiator beats Commodus to the kill, showing the corrupt always face the consequences.
The Cowboy – Captain James T. West (Wild Wild West, 1999)
Although the film wasn’t the Box Office smash it would have hoped, Wild Wild West portrays the Cowboy era perfectly. The loveable police captain Jim West, played by Will Smith, shows all the characteristics in fitting with the period – a man who isn’t scared of the crooked and corrupt! Card games during the era were renowned for being rife with cheating, with the players fixing their hand of cards so that they’d come out on top. But, if you were found out trying to rig the game, you were certainly in for trouble, West didn’t stand for any cheating in his town, taking action on those trying to bend or break the rules – but killing a man for cheating in a game of cards might have been a tad too far for him!
The Swinger – Trent Walker and Mike Peters (Swingers, 1996)
This 1996 classic starring Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau has become a cult film with movie boffins and it’s rated as one of the greatest comedic releases of all time. With Mike Peters being a bit down on his luck, his best friend Trent persuades him to take a trip to Las Vegas to clear his mind of his former girlfriend. The pair thrive on Sin City’s atmosphere, trying their hands on the high stakes tables in one of the casinos. In true Swinger fashion, both Mike and Trent ride the wins and losses involved with gambling and are helped with a group of newly found lady friends and the bottomless cups of cocktails! But just like the typical characteristics, the men go home empty handed despite having a great time.
