Release Date: November 22, 1995

Upon its release in 1995, critics were somewhat disappointed by Casino. With the focused brilliance of GoodFellas fresh in their minds, many felt Casino was simply a well-crafted yarn that lacked the narrative focus to achieve its ambitious aims. However, seen 15 years later (and endless replays on cable), Casino has aged remarkably well; its telling of Vegas? Genesis story is complicated, to be sure, but Scorsese deftly balances the historical details with the human drama, and he?s helped immeasurably by excellent performances from Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone (in arguably her greatest performance).

Casino is the story of how Las Vegas went from a sleepy desert outpost to a major tourist destination, told primarily through the eyes of Sam ?Ace? Rothstein (DeNiro), a master sports handicapper recruited by the mob to manage the Tangiers Casino ? and skim as much money as possible. Rothstein is a great success at generating illicit revenue, but his personal life takes a perilous turn when he marries former prostitute Ginger McKenna (Stone) and his old buddy, the violent, impulsive Nicky Santoro (Pesci) is brought in to provide muscle. Soon, Ace is besieged by the FBI, his closest associates, and, eventually, the mob itself.

Casino is filled with fly-on-the-wall details about how criminal organizations function ? it?s a secret history of one of America?s most iconic cities, and a reminder of the criminality that helped build it. But it?s also a story about how human failings can derail even the most seemingly foolproof of plans.