The central characters of Sam “Ace” Rothstein and Ginger McKenna were based on these two real-life figures. This article inspired the screenwriter-producer to probe into the issue of mob infringement in the city of Las Vegas. The report was about a domestic feud between casino owner and organized crime associate Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal and his wife, Geri McGee. Pileggi was looking at the pages of the newspaper Las Vegas Sun, and a particular piece of news report caught his eye. The screenplay for the film was written by Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese from Pileggi’s book ‘Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas.’ The year was 1980, and the production of Scorsese’s earlier film ‘Goodfellas,’ where Pileggi co-wrote the screenplay, was coming to an end. The film claims to be “adapted from a true story” from the beginning, and you would be astonished to know that most parts of the claim are legit. Naturally, you may be wondering if the narrative of ‘Casino’ is tethered in reality.
With powerful performances from a star-studded cast ensemble comprising Sharon Stone and Robert De Niro in central roles, brilliant camerawork, compelling storyline, fantastic production design, and some amazing action sequences, it is considered one of the underrated films from the oeuvre of the filmmaker.
