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21 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :- A poker classic with suspense, realistic characters and a stunning cast, 8 November 2005 Author: floydianer from Germany
Steve McQueen, who was deservedly called Mister Cool, plays the young upcoming poker player, already said to be among the best in the business. But there is one he hasn't played against, The Man, Lancey Howard, played by the great Edward G. Robinson. With the help of his friend Shooter they set up the big fight. While having a high suspense factor in the poker scenes, the non-poker ones might get a bit boring at times, especially in the love story between the Kid and his girlfriend Christian. But when it comes to playing this gets almost perfect. McQueen has the ideal poker face, and so has Robinson, and they both play their parts realistically and brilliantly. McQueen was said not to be a real actor, just a poser, they said he didn't act he only looked, but he proves it wrong here. His facial expressions are perfect, and he plays the young hotshot player convincingly.Needless to say the cast is the really stunning cast. Next to the afro-mentioned McQueen and Robinson, there's the always reliable Karl Malden, as Shooter. Malden has the most developed character in the picture, and he does a great job. And the women, oh my god, two stunning young ladies are here in all their glory. Ann-Margret plays the cheater, the femme fatal, the sexy beast, who's married to Shooter but wants the Kid. Surely one of the most attractive actresses of her time, actually all time, Ann is presented here in all her glory and beauty and sex appeal. Her seduction of McQueen early in the film, is incredibly sexy, and played brilliantly. They say Ann learned to act during Carnal Knowledge in '71. but that's not true, she already was a versatile and talented actress here. Watch her face during the cockfight scenes, or her cheating while doing a jigsaw puzzle, she acts naturally, and does a great job. And those tight dresses she wears with lots of cleavage are eye candy in its best form. One of the sexiest performances ever. Definitely shows you can be looking divine, and having acting talent at the same time.Tuesday Weld plays the good girl, the girl from the country, Christian, and while not as pretty as Ann, she's quite a looker too, and she's also a talented and natural actress. The supporting cast is rounded out by Joane Blondell, Rip Torn, Cab Calloway and Jack Weston, all great actors who all do a fine job. Music score by Lalo Schifrin is good too, and so is the title track sung by legendary Ray Charles.As for the often-mentioned, often-criticized last hand, it's Hollywood, only Hollywood, not a poker documentary. The film needs a strong climax, and gets it. Norman Jewison is a fine director, and especially the poker scenes and head-shots are well directed. Not much action, not much character development but it's not much of a problem. If only Peckinpah had directed, now that could have been something, Jewison is a great substitute, but I like the thought Peckinpah could have even improved it.
15 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :- A slick, smart and well acted gem of a film, 5 January 2005 Author: ed56 from Israel
Eric Stoner - The Cincinnati Kid (Steve Mqcueen) is going to take on The Man - Lancy Howard (A great as usual Edward G. Robinson) in the biggest poker game you will ever see, and you better not miss it. The movie follows the few days before the big game of the Cincinatti Kid and several other characters who in one way or another could be affected by the games results: One is a sort of a shady gangster (Rip Torn) who was "butchered" by "The Man" not very long ago and will do anything to get even with him including threaten and bribe one of the dealers named Shooter (Karl Malden) who is The kid's best friend. Also in the mix is Shooter's sexy and seductive wife Melba (Ann-Margret at her most beauty) who has a few things on her mind (one of them is money of course and none of them is her poor husband) and also are trying to tempt Mcqueen's Character who is in relationships with a sweet and innocent country girl named Christian (the lovely Tuesday Weld) who wants to settle down. the film hasn't got even one boring minute thanks to the first rate cast and the interesting dialogs. The final showdown at the hotel is probably the most tense and interesting poker game ever filmed in a movie. And who can forget the last thing Lancy tells the kid: "Gets down to what it's all about, doesn't it? Making the wrong move at the right time." Recommended 10/10
11 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :- One of the best movies I've ever seen, 27 May 2006 Author: d888deb from United States
The opening scene is riveting. Well cast with Robinson, McQueen and Malden in top form and most supporting roles convincing. The flavor of old New Orleans is undeniable.The plot line is a familiar one - - the new lion challenging the old king, this time at a poker table. The results are not predictable and the action leading to the climax is gripping.Subplots support the main story line even though the female characters are just a bit too glamorous to be believable. The novel the movie is based upon is rather spare and a great deal of the dialog and minor actions were added when the screenplay was written.A most enjoyable and satisfying motion picture!
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :- Why Not?, 24 November 2008 Author: dataconflossmoor-1 from United States
A prerequisite to enjoying this movie to it's absolute fullest is that you possess the ability to thoroughly comprehend the mindset of all the pivotal characters involved.. What exactly is their dubious mindset anyway? Here is my interpretation of it..1) Winning at gambling is far more gratifying than winning at anything else. 2)Running the risk of losing a formidable sum of money is a flaunting form of vindication which nurtures everybody's incredibly inflated egos. 3) The woman you wind up in bed with is reduced to chattel, she is nothing more than a mere token of your success. Last, but certainly not least, #4) A conventional lifestyle is a high roller's most deadly adversary!! These men are gamblers, which means the ground rules encompass a desultory and lethal contention of all or nothing. "The Cincinnati Kid" establishes a dire genre of happenstance adversity that relegates the protagonists to a sink or swim situation. This is carried off in this movie with a very convincing callousness. Steve McQueen is sensational in this movie, as is Ann Margaret, and, so too is Edward G Robinson. Director, Norman Jewison does a tremendous job at depicting a scenario whereby life is literally reduced to the luck of the draw.. Suddenly, the jack of diamonds stares Steve McQueen in the face, and life as he knows it is over. Norman Jewison, the director of this film, "The Cincinnati Kid", had a different idea of how this picture should end. Executive producer's wishes for the type of ending this film should have, emerged victorious over Jewison's, and mollified the catastrophic outcome of this flick. They (The Producers) dispensed with the idea that the bottom should have to fall out, thus upholding that Steve McQueen should not experience total devastation, to which, Norman Jewison simply asked "Why Not?" I loved this movie, I give it a perfect 10!!!! Particulairly on account of the visceral creativity that "Cincinnati Kid" casually manufactures, and comfortably sustains the movie audience with in a very entertaining state of suspense!!
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- Come in Cincinnati, 17 February 2009 Author: moatazmohsen78 from Egypt
This film send for audience an important lesson not to depend on luck only but it must need from ourselves to depend on our shoulders to reach for our aims.Cincinnati left every things to be a great poker player by gaining the master and professional player by crossing his people and his lover but at the end of this story he lost his hope by losing from the master and when he left the poker room by receiving blame comments from his friends he met a young Negro boy who learned from him a poker but in street not in a high society and he invited him to play with him to take a revenge in the last match between them but also he didn,t be good in poker in the street level as a message that he must return to his nature after loosing everything but the only thing he did not lose it his lover that she waited him beside poker club to take his hand to cross this turmoil to begin a new life with soft soul and pure hearts in spite of this crisis.
Only the best, 24 June 2006 Author: MorpheusRU from Baton Rouge, LA
The quality of this film is impeccable. Prior to watching consider the cast: When was the last time you saw an ensemble of actors with the stature of Edward G. Robinson, Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Tuesday Weld, and Rip Torn (and Joan Blondell and Ann-Margaret with a cameo from the immortal Cab Calloway, for good measure) under the direction of a world class director (Norman Jewison)? The story is gripping, the cinematography classic, the setting authentic New Orleans back before the white community fled to the suburbs to escape integration, before the infrastructure collapsed from lack of tax revenue, oh, and before Katrina administered the coup d'grace. And, of course, everything hinges on the turn of the last card. I don't know about you, but I could not ask for more than this. On my very short list of best of all-time.
Great movie indeed, 18 November 2000 Author: Fresh Prince (freshprince76@usa.net) from Slovenia
It starts off showing Steve Mcqueen as a man who has potential to win the world. But as the movie develops, he & we realise that there is price to pay to get there. I won't say more 'cause I wouldn't wanna spoil it, it is just something you gotta see & feel. Great one!
You never know what will happen next!, 22 September 1999 Author: Kelli Nunez from United States
I recently rented this movie, and I'm so glad I did. It has become one of my favorite movies. Steve McQueen is awesome! The other characters aren't bad either. I really like the rapport between Steve, and the kid that shines shoes. It makes me laugh. This is a film that will keep surprising you all the way through. You don't know what will happen next. I highly recommend it. Don't just rent it- buy it!
Suspense!, 28 October 1998 Author: JJohnson-2
Suspense! What else needs to be said? The card game is one of the best in Hollywood, rivaling The Sting. McQueen is never quite so cool...
1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :- Crash of the titans!!, 24 July 2006 Author: Henry Fields (kikecam@teleline.es) from Spain
On the left side Steve Mcqueen, the Cincinatti Kid, the best poker placer in New Orleáns. O the right side Edward G. Robinson, the venerable Lancey Howard, the best poker player ever from NY to California, the kind of man that fleeces you just with one look. The young and arrogant candidate against the old hand. Which one are you gonna bet on? Maybe the best adaptation of the gambling underworld. You can almost breathe the smoke of the cigars, the smell of bourbon and sweat. And what about the dangerous smile of Ann Margret? That woman was probably the sexiest creature in Hollywood at that time."The Cincinatti Kid", a film that's essential and immortal.*My rate: 10/10
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