The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

Directed by

Norman Jewison

Genre

drama film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 42m

Rated

NR

Rating

7.0 of 10 from 308 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A young poker player in the 1930s aims to prove he is the best by challenging a renowned older champion. The story focuses on their showdown and the final hand that decides the outcome.

tensegrittyclassicunderstatedmasculinecooldeterminedhigh-stakes

What happens

The Cincinnati Kid is a 1965 American sports drama film directed by Norman Jewison. It tells the story of Eric "The Kid" Stoner, a young Depression-era poker player, as he seeks to establish his reputation as the best. This quest leads him to challenge Lancey "The Man" Howard, an older player widely considered to be the best, culminating in a climactic final poker hand between the two. The script, adapted from Richard Jessup's 1963 novel of the same name, was written by Ring Lardner Jr. and Terry Southern; it was Lardner's first major studio work since his 1947 blacklisting as one of The Hollywood Ten. The film stars Steve McQueen in the title role and Edward G. Robinson as Howard. Director Jewison, who replaced Sam Peckinpah shortly after filming began, describes The Cincinnati Kid as his "ugly duckling" film. He stated in his autobiography that he felt "sheer joy" in making the film. He considers it the film that allowed him to make the transition from the lighter comedic films he had been making and take on more serious films and subjects. The film garnered mixed reviews from critics on its initial release. Joan Blondell earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Lady Fingers. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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