Ticket to the Movies: ‘The Cincinnati Kid’ is as much a morality play as a poker flick

FloridaGator80

Welcome back to my blog. Here’s my recommendation of a movie to check out today and hope you punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” OK, I’m dealing out “The Cincinnati Kid” from 1965 with big-screen legends Steve McQueen and Edward G. Robinson and an A-list of supporting actors including Ann-Margaret, Karl Malden, Tuesday Weld, Rip Torn, Joan Blondell and Cab Calloway, showing off his acting chops instead of his legendary musical skills.

“The Cincinnati Kid” is a movie that is focused on gambling (mainly poker, with a little cock fighting tossed in), but it is more a morality play and emotional drama than anything else and it has the excellence and depth of cast to make this a classic drama as well as a classic about poker.

“The Cincinnati Kid” is the story of “Eric ‘The Kid’ Stoner,” who is played by McQueen. He’s the best stud poker player in New Orleans and possibly the whole world, with the exception of one player: Robinson as “Lancey Howard,” or just “The Man.”

Although the poker is prominent, the heart of the story is how McQueen is pulled in different emotional directions by different people for different reasons. Each motivation is different, but all culminate in the final showdown table between McQueen and Robinson.

“The Cincinnati Kid” must navigate his complicated relationship with his girlfriend (Weld) as well as the obvious attention he receives from another gamble’s wife (Ann-Margaret playing wife to Malden’s character). He must also deal with the early pressure of violence in a pick-up game of poker, followed by the ending pressure of playing against Robinson.

Prior to seeing “The Cincinnati Kid” for the first time years ago (I didn’t see it at its premiere in theaters in October 1965 … I wasn’t 10 years old yet and it is a “mature” movie), I had never watched a performance by Robinson, who was already a legend in a film made eight years before his death in 1973. Oddly enough, Robinson never won, nor was he nominated for, an Oscar.

So, I say punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” and watch “The Cincinnati Kid.” It is available through several subscription services and can be rented at several other streaming services. So, find it! Watch it! Don’t worry, you’ll thank me later for “The Cincinnati Kid.” Without any doubt, “Yes, you will!”

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