Bugsy Movie Review – Start of the Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a real paradise for gamblers with its great entertainment establishments. But few know of its wild origins that began with one man’s overambitious project. Our Bugsy movie review will go through all the important details of this incredible film, such as its production, the plot and cast, and even some extra trivia. We will also see how successful it was and where people can enjoy this fun movie inspired by an infamous mobster’s crazy life.
Bugsy Movie Details
Just like the Flamingo Las Vegas Casino Hotel, this movie’s production started as a man’s ambitious project. Warren Beatty was fascinated with Bugsy Siegel (not to be confused with Bugsy Malone), an infamous gangster with a fascination for Hollywood and the desire to tap into the gambling market.
Release Date: | 13th of December, 1991 |
Director: | Barry Levinson |
Script: | James Toback |
Runtime: | 136 minutes |
Genre: | Biography, Crime, Drama |
Box Office: | $49.1 million |
IMDB score: | 6.8/10 |
Rotten Tomatoes: | 85% critics, 69% audience positive score |
Awards: | Best Costume Design Academy AwardBest Art Direction-Set Direction Academy Award
Best Motion Picture – Drama Golden Globe |
Beatty hired Barry Levinson to direct the movie and James Toback to write a script while playing the main character Bugsy. With the backing of TriStar Pictures, Beatty achieved his dream and created a fun movie beloved by many.
Bugsy Movie Trailer and Plot – Biographical Drama
The story revolves around Benjamin ‘Bugsy’ Siegel, a gangster with psychotic tendencies who aims to open a legal business in Nevada. Seeing the profits that could be earned from legal gambling, he proposes the creation of a casino hotel called Flamingo Hotel in a location that would eventually become the famous Las Vegas Strip. Meanwhile, he must juggle taking care of his own family in New York, his mob business, and having an affair with Virginia Hill, an actress he meets in Hollywood.
But with a rapidly bloating budget due to his rash decisions, will he be able to create his dream hotel or will the project crash and burn, leading to his demise? It is an incredibly dramatic story about the ambitious spirit that would sow the seeds for Las Vegas’ transformation into a gambling oasis. Peek at the incredible performances that await with the Bugsy movie trailer below.
The passion that went into developing the movie can be felt clearly in almost every aspect. The set designs are marvellous, replicating the atmosphere of America after WWII. The Bugsy movie cast perfectly conveys their characters’ emotions as the plot intertwines Bugsy’s calm civilian life with the dark mafia underworld. As one of the first movies ever made on Bugsy Siegel, it perfectly captures the atmosphere of post-war America with fantastic Bugsy movie quotes such as the one below.
Everybody deserves a fresh start every once in a while – Bugsy Siegel
Bugsy Movie Cast – Spectacular Performance
The Bugsy movie cast features some top actors delivering incredible performances. Characters come to life with the passion and dedication the actors put into their roles, making each scene feel impactful. Warren Beatty is undoubtedly the star of the show as he manages to capture a psychotic gangster’s raw emotion. The Bugsy movie trailer gives Beatty’s broad spectrum a fantastic introduction as he gracefully switches from a confident mobster to a jealous lover.
Actor | Role |
---|---|
Warren Beatty | Ben ‘Bugsy’ Siegel |
Annette Benning | Virginia Hill |
Ben Kingsley | Meyer Lansky |
Bill Graham | Charlie Luciano |
Harvey Keitel | Mickey Cohen |
Joe Mantegna | George Raft |
Wendy Phillips | Esta Siegel |
Richard C. Sarafian | Jack Dragna |
Elliot Gould | Harry Greenberg |
Andy Romano | Del Webb |
Carmine Caridi | Frank Costello |
But Beatty’s performance was successful due to his interactions with other characters as well. From stiff mob bosses to Virginia’s seductive danger, every actor plays their part spectacularly to deliver a fantastic show. The only thing more impressive is the incredibly authentic costumes, down to the monograms on Bugsy’s lighter.
Twenty dwarves took turns doing handstands on the carpet – Bugsy Siegel, chanting his favourite mantra
Bugsy Movie Reception – Bugsy’s Big Break
Despite complications such as the script being lost once, the movie was a success with a $49.1 million box office. Both critics and fans loved the movie, giving it positive scores such as a 6.8/10 on IMDB. The beautiful performances and fantastic set pieces capture the hearts of many. You can find Bugsy movie watch online on various platforms, due to its popularity and stream or rent it.
Youtube, Amazon, and Netflix all offer high-quality versions of the movie. Enjoy this fantastic tale about one man’s blind ambition with memorable characters and Bugsy movie quotes. If you feel inspired to try some gambling for yourself, check out some of the best real money roulette sites online.
Bugsy Movie Trivia – Fun Facts and Conclusion
In our Bugsy movie review, we will also go over some trivia about the movie. As mentioned above, this movie was Beatty’s passion project, and it was just as ambitious as Bugsy’s casino hotel. However, Bugsy was not the first to come up with the Flamingo Hotel. The project began as Billy Wilkerson’s idea before Bugsy took over the construction project.
Nevertheless, along with the two other major casinos that were on the strip, Bugsy would pave the way for some of the best local Vegas casinos. An accurate replica of the Flamingo Hotel was constructed for the movie, and the movie Bugsy sees in Hollywood is real. Despite some artistic liberties, the Bugsy movie was well-researched and produced with respect for the ambitious mobster.
Let’s get started. Time is vicious when you take it for granted. – Bugsy Siegel, chanting his favourite mantra
Bugsy Movie FAQ
Our Bugsy movie review will provide answers to all your questions and even some additional trivia. The production aspect of movies can sometimes be complicated, or there might not be enough available information. That is why we will provide this information so you can fully enjoy the film.