Anyone who has watched a James Bond movie will know that Mr Bond often has a scene or two in a casino. But with 25 James Bond films out there, this is surely more than a coincidence. So why does James Bond like casinos so much?
One reason that James Bond can often be spotted in a casino is that his character likes a card game called chemin de fer. Similar to the Italian card game baccarat, chemin de fer is also known as chernay or shimmy. The game is mostly played in casinos in Europe or Latin America, with up to 12 players able to take part around a kidney shaped table. The aim is to score a total or nine with either two or three cards.
Many James Bond buffs also say casinos form an integral part of many movies because it is a way to show off ultra-luxurious settings and create the feeling of tension in a moneyed environment. Many Bond scenes in casinos give an opportunity for him to use his sleuthing skills against villains, with a dry Martini in hand of course.
Here are some of the most memorable James Bond scenes in casinos.
Dr. No
The very first James Bond film, released in 1962, actually starts with a casino scene. This has certainly embedded the relationship between James Bond and casinos for all future releases. In this film, James Bond is played by Sean Connery, and the opening scene is in the Le Cercle Casino – a fictional casino in the heart of London.
In this starting scene, Bond is playing chemin de fer, alongside a striking lady in a red dress played by Sylvia Trench. This turns out to be the very first Bond girl. As he introduces himself as “Bond, James Bond” it is easy to see how many classic James Bond lines and habits are established at the beginning of the very first film.
Thunderball
The casino scene in the 1965 James Bond film, Thunderball, is a bit more exotic and tenser than the opening scene of Dr. No. Sean Connery is still playing James Bond at this point in time, but this time the film is set in the Bahamas. Although it sounds very tropical, the filming actually happened in a studio in London!
Despite this, the casino scene is very memorable, as Bond is playing chemin de fer with the villain, Emilio Largo. The characters pretend they don’t know each other, which makes the game full of drama. Bond ends up smugly winning, which is a triumph both for him and for avid viewers!
Never Say Never Again
Jumping forward a couple of decades, this 1983 James Bond film has a more seasoned Sean Connery playing the lead role. The casino scene here is based in Monte Carlo, at a time in history when slot machines and arcade games were starting to become popular. As such, James Bond finds himself playing a 3D game called Domination with the villain, Maximillian Largo.
With each round played, the losing player receives an electric shock that becomes stronger and stronger each time. Luckily, James Bond prevails—just about. This scene works because it blends in the technology of the day—these days, we see scenes involving the latest slots online or other more modern online games.
Casino Royale
This James Bond film was also Daniel Craig’s debut as James Bond, released in 2006. As the title suggests, there are plenty of casino scenes in Casino Royale. In fact, the main casino sequence lasts for around half an hour in this movie, and is set in a Montenegro casino. As with most other Bond films, the actual filming did not take place in a casino, but in a film studio.
That said, the casino scenes here were suitably nail-biting. The game played was a version of poker called Texas Hold’em. There are many twists and turns in the casino, but the ultimate moment is when Bond plays against the villain, Le Chiffre. He goes on to win, in true James Bond style.
Skyfall
This 2012 James Bond film, with Daniel Craig still at the helm, features what many believe to be the most magical looking casino scene of any James Bond film. The Floating Dragon Casino in Macau is where the action happens at night, with hundreds of floating lanterns and dragons creating a visual spectacle. Again, none of the shots were actually filmed in a Macau casino, but the computer-generated scenes are both realistic and breath-taking.
In the film, Bond is on the hunt for a mercenary named Patrice, who has a top-secret hard drive containing the details of hundreds of undercover agents. Although Patrice dies early, Bond needs to find out the identity of his employer. A casino token found with Patrice leads Bond to the incredible casino in Macau. It is there that Bond meet Patrice’s accomplice, and the subsequent drama is truly adrenalin-fueled.