Many of Martin Scorsese’s films are infused with a Catholic sensibility and Casino is no exception. It is, in fact, a very clear parable about the perils of corruption. The story of the mafia’s takeover of Las Vegas, the film offers an epic history lesson. The movie also reveals the moral hazards of living a criminal lifestyle and the way in which it inevitably corrupts people, even those who seem to be doing the right thing.
The film focuses on the story of mobster Ace and his partner Nicky, played by Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci respectively. Despite their apparent success, the two gangsters are in danger of losing control over their business. They both have an element of greed and dishonesty in their personalities. Eventually, they get caught up in their crime and are forced to make decisions that will ultimately lead to their downfall.
In a sense, the film is very much like a western. The mobsters are pushing westward in organised crime’s version of manifest destiny, and they view the Nevadan residents in the same dismissive manner that cowboys would have talked about indigenous people. The gangsters have no respect for the law, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to maintain their power and influence.
A key theme in the movie is the idea that the American frontier is not a blank slate, and that it cannot offer a fresh start. The gangsters are shaped by their past mistakes and flaws, and they bring them with them to this virgin landscape. The result is a kind of tragic Western, where the characters are unable to escape their flaws.
Scorsese’s frequent use of shots that look down on the cast reinforces this idea. He often enters scenes from a high vantage point, as if he is a god looking down on the proceedings. He does this in order to highlight the sense of idolatry that he feels his audience has for these criminals.
The film also highlights the way that criminals operate in a vacuum, unchecked by any sort of legal system or government oversight. As a result, their behaviour grows ever more brazen and corrupt. This is a key part of the moral commentary in Casino, and it is no surprise that the film ends with Nicky and Sam exiled from their own paradise. This echoes a central theme in Catholicism, that humanity is given the gift of paradise, but it is up to us to make it a place of justice and fairness. Casino is a classic example of a movie that delivers a strong message, but also manages to be entertaining and gripping in the process. It is a worthy successor to Scorsese’s other great mob movie, Goodfellas.
