Customer Reviews

The Vegas Casino War

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Old school Vegas.. is the setting for this dramatic movie starring Rock Hudson. A very young Sharon Stone plays a role she will later become familiar with again in "Casino". James Earl Jones plays boxing promoter Don King and Pat Morita plays the part of a high roller. They are all gambling with their future. Will Rock Hudson keep his failing casino? Who will James Earl Jones bring his heavyweight fight to? Can Pat Morita get out of the hole? And will Sharon Stone be able to help Rock Hudson? Or will she sink him for sure? Watch as the battle on the Las Vegas Strip unfolds.

A great last performance by the legendary Rock Hudson. A must-see for any Rock Hudson fan or Las Vegas enthusiast.

Interesting twist on the Casino biz.
Sharon Stone MMMMM LOL!!
Fun movie, with a fun no limit ending!!

I still love Rock Hudson and this film being one of his last efforts on film is a great tribute to the gentle giant of a man who loved his career and life till it was taken from him. I think he proved what a good actor he was in this story of blackmail and deception in the gambling casinos of Las Vegas. He is thinner and gaunt in some scenes yet his looks still come through and his determination and pure grit to get this film made and completed before his "retirement" from acting proves his great heart and desire to succeed even in the lowest times of his life.
It is known that when Rock was diagnosed with his illness, he knew it was a death knell for his career and his own life yet this man carried on a valiant front and this movie proves what he could accomplish even when the chips were down. He made many great movies, Giant, Magnificent Obsession, Written on the Wind, to name a few but I think this last one. The Vegas Casino War was a testament that this man was human, real,had a good heart and even if he hid a heartbreaking terrible secret inside of himself, was the consumate actor and gave us all he could. I still love this man and hope he rests in peace.

This is said to be Hudson's last appearance on film (1984; he died in 1985) and it is so sad to see this once most beautiful of men in such a debilitated state -- sunken cheeks and dull eyes. He did his best and gave it all he had left to give, but I don't know whether to recommend this to Hudson fans or not, as some of the scenes are heartbreaking.
The plot is TV-vintage: Hudson is a successful Las Vegas Casino owner who is taken down by people he trusted and sets out to get revenge.
It has a good supporting cast -- James Earl Jones gives an Oscar-caliber performance as he runs away with his scenes as a Don King-like promoter, and Pat Morita is believable as a high-stakes gambler.
Sharon Stone provides the love interest -- although one is never quite sure which side she's really on -- and the villains are properly villainous.
I compare this to attending a friend's wake: Do you want to remember your friend as he appeared in his casket or would you rather not look and just remember him laughingly alive . . . VEGAS CASINO WAR is the equivalent of seeing Hudson in his casket; many would rather remember him romancing Doris Day, Gina Lollobrigida or Jane Wyman.

Gaunt and showing the early ravages of his disease Rock still manages to put some life into this TV version of what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. I was watching it in a kind of melancholia for his undoubted pain and suffering during filming - BUT he made me forget all of mine while I spent this time in his Casino. That's about as good a testament as any actor could want for his work...so kudos to Rock. It's a TV movie, no more nor less so don't go in expecting a Hollywood blockbuster and you'll be fine. It's his last whole piece of work (not counting the controversial dynasty appearances) and he gets to work with some fine talent. (Jones is a hoot as Don King) and of course Stone prepping for her role in Casino. I'd recommend it to of their fans.