Daliman
03-10-2003, 03:18 AM
I did like this movie, although not overwhelmingly, but dag nabit if a few things about it didn't stick in my craw. Some of these things have been hashed over already, some not, but here goes:
1. EVERYONE in the movie plays 5 card stud WAY too loose.
I found it especially amusing when a railbird exclaims in astonishment "Shooter folded a king!" on 2nd st, notwithstanding the fact that an ace brought in the action.
2. Shooter (Karl Malden's character) states specifically before dealing, as he's stating the rules, "No string bets", yet on at LEAST 5 occasions "I'll see your $XXX and raise you $XXX more". Umm, isn't this the very DEFINITION of a string bet? Yet another case of filmakers not having ANY comprehension of the subject.
3. There were too many instances of huge hands beating big hands. For those not in the know on 5 card stud: 2 pair is huge, and trips is gigantic, yet i consistantly saw these hands going up against each other.
4. Far too many instances of people betting into an obvious better hand with only a straight or flush draw. Rarely does anyone stick around for that type of hand, unless they are a total fish or the cards in their hand which are straightening or flushing are higher than any upcards.
5. On what planet are people allowed to bet more than the other person has on the table and force a call for a shot at the pot, and on this planet, do they also allow other people to front money mid-hand?
6. The climactic hand was even more ludicrous than I had heard. Like a player who's supposed to be "The Man" is going to call $100 on 2nd st with J8d, then raise $1000 when the other player is showing A10 when he catches a Qd. His 4th st play was equally reprehensible, and of course, the chances of thes 2 exact hands (Aces full of tens vs 8-Q straight flush)happening in 2 handed 5 card stud i guess has been calculated at about 52,000,000,000,000 to 1 or so. I'd venture to guess that maybe once in history 2 handed has a full house gone up against a straight flush, and it DEFINITELY didn't come off like this hand, if it did happen.
7. The way everyone acts as if the kid actually got outplayed by Lancey is ridiculous. If I were the kid, I'd borrow every penny I could from anyone who would loan it to me to continue playing, as long as Lancey played just as he did all night. The way it played out, Kid slaughtered Lancey in strategy, and got unlucky is all.
8. This is more of a question than a comment, but has it ever been standard practice to rip up cards after playing with them, as Shooter does at least 5 times during the film.
9. Interesting, although not really implausible that while Shooter has spent 25 years making his sterling reputation, he also just happens to be the best mechanic around. I suppose that could be chalked up to knowing how to do it to spot it and prevent it from happening to you, but I don't give the screenwriter's that much credit of forethought.
Finally, and most importantly...
10. ANN-MARGRET WOULD NEVER GO FOR KARL MALDEN!
1. EVERYONE in the movie plays 5 card stud WAY too loose.
I found it especially amusing when a railbird exclaims in astonishment "Shooter folded a king!" on 2nd st, notwithstanding the fact that an ace brought in the action.
2. Shooter (Karl Malden's character) states specifically before dealing, as he's stating the rules, "No string bets", yet on at LEAST 5 occasions "I'll see your $XXX and raise you $XXX more". Umm, isn't this the very DEFINITION of a string bet? Yet another case of filmakers not having ANY comprehension of the subject.
3. There were too many instances of huge hands beating big hands. For those not in the know on 5 card stud: 2 pair is huge, and trips is gigantic, yet i consistantly saw these hands going up against each other.
4. Far too many instances of people betting into an obvious better hand with only a straight or flush draw. Rarely does anyone stick around for that type of hand, unless they are a total fish or the cards in their hand which are straightening or flushing are higher than any upcards.
5. On what planet are people allowed to bet more than the other person has on the table and force a call for a shot at the pot, and on this planet, do they also allow other people to front money mid-hand?
6. The climactic hand was even more ludicrous than I had heard. Like a player who's supposed to be "The Man" is going to call $100 on 2nd st with J8d, then raise $1000 when the other player is showing A10 when he catches a Qd. His 4th st play was equally reprehensible, and of course, the chances of thes 2 exact hands (Aces full of tens vs 8-Q straight flush)happening in 2 handed 5 card stud i guess has been calculated at about 52,000,000,000,000 to 1 or so. I'd venture to guess that maybe once in history 2 handed has a full house gone up against a straight flush, and it DEFINITELY didn't come off like this hand, if it did happen.
7. The way everyone acts as if the kid actually got outplayed by Lancey is ridiculous. If I were the kid, I'd borrow every penny I could from anyone who would loan it to me to continue playing, as long as Lancey played just as he did all night. The way it played out, Kid slaughtered Lancey in strategy, and got unlucky is all.
8. This is more of a question than a comment, but has it ever been standard practice to rip up cards after playing with them, as Shooter does at least 5 times during the film.
9. Interesting, although not really implausible that while Shooter has spent 25 years making his sterling reputation, he also just happens to be the best mechanic around. I suppose that could be chalked up to knowing how to do it to spot it and prevent it from happening to you, but I don't give the screenwriter's that much credit of forethought.
Finally, and most importantly...
10. ANN-MARGRET WOULD NEVER GO FOR KARL MALDEN!