Casino
This Martin Scorsese film depicts the Janus-like quality of Las Vegas--it has a glittering, glamorous face, as well as a brutal, cruel one. Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, mobsters who move to Las Vegas to make their mark, live and work in this paradoxical world. Seen through their eyes, each as a foil to the other, the details of mob involvement in the casinos of the 1970s and '80s are revealed. Ace is the smooth operator of the Tangiers casino, while Nicky is his boyhood friend and tough strongman, robbing and shaking down the locals. However, they each have a tragic flaw--Ace falls in love with a hustler, Ginger, and Nicky falls into an ever-deepening spiral of drugs and violence.
Despite a moderate budget of $50.0M, Casino became a financial success, earning $116.1M worldwide—a 132% return.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 4 wins & 11 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Casino (1995) showcases carefully calibrated plot construction, characteristic of Martin Scorsese's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 58 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.0, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Sam "Ace" Rothstein
Nicky Santoro
Ginger McKenna
Lester Diamond
Philip Green
Main Cast & Characters
Sam "Ace" Rothstein
Played by Robert De Niro
A meticulous gambling expert chosen by the mob to run the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas. His perfectionism and need for control ultimately clash with the chaos around him.
Nicky Santoro
Played by Joe Pesci
A ruthless enforcer and childhood friend of Ace, sent to protect casino operations but whose violent impulses and ego spiral out of control.
Ginger McKenna
Played by Sharon Stone
A hustler and former prostitute who marries Ace for security but cannot escape her addiction to her pimp ex-boyfriend and self-destructive tendencies.
Lester Diamond
Played by James Woods
Ginger's manipulative ex-boyfriend and pimp who continues to exploit her emotionally and financially throughout her marriage to Ace.
Philip Green
Played by Kevin Pollak
The front man who officially holds the gaming license for the Tangiers Casino while the mob secretly controls operations.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Ace's car explodes in the parking lot - the film opens with his attempted murder, establishing that this story of control and excess ends in violence and destruction.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 18 minutes when Ace meets Ginger McKenna, a beautiful hustler and former prostitute. He becomes obsessed with her, despite warnings that she's with pimp Lester Diamond. This attraction disrupts his controlled world.. At 10% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 40 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 23% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Ace marries Ginger in a lavish ceremony. He makes the active choice to bind himself to chaos, believing his control and her material comfort will make it work. They enter their new life together., moving from reaction to action.
At 81 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 46% of the runtime—arriving early, accelerating into Act IIb complications. Notably, this crucial beat Ace gets his own TV show to work around the gaming commission - a false victory. But Ginger is now drinking heavily and calling Lester. Nicky's violence draws FBI attention. The authorities close in. The stakes raise dramatically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 119 minutes (67% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Ginger tries to kidnap their daughter and run away with Lester. She crashes her car in a drug-fueled breakdown. Ace realizes his marriage is completely destroyed. The whiff of death - his family and dreams are dead., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 128 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 72% of the runtime. The mob orders hits to prevent testimony. Ace realizes he will be killed. The car bomb from the opening is placed. He understands that his attempt to build a controlled, legitimate empire in Vegas was doomed from the start., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Casino's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Casino against these established plot points, we can identify how Martin Scorsese utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Casino within the crime genre.
Martin Scorsese's Structural Approach
Among the 16 Martin Scorsese films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.0, showcasing experimental approaches to narrative form. Casino represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Martin Scorsese filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, Batman Forever and 12 Rounds. For more Martin Scorsese analyses, see The Aviator, After Hours and Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Ace's car explodes in the parking lot - the film opens with his attempted murder, establishing that this story of control and excess ends in violence and destruction.
Theme
Ace narrates: "In Vegas, everybody's gotta watch everybody else" - the theme of surveillance, paranoia, and the impossibility of total control is stated.
Worldbuilding
Ace arrives in Las Vegas to run the Tangiers casino for the mob. We see his meticulous nature, his expertise in odds and operations, and the elaborate skimming operation. Nicky Santoro arrives as muscle.
Disruption
Ace meets Ginger McKenna, a beautiful hustler and former prostitute. He becomes obsessed with her, despite warnings that she's with pimp Lester Diamond. This attraction disrupts his controlled world.
Resistance
Ace pursues Ginger relentlessly, offering her everything. He debates whether to marry someone he knows he can't trust. Nicky warns him, but Ace believes he can control the situation through money and will.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Ace marries Ginger in a lavish ceremony. He makes the active choice to bind himself to chaos, believing his control and her material comfort will make it work. They enter their new life together.
Mirror World
Ace and Ginger have a daughter. The family life represents the theme - Ace tries to create order and legitimacy, but Ginger's addiction and loyalty to Lester represents the uncontrollable element that will destroy him.
Premise
The "fun and games" of running Vegas - Ace's perfectionism makes the Tangiers wildly successful. Money pours in. He fires incompetent county commissioner's brother-in-law, getting his gaming license denied. Nicky goes rogue, forming his own crew. The empire flourishes but cracks form.
Midpoint
Ace gets his own TV show to work around the gaming commission - a false victory. But Ginger is now drinking heavily and calling Lester. Nicky's violence draws FBI attention. The authorities close in. The stakes raise dramatically.
Opposition
Everything collapses: Ginger's drinking spirals, she wants her trust fund money to run to Lester. Nicky and Ginger have an affair. FBI pressure intensifies. The bosses back home are indicted. Nicky is banned from casinos. Ace's control evaporates on all fronts.
Collapse
Ginger tries to kidnap their daughter and run away with Lester. She crashes her car in a drug-fueled breakdown. Ace realizes his marriage is completely destroyed. The whiff of death - his family and dreams are dead.
Crisis
Ace processes the total loss. Ginger overdoses multiple times. The mob bosses are convicted. Ace knows the empire is ending. He separates from Ginger completely, giving up on controlling her or saving the marriage.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The mob orders hits to prevent testimony. Ace realizes he will be killed. The car bomb from the opening is placed. He understands that his attempt to build a controlled, legitimate empire in Vegas was doomed from the start.
Synthesis
The finale: Ace survives the car bombing. Nicky and his brother are beaten to death and buried in a cornfield. Ginger dies of an overdose in Los Angeles. The old bosses die or go to prison. The Tangiers is demolished. Vegas is transformed into corporate theme parks.
Transformation
Ace is back where he started - alone, handicapping sports in San Diego. The old Vegas is gone, replaced by family-friendly corporations. He survived but learned nothing can be controlled. The mirror of the opening - he's still the same, but the world moved on.