In Casino it's the greed that destroys everything, the authorities are just an esoteric entity (FBI agents landing planes on a golf course) along the edges of this playing field where the main characters end up turning on each other. The authorities in Goodfellas are much more real and it's the paranoia about getting pinched that eventually destroys the crew. Vegas even tolerates Nicky for while until he really starts to operate outside the set of already crooked lines established by the corrupted officials. In Casino we are repeatedly told and shown how everyone is in on the scam and no one cares as long as the right palms are greased, ppl hired etc. In Goodfellas we are shown one crew of criminals out to make a buck any way they can. Violence, sexuality and greed come together to the accompaniment of Scorcese. Sharon Stone gives a strong performance as his wife, Ginger, while Joe Pesci portrays Rothsteins lifelong friend, the violent and unstable Santoro. I think the reason Casino ends up being a much stronger commentary on capitalism in America is that we get to see much more of how the state and national governments were enabling the gangsters. Robert De Niro stars as 'Ace' Rothstein, the gambler with Mafia connections who runs a large Vegas casino, the Tangiers.

Casino movie phone see you at nine