Warren Beatty has been the source of a number of really good on screen performances. Among his most memorable roles are as the murderous Clyde Barrow in the film “Bonnie and Clyde” and his portrayal of criminal kingpin and Vegas founding father Bugsy Siegel. Some would think his relationship with Madonna may also have been an Oscar worthy performance, but those are waters that the academy would prefer to stay well away from. What most people don’t know is that Mr. Beatty also starred in one of the most interesting poker movies ever made. It is called Kaleidoscope.
Kaleidoscope was released in 1966 and has one of the more interesting premises in the pantheon of poker flics. Warren Beatty plays a criminal named Barney Lincoln, and has a brand new twist on cheating at cards. Barney breaks into a factory that supplies playing cards to a number of Vegas casinos, and makes subtle changes to the printing plates; changes only he will recognize. Once the cards go into circulation, he simply sits down and plays poker at the gaming establishments. Every deck in the city is a marked deck that only he can recognize. This gives him a distinct advantage over every other player in the city. Of course his luck eventually runs out, and he finds himself in a huge pot with a seasoned pro, and a deck that has not been subject to his tampering.
All in all this film is incredibly entertaining and features one of the most engaging hands of poker ever to be shown on the silver screen. This is generally not a title you can find at your local blockbuster or even on NetFlix; Amazon.com is generally a good source for this film. While there is no instant gratification when you want to see this film, it is well worth the wait for the mail to get it to your home.
