Many people get into arguments about what is Steve McQueen's best movie....for my money I like "Neveda Smith" but others will take "Bullitt", "Thomas Crown Affair" or "Papillon".......well put "The Cincinatti Kid" right up there too......McQueen is definitely the king of cool in this high profile gambling tale. Only problem is that Edward G. Robinson, a very late cast addition to the role as Lancey Howard is the star attraction. How can you not stop watching and listening to everything Robinson says...he is the real "king of cool" in this film, not McQueen. "As long as I am around kid, you will always be second best" holy smokes, is that a line or what???? I like director Norman Jewison adding a few scenes with McQueen prodding a young shoe shine boy, telling him he is not ready to ever beat the kid in a coin throwing game....as the end of the film the shoe shine kid shows up and slam dunks McQueen with a line, "you ain't ready for me kid"....wow!!! Then there are the two female sirens in the film to pique your interest - Tuesday Weld and Ann Margaret. Margaret is on fire as a sexy, adultering hot lady ready to give the kid all he can take - sexually. Weld plays a down to earth home spun gal looking for a LTR with the kid.....McQueen seems to struggle with which gal he really is looking for. Margaret nearly melts the screen with her sexuality and slinky outfits.....then there is the ever good Karl Malden playing her husband, a down and out never to be real good poker player who must deal cards to survive......Joan Blondell as "Ladyfingers" the card dealer gives a super performance as a lady of the town...she really lays it on to Howard about his age and abilities....Rip Torn adds credibility as a down and out gambler who is not in the class as Robinson but wants to see him lose badly....he even tries to bribe Malden to dally the cards so Robinson will lose... all to no avail as Robinson remains the king and the scene at the end when McQueen defeated is seen with a bead of sweat rolling down his face.....wow!!! As McQueen walks out of the hotel to the streets he looks like a man who was just given a death sentence by a judge....what to do next...guess what, his gal pal Weld is waiting to whisk him away.....great ending to the film. One of McQueen's best films and he and Malden would be reunited a year later in "Neveda Smith"....definitely a film for McQueen fans. Only problem is who was the hair stylists for this film....Weld and Margaret wearing definitely 1960s hairdos, not like the 1930s setting. Also seeing diesel trains rolling along - there were no diesels in the 1930s..
Review of The Cincinnati Kid
