When most of us think of Steve McQueen, we get visions of the Hollywood tough guy tooling around in a classic Ford Mustang during a car chase that makes anything that appears on COPS look like the OJ Simpson Bronco chase. Mr. McQueen as wily card shark usually doesn’t make it into that mental picture. This is a shame considering how well he played one in the classic film, “The Cincinnati Kid”.

In this adaptation of the book by Richard Jessup, “The Kid” is a stud poker genius who believes himself to be the best. Of course there is another player out there who also fancies his skills to be the best in the world. Sounds familiar right? Think you have seen this movie before, only with Matt Damon and an Oreo cookie munching ex-Soviet? Well there are twists and turns in this film that make the possibility of showdown between the two poker heavyweights a doubtful proposition.

There is a gritty charm to this film that will appeal to anyone who has sweated over their cards in some badly lit backroom game. There may be something about the era that was raw and visceral but it is certainly amplified by the choice of sets, particularly outdoors. Indoors is minimalist, the director focuses on specific features, even items, without ever being redundant or irrelevant. Much of the ambiance is created by the expressions crafted by the lesser players in this film. The director uses shade, and lighting to evoke emotion and feeling from the audience.

McQueen is backed up by a strong cast of supporting actors and actresses, most notably, Ann Margaret. Watching Ms. Margaret at work makes any male with a pulse and a healthy Y chromosome wonder what the big deal with Paris Hilton is.

Those who love stud poker, and have an affinity for the sixties era of film, will love the Cincinnati Kid. It is sixties, beatnik “Cool” at its best.

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