Top 10 Melodramas About Card Games

Description: This film follows a young poker player, known as The Cincinnati Kid, who challenges the legendary Lancey Howard in a high-stakes game of five-card stud. The tension at the card table mirrors the emotional stakes of his personal life.

Fact: Steve McQueen learned to play poker for this role, and the film's famous final hand was actually played out with real cards.

Description: A literature professor with a gambling addiction finds himself in deep debt, leading to a complex relationship with a loan shark's daughter, blending themes of love, risk, and redemption.

Fact: The film was remade in 2014 with Mark Wahlberg, but the original is noted for its raw portrayal of gambling addiction.

Description: Bret Maverick, a charming gambler, aims to enter a high-stakes poker tournament to win a large sum of money, all while navigating a romantic relationship with the enigmatic Annabelle Bransford.

Fact: Mel Gibson, who plays Maverick, had to learn poker for the role, and the film includes a cameo by the original Maverick, James Garner.

Description: A law student, Mike McDermott, returns to the underground world of high-stakes poker to help his friend pay off a debt, leading to a romantic entanglement with his girlfriend who disapproves of his gambling.

Fact: The film features real-life poker players like Johnny Chan, and the poker scenes were shot in real poker rooms.

Description: Bernie Lootz, a "cooler" who brings bad luck to gamblers, falls in love, which changes his luck and threatens the casino's business, leading to a dramatic showdown at the card table.

Fact: William H. Macy won the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his role as Bernie Lootz.

Description: Based on the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team, this film explores the high-stakes world of card counting, with a romantic subplot between the main characters.

Fact: The film was inspired by the book "Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich.

Description: A former military interrogator, now a professional gambler, gets entangled in a high-stakes game and a romantic relationship that challenges his solitary existence.

Fact: The film was written and directed by Paul Schrader, known for his work on "Taxi Driver."

Description: Based on a true story, Molly Bloom runs an exclusive high-stakes poker game, where she encounters various high-profile players, and her life becomes a high-stakes game of its own, including a romantic subplot.

Fact: Aaron Sorkin, known for his fast-paced dialogue, wrote and directed this film, bringing his signature style to the poker scenes.

Description: A mockumentary about a poker tournament where players' personal lives, including romantic entanglements, are as much at stake as their money.

Fact: The film features a mix of professional poker players and actors, with improvised dialogue for authenticity.

Description: A serial killer uses an online poker game to choose his victims, and a detective must play to save lives, with a romantic subplot developing amidst the tension.

Fact: The film was directed by Dario Argento, known for his horror and thriller films, bringing a unique twist to the card game genre.