The Cincinnati Kid

Set in New Orleans during the 1930s, The Cincinnati Kid follows Eric Stoner, a young poker player known by his nickname and regarded as one of the best in the city. He is determined to rise to the top, and when the seasoned master Lancey Howard comes to town, Eric arranges a high-stakes match against him. The contest between the ambitious newcomer and the veteran player forms the centre of the film.

Norman Jewison directed the 1965 release, the third of the nineteen features he made, following Send Me No Flowers and preceding In the Heat of the Night. The screenplay was written by Terry Southern and Ring Lardner, Jr., with Martin Ransohoff and John Calley producing for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Filmways Pictures and Solar Productions. Steve McQueen plays Eric Stoner, opposite Edward G. Robinson as Lancey Howard, with Ann-Margret, Karl Malden, Tuesday Weld and Joan Blondell among the 71 credited cast members.

The film took about 15 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7.2 out of 10 from 20,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7 out of 10 from 315 votes, a smaller sample that is broadly in line with the larger one. A critics' rating of 7.7 out of 10 from 22 reviews places it somewhat above both audience scores.