The Myth of Willy Bank

Al Pacino’s character in the movie Ocean's Thirteen is Willy Bank, the owner of a fictional casino called The Bank. Far from being based on any real individual, the plot and characters in this film are entirely fictional. Willy Bank, with his eccentric appearance and unexpected sense of humor, adds a unique element to the ensemble cast in the grand heist film. However, if the character had real-world counterparts, would they have been as colorful and entertaining?

Did Al Pacino Ever Play a Casino Boss?

Although Al Pacino has played his fair share of iconic characters in the film industry, including Tony Montana in Scarface and Michael Corleone in The Godfather, it is unlikely that he ever portrayed a casino boss. One of the most memorable casino bosses in film history is undoubtedly Lefty Rosenthal, played by Robert De Niro in the 1995 crime film Casino.

Lefty Rosenthal: The Real Story

Robert De Niro’s portrayal of Lefty Rosenthal is more than just a fictional character. De Niro’s character is based on Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, a real-life professional gambler and former professional baseball player who was also an important figure in the world of organized crime. Rosenthal was involved in the ill-fated efforts to bring legal gambling to Indian reservations in Illinois, which led to a string of deportations and legal troubles for him and the other participants.

The fictional Tangier casino in the film is based on the Stardust Casino, a famous establishment in Las Vegas known for being the location of trumpets playing “Welcome to Sin City” at the entrance. The film’s depiction of the casino’s grandeur and the corrupt relationships between the casino, its patrons, and the government is a vivid portrayal of life in the 1970s and 1980s.

Another character in the film, played by Joe Pesci, is based on Tony Spilotro, a real-life mobster and associate of the Chicago Outfit. Spilotro was indeed buried alive, a crude form of execution used by the underworld to silence disloyal members. These real-life counterparts lend an extra layer of authenticity to the film, as they bring to life the darker side of the casino industry.

A Punch in the Face from an Edgar Allan Poe Film

While there is no real-world counterpart for Willy Bank in Ocean's Thirteen, the role of Willy Bank was itself a nod to a lesser-known film within the film. Al Pacino stumbled onto the checkered floor of the Mirage casino in Las Vegas while filming Ocean's Thirteen, much to the surprise of the tourists, who mistook him for actor and director Oliver Stone, playing a scene from his actual movie, Edgar Allan Poe.

Stone was at the casino to research his film, which featured a more ominous and tragic version of the Edgar Allan Poe story. The courthouse and surrounding area of the Mirage was used for the setting of the film’s courtroom scenes, providing a haunting atmosphere for the story inspired by Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum.

Conclusion: The Dark Side of Las Vegas

While Ocean's Thirteen is a fictional story about a group of professional criminals planning a casino heist, its inclusion of real-life characters and events makes it a more gripping and interesting tale. The films mentioned above, whether Casino with its portrayal of the Tangier casino and its connections to organized crime, or Ocean's Thirteen with its reference to Edgar Allan Poe, all highlight the darker side of Las Vegas and the casino industry. These films are not just entertainment, but also serve as a historical and cultural commentary on the real-life corruption and power struggles that have shaped the gambling capital of the world.