He made his first bet when he was 15 years old, and he always made money. But he didn't bet like you or me. You know, having some fun with it, shit like that. He'd bet like a **** brain surgeon. He had to know everything, this guy. He'd find the kind of inside stuff nobody else knew, and that's what he'd put his money on. Even back home, years ago, when we were first hanging out together, he'd know if the quarterback was on coke, if his girlfriend was knocked up. He'd get the wind velocity so he could judge the field goals. He even figured out the different bounce you got off the different kinds of wood they used on college basketball courts, y'know? He'd be working on this shit day and night. There was nothing about a game he was going to bet that he didn't know. Season after season, the prick was the only guaranteed winner that I ever knew, but he was so serious about it all, I don't think he ever enjoyed himself. But that's just the way he was.
Most-quoted character in Casino (1995): in 22 of its 42 quotes
Most scenes with: Sam "Ace" Rothstein (5)
Got a lot of holes in the desert. And a lot of problems are buried in those holes. Except you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk. Otherwise, you're talking about a half hour or 45 minutes of digging. And who knows who's gonna be coming along in that time? Before you know it, you gotta dig a few more holes; you could be there all **** night!
More lines from Nicky Santoro
13 quotesThese old greaseballs may not look it, but believe me, these are the men who secretly control Las Vegas, because they managed the Teamsters Union. The Teamsters Union was who you had to go to in order to borrow money to build a casino. And no one got approved for a loan from the Teamster's pension fund unless these guys in the room knew they were going to get their little suitcases.
They had so much **** money in there, you could build a house outta stacks of $100 bills. And the best part was that upstairs, the board of directors didn't know what the **** was going on. I mean, to them, everything looked on the up-and-up, right? Wrong! The guys inside the counting room were all slipped in there to skim the joint dry. They'd do short counts, they'd lose fill slips. They'd even take cash right outta the drop boxes. And it was up to this guy, right here, standing in front of about 2 million dollars, to skim the cash off the top without anybody getting wise — the IRS, or anybody. Now, notice how in the count room, nobody ever seems to see anything. Somebody's always looking the other way. Now look at these guys. They look busy, right? They're counting money. Who'd want to bother them? I mean, God forbid they should make a mistake and forget to steal. Meanwhile, you're in and you're out, past the jack-off guard, who gets an extra C note a week just to watch the door. I mean, it's routine, business as usual — in, out, hello, goodbye — and that's all there is to it. Just another fat ****, walking out of the casino with a suitcase. Now that suitcase was going straight to one place: right to Kansas City, which was as close to Las Vegas as the Midwest bosses could go without getting themselves arrested. That suitcase was all the bosses ever wanted, and they wanted it every month.
But I knew how to keep the bosses happy. Whenever they gave me little jobs to do, you know, to send a message, I would carry things out to a tee. Like the time Tony Dogs, who's supposed to be the new maniac tough guy in town, shot up one of Remo's bars. Here's a **** guy, kills two of Remo's guys and a poor **** waitress who's just working on her night off of all things. I mean, this guy's just begging to be made an example of.
To be truthful with you, I had to admire this **** guy. He was one of the toughest Irishmen I ever met. This son-of-a-bitch was tough. For two days and two **** nights, we beat the shit out of this guy. I mean, we even stuck ice picks in his balls. But he never talked. In the end, I had to put his **** head in a vice.
Listen to me, Anthony. I got your head in a **** vice. I'll squash your **** head like a grapefruit if you don't give me a name. Don't make me have to do this, please. Don't make me be a bad guy, come on.
Charlie M? Charlie M?! YOU MADE ME POP YOUR **** EYE OUTTA YOUR HEAD TO PROTECT THAT PIECE OF SHIT?! CHARLIE M?! YOU DUMB MOTHER****ER!
I think that you've gotten the wrong impression about me. I think, in all fairness, I should explain to you exactly what it is that I do. For instance, tomorrow morning I'll get up nice and early, take a walk down over to the bank, walk in and see and uh, if you don't have my money for me, I'll crack your **** head wide open in front of everybody in the bank. And just about the time that I'm coming out of jail, hopefully, you'll be coming out of your coma. And guess what? I'll split your **** head open again. 'Cause I'm **** stupid. I don't give a **** about jail. That's my business. That's what I do. And we know what you do, don't we, Charlie? You **** people out of money and get away with it! Hey, you fat Irish prick, you put my **** money to sleep! You go get my money or I'll put your **** brain to sleep!
What the **** is this? Where's this **** guy gonna land, in the fairway? They're **** agents, Frankie, look at this! $100 for whoever hits the plane.
I used to send Marino back home with a piece of what I made. Not a big piece, but what did they know? They were 1,500 miles away, and I don't know anyone who can see that far.
I've **** up, Frankie. I **** up real good this time. I should never have started with this **** broad.
As much as they liked him, he wasn't one of us. He wasn't Italian. As far as they knew, he could've talked. Otherwise, Stoney might still be alive. The first one to skip was John Nance. He found a nice warm secluded place in Costa Rica. He thought nobody would find him there. But then his kid got nabbed by the Feds for drugs. And so, naturally, the bosses were afraid he'd come out of hiding just to save his kid and give 'em all up. So... [The same two men come behind a bleeding John Nance and shoot him in the head] But anyway they, you know, they all had to follow. Everybody went down. Before you knew it, anybody who knew anything wound up getting whacked.
It took months for everything to calm down. But finally, my guys got out on bail and the bosses wanted me to send my brother Dominick out to Vegas. Always the dollars. Always the **** dollars. I mean, it was still way too hot for me to even go near Vegas, so I set up a meeting with the guys way out in the sticks. I didn't want my brother to get **** around. I mean, what's right is right. They don't give a **** about— [Frankie hits him from behind with a baseball bat] AGH!
Scenes with Nicky Santoro
8 scenes
Before I ever ran a casino or got myself blown up, Ace Rothstein was a hell of a handicapper, I can tell you that. I was so good that when I bet, I can change the odds for every bookmaker in the country. I'm serious. I had it down so cold that I was given paradise on earth. I was given one of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas to run: the Tangiers, by the only kind of guys that can get you that kind of money. Sixty-two million seven hundred thousand dollars. I don't know all the details.
Matter of fact, nobody knew all the details. But it should have been perfect. I mean he had me, Nicky Santoro, his best friend, watching his ass. And he had Ginger, the woman he loved, on his arm. But in the end, we **** it all up. It should have been so sweet, too. But it turned out to be the last time that street guys like us were ever given anything that ****in' valuable again.
Think he got the point?
What are you doing? He's a square guy, for Christ's sakes. You can't treat him like that. He's gonna run to the FBI.
**** the FBI! That prick's been dodging me for three weeks. And what is it with you? All of a sudden, you're trying to tell me what to do all the time.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do. But you were way out of line, Nick. What're you doing? Where's your head?
Where's my head? Where's your **** balls? Huh? You know I'm trying to put something really big together out here. You know what I'm talking about, huh? You know! If you're acting like this now, how can I depend on you? There's a lot of things going to change out here. And if you wanna be there with me, Sammy, you're going to have to go my **** way.
Listen, Nick, you got to understand my situation. I'm responsible for thousands of people. I got a hundred million a year going through the place. It's all over, I'm going to tell you, it's all over, if I don't get that license. And believe me, if it goes bad for me, it's gonna go bad for a lot of people, you understand?
Yeah, forget about your **** license. I plant my own flag out here, you ain't gonna need a **** license. [pause] You know, I don't know what it is, Sammy, but the more I talk to you, the more I feel like you just don't want to go along with me, is that it? You should say so.
No, I don't want to come along with you. I'll be honest with you.
Just say so- All right, fine.
I don't want to be involved in anything you're talking about, okay? I just want to run a square joint. That's it. I just want my license. I want everything nice and quiet. That's it.
You mean, quiet like this? [holds up a magazine] "I'm the boss." That's quiet?
That's all taken out of context. I have no control over that. Ronnie and Billy were right there. They'll tell you exactly what happened.
Well, back home they don't know about **** control. That looks bad.
Looks bad? I'm going to tell you what looks bad. Every time you're on television, I get mentioned. That looks bad. That looks bad!
What the **** happened to you? Will you tell me?
What happened to me? What happened to you? You lost your control.
I lost control? Look at you! You're **** walking around like John Barrymore! A **** pink robe and a **** cigarette holder? I lost control? You know, I didn't want to bring this up, but you have treating a lot of people with a lot of disrespect. Even your own wife.
My wife?
Yeah.
Now, what does she have to do with all this?
Well, she comes to see me. She was upset about a lot of things, especially that whole ****in' Diamond - that Lester Diamond incident.
All of a sudden, you're the shoulder to cry on? Did you at least tell her about your little role in that whole situation?
No, I didn't. What good would that do? That's not the **** point. The point is that she's upset. She's - and you got a **** problem.
Listen, I would appreciate it if you'd stay out of my personal life, okay? You wouldn't like it if I did it to you.
Where the **** do you get off talking to people about me behind my back, going over my head?
What people?
What people, d'ja think I wasn't gonna find out?
I don't even know what you're talking about Nick...
No? You said I'm bringing heat on YOU? I gotta listen to people because of your ****in shit? You're orderin me out? You better get your own ****in army pal!
I didn't do anything, I mean, I didn't order you or anybody. I only told Andy Stone that you had a lot of heat on you and that was a problem.
You want me to get out of my own ****in town?
Yeah I said l-let the bullshit blow over for a while, so I can run the casino. Anything goes wrong with the casino it's my ass, it's not yours, it's my ass!
Oh I don't know whether you know this or not, but you only have your ****in casino because I made that possible. I'm what counts out here, not your ****in country clubs or your ****in TV shows! And what the **** are you doing on TV anyhow? You know I get calls from back home every ****in day, they think you went bat shit!
I'm only on TV because I got to be able to hang around the casino. You understand that, you know that, come on.
Your ****in ass! You coulda had the food and beverage job without going on television. You wanted to go on TV.
Yeah I did want to go on TV. That way I have a forum, I can fight back. I'm known. People see me. They know they can't **** around with me like they could if I was an unknown, that's right, yeah!
You're making a big ****in spectacle of yourself!
Me? I wouldn't even be in this situation if it wasn't for you. You brought down so much ****in heat on me, I mean every time I meet somebody the big question is "do I know you?"
Oh sure now you wanna bring your ****in license on me, is that it?
No, Nicky, when you asked me if you could come out here, what did I tell you? I mean you asked me and I know you were gonna come out no matter what I said, but what did I tell you? Do you remember what I told you? Do you remember what I told you?
Back- Back up, back up a ****in' minute here. One minute. I asked you? When the **** did I ever ask you if I could come out here? Get this through your head, you...
You never...
Get this through your head you Jew mother****er, you. You only exist out here because of me. That's the only reason. Without me, you, personally, every ****in' wise guy skell around'll take a piece of your ****in' Jew ass. Then where you gonna go? You're ****in' warned. Don't ever go over my ****in' head again. You mother****er, you.
Ace saw Vegas one way.
You call this guy and tell him I'm comin'?
Of course.
But I saw it another. I saw it as untouched. I mean, they had bookies, pimps and drug dealers I could shake down. Who the **** were they gonna run to? So, I started getting everybody in line. Best of all, for the first time in my life, I figured out a way not to lose.
Yeah, he had a foolproof scheme, all right. It wasn't very scientific, but it worked. When he won, he collected. When he lost, he told the bookies to go **** themselves. What were they gonna do, muscle Nicky? Nicky was the muscle.
Tony.
Nicky!
How you doin'?
How you doin'?
All right, yeah. You got that thing for me?
What thing? Oh, Nicky, I thought you was layin'.
I was layin'? No, no, I'm takin' it. I was takin' it.
You sure?
I'm positive.
Well, I'm a little confused here.
You're a little confused?
Yeah.
Maybe if I stick your ****in' face through this window over here, like, you know, you'll-you'll get unconfused. Give me the ****in' money!
I'm sorry, Nicky. I didn't mean anything by it.
Yeah, I know. That's why you had it ready. You thought I was ****in' layin' it?
Ah! My ****in' head!
Your ****in' head, huh? Don't **** around, Tony.
Smarten up.
You jagoff.
I don't give a shit who he's connected to. Tell him to take his **** feet off the table. What does he think this is, a goddamn sawdust joint?
Sir, would you mind taking your feet off the table and put your shoes on, please?
Yeah, I would mind. I'm having a bad night.
**** asshole won't budge.
Call security. [to cowboy] How are you?
Good. How are you?
Good. Want to do me a favor? You want to take your feet off the table and put your shoes back on?
**** you!
I want you to exit this guy off the premises, and I want you to exit him off his feet and use his head to open the **** door.
Sir, you're gonna have to leave. You mind coming with us outside?
Bullshit. I ain't going anywhere.
Bullshit, you're outta here!
**** you! **** you! You know who you're **** with, huh? Do ya? [to Ace] You **** ****! You know who you're **** with? Leave me alone!
Ace, what happened over there? I mean, did you know that guy you threw out was with me?
No, I didn't know that, but you know what he did?
No.
He insulted Billy, then I walk over to him politely, and he tells me to go **** myself.
What?
Then he called me a ****, so what do you think I did? I threw that **** out.
Wha-? Ho-hold- [to cowboy] Hey, come here. You called my friend a ****? You told him to go **** himself?
I- I didn't-
Is that what you did, tell him to go **** himself? [beating him down with the handset] You **** hick! You **** hick, you! Come here. Come here! [to Marino] Get him up. [to cowboy] Come here. You go over there right now and you apologize. You better hope he lets you back in. If you ever get out of line there again, I'll smash your **** head so hard, you won't be able get that cowboy hat on! You hear me? **** hick. [to Ace] Sammy, listen. This guy obviously doesn't know who he was talking to. You understand? He doesn't know that, uh, we're dear friends. I mean, he's already very sorry but, uh, if you could do me a favor: let him back in, I swear to you, he'll never get out of line again. I promise you that.
If he does it again, he's out for good. I don't care what it is, Nick. I'll never let him in the place again.
I'm sorry about this, really. All right, Ace? Thanks, pal. [Hangs up and turns to the cowboy] You took your boots off? You put your feet on the table? You shit-kicking, stinky-horse-manure-smelling mother****er, you! You **** me up over there, I'll stick you in a hole in the **** desert. You understand? [slapping him] Go over there and apologize! Get the **** out!
I told you this was **** dangerous. Remember I said, "Ginger, this is a dangerous situation, be very careful," you **** yes me to death.
If it's so **** dangerous, then why don't you kill him?
I'm not gonna kill him. Shut the **** up, you don't know what you're talking about.
Well then, have him killed, and get it over with.
Hey, don't be such a **** smart-ass, will ya?! And I known the **** guy 35 years! I'm just gonna **** whack him for you?
Now for the best, and I couldn't believe this shit. Piscano's expense reports took the cake.
Oh, this is good. Bingo.
He might as well have given them a ****in' blueprint. Everybody's names, addresses, dates, everything.
Look at this! Thank you so much, Mr. Piscano. How considerate of you. We appreciate it.
Those are my — those are my mother's books.
You're under arrest.
What a ****in' balloonhead.
When the bosses were arrested, some of 'em were so old that they needed doctors at their arraignment. But when it looked like they could get twenty-five years to life just for skimming a casino, sick or no ****in' sick, you knew people were gonna get clipped. So, the day of the arraignment, they had this meeting right in the back of the courthouse. See, when something like this happens, you know how things are gonna work out; It's always better with no witnesses. So what about Andy?
He won't talk. Stone's a good kid, stand-up guy just like his own man. That's the way I see it.
I agree. He's solid. He's a ****in' Marine.
He's okay. He always was. Remo, what do you think?
Look...why take a chance? At least, that's the way I feel about it.