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BC Dave Site Admin
Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1598
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Posted: Aug Sat 01, 2015 12:16 am Post subject: Harolds Club movie review |
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Primarily the labor of love of just one man, Steve Elison (and three creative assistants), Harolds Club - the movie is a great portal to one of the primary drivers and shapers of modern day Reno (and Nevada, for that matter).
The movie shares the memories of former employees of Harolds Club, during it's glory days. The glory days, for Harolds are the pre 1970 years, while the Smith family owned and operated the casino. The club began as a tiny hole in the wall in the mid 1930's and became the world's largest casino - at least for a while.
I don't want to be a spoiler, but I can't resist recounting one story. Apparently there was one female dealer there who wore her hair up in a beehive. She would change the color of her hair from time to time. One day she came in with her hair dyed in an odd off-white tone. She would occasionally seem to touch her hair while dealing, but she was actually hiding the similarly coloured $100 tokens in that bees nest. She was caught by security and called into Pappy's office and was let go.
There's lot's of pictures exhibited through the film and some video. Harold is seen approaching a woman at a slot machine and serenading her with his violin. He pulled lots of stunts and unfortunately he had some issues with gambling and drinking himself. He once risked the club on a single throw of the dice!
It's evident, throughout the film, that the Smith family were admired and respected by their employees and their customers. Harolds Club employees were very loyal to the Smiths - Pappy, Harold and his brother Raymond. Customers were treated in a respectful and friendly manner. The club even had an unofficial policy of helping their gambling customers get home if they had gone broke during their visit.
Of all the clubs in Reno, Harolds was the one to beat. The film alludes to the fact that other casino operators would enter Harolds and their jaws would literally drop. The place was so jam packed, so noisy, and so full of life, that they would ask, "what the Hell do you guys do here?"
But I digress. This is supposed to be a movie review and I realize I'm not too well trained for the position. But ... If you'd like to see a good documentary about the Club that made gambling fun and respectable, then this is your show. |
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stan_allen
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1129
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Posted: Aug Wed 05, 2015 9:00 am Post subject: Hurrah for Harold's! |
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Dave, you may not consider yourself a reviewer of movies, but that's a fine job, there - now I'm psyched to check it out, and drink in a bit of old-school Reno glory!
Thanks! |
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BC Dave Site Admin
Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1598
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Posted: Aug Thu 06, 2015 2:00 pm Post subject: Glad to stir up some interest |
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Thanks Stan, for the favourable review of my movie review. I hope you enjoy the show too. Next up, as far as I know, will be a documentary on the Mapes. I'm looking forward to polishing up my skills reviewing that one too. |
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Zydeco
Joined: 03 Sep 2008 Posts: 302
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mjames1229
Joined: 23 Dec 2009 Posts: 407
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Posted: Oct Sun 11, 2015 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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Is this really worth the $22? I am considering buying it, but I've been burned with some horrifically produced Vegas videos (including one on Vegas implosions that I bought from the Tropicana 10 years ago that looks like it was edited by a 9-year old).
What is the run time? |
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BC Dave Site Admin
Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 1598
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Posted: Oct Sun 11, 2015 6:51 pm Post subject: More details on the Harold's Club movie. |
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I just had the DVD in the machine for the first time in quite a while. The movie is 1 hour and 55 minutes long. The editing is quite well done for a small budget production. If you remember Harold's Club and liked it (most of us only know it in the post Smith family era) and if you enjoy Reno history with some personal anecdotes thrown in, then I think you'll enjoy the movie. |
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