No casino in the world is as grand or famous as Monaco’s Casino de Monte Carlo, so it should come as no surprise to learn that it has often appeared in popular culture throughout the decades.
The casino was founded by royal decree of Prince Charles II in 1863. And the casino still attracts wealthy people from around the world today. The Monte Carlo Casino’s grandiose Beaux-Arts architectural style is a sight to behold. Inside, you will experience sheer elegance and a lot of exciting casino games.
The Monte Carlo Casino in Popular Music
In 1891, the English gambler and fraudster Charles Wells won incredible amounts at the Monte Carlo Casino. He claimed to have found an infallible system, but seeing as he had a past of committing fraud, it is generally-believed he somehow found a way to cheat the casino. He became known as The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, which was celebrated in the song of the same name by British music hall singer and comedian Charles Coborn. The song became a staple part of Coborn’s act, and he performed it on tour, in different languages, around the world.
The Monte Carlo Casino in Literature
The Monte Carlo Casino has often been associated with the fictional British secret agent James Bond. In Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale, the novelist used the casino’s glamorous architectural style to describe the fictional casino resort of the book, the Royale-Les-Eaux. When Fleming wrote that 1953 thriller, he could not have known just how synonymous casinos would become with 007.
If you are unable to visit the Monte Carlo Casino, but you are itching to play exciting casino games like roulette and blackjack, there are some excellent online casinos, such as Casumo. You could even dress up in black-tie like James Bond from the comfort of your home.
The Monte Carlo Casino in Television
Many believe James Bond’s first outing was in the movie Dr. No. But the licensed-to-kill spy first appeared not on the big screen but on the small screen. In a 1954 episode of the American drama anthology series Climax!, called Casino Royale, Barry Nelson starred as 007. The Monte Carlo Casino was used in the filming of the episode.
The Monte Carlo Casino in Movies
The episode of Climax! Would not be the last to feature the Monte Carlo Casino alongside James Bond. The secret agent visits the casino in the 1983 film Never Say Never Again, which is called The Casino Royal Monte Carlo in the movie, where he plays a laser video game against the evil Largo. In 1995, the Monte Carlo Casino was used in another 007-movie, GoldenEye. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond meets the innuendo-named Xenia Onatopp inside the casino, where he beats her at a baccarat game before meeting her for drinks.
The casino has appeared in several other movies besides James Bond ones. It served as a filming location for the fantastic 2004 film Ocean’s Twelve, and it also makes an appearance in the family cartoon movie Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. And the casino’s gardens were featured in the 2010 French romantic-comedy Monte Carlo: A Place to Escape, in which the protagonist Alex attempts to seduce Juliette to stop her marrying a British millionaire. Along with Monaco’s other casinos, the Monte Carlo Casino makes an appearance in the fabulous superhero movie Iron Man 2 as well.
It is in the film Grace of Monaco that the casino takes center stage, though. The 2014 biographical film tells the story of the American actress Grace Kelly, who became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainer III of Monaco. The film serves as a reminder of the Monte Carlo Casino’s royal heritage.
