#Amber McKee | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lemoncrushh · 7 months ago

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Wild Horses - Five

Summary: Amber Crosby didn’t end up with the life she’d expected, but that didn’t keep her from following her dream. A young, up and coming country recording artist, she and her band set out to do just that. Trying to leave her past behind, it wasn’t until meeting Harry Styles that she realized just how her life could take a turn and alter her future forever.

A/N: Please note all portions in italics are meant to be flashbacks :).

STORY PAGE

Chapter Five Word Count: 4.3k+

“Who’d ever thought that I would have the guts to change…” - Maria McKee; I’ve Forgotten What It Was In You (That Put The Need In Me)

“So what city are you in now?” asked Faith.

“Wilmington,” Amber replied.

“Delaware? What the fuck is in Delaware?”

Amber chuckled. “Beats me.”

“When are you coming down south?”

“Well, I’ll be home for Christmas, as the song goes. But we don’t play Atlanta until February.”

“Oh, that sucks. But at least you won’t be on the road for the holidays,” remarked Faith. “I don’t think I could live like that. City to city.”

Amber rose from her hotel bed and dug inside her suitcase for her cream sweater while Faith continued to chatter through the speaker. Although she’d been on the road before, Amber wasn’t prepared to give her cousin a response to her comment. She’d only been on the Harry Styles tour for two cities so far, Wilmington being the third. While she missed Pauline and Laci, this had been her dream since she was twelve. Being on the road, living in a suitcase...it was just part of the life that she’d accepted, if not actually looked forward to.

“So are you gonna tell me what he’s like?” Faith asked.

“Who?”

“Fucking Orlando Bloom. Harry, you idiot.”

Amber laughed. “He’s great. Really, really sweet. Every good thing you’ve ever heard about him is true.”

“Yeah? Even the size of his pecker?”

“Shut up!”

Amber heard Faith cackle through the phone, a little squeak at the end like a tiny mouse.

“You know I’m messin’ with you,” she said. “Although inquiring minds do wanna know.”

“I’m sure you do,” Amber muttered as she tied the laces of her Nikes.

Finishing up her conversation, Amber semi-promised Faith she’d make sure she had a ticket to the Atlanta show before hanging up. She wasn’t really sure why it mattered to Faith at all, seeing as she hadn’t bothered to come see her perform since she’d moved to Savannah, and probably hadn’t ever listened to her music - or Harry’s for that matter - but there was still a certain comfort that came from chatting with her cousin that she couldn’t explain. So somehow, deep down, Amber felt an obligation to be kind to Faith.

Just as she was dabbing on some lip gloss, a knock sounded on her door. She knew who it was before opening it. For the last couple of days, Carter had been oddly nice to her. Though he never mentioned his mood at the first concert, nor the night before when he’d pushed her against the wall in his drunken state, he’d seemed to find some kind of resolve, perhaps finally admitting to himself that they were just friends and bandmates. He’d also been showing Jeff and Harry some kindness, always shaking their hands when either of them walked into the room, though he never seemed to stick around for more than a minute or two.

It was a start, Amber decided, and the smile on his face when she opened the door only reassured her more.

“Mornin’,” he greeted, an arm stretched out against the door frame. “Are you hungry?”

“Starved.”

“Good, me too. John and Bren are already downstairs.”

“You’re chipper this morning,” Amber smiled.

“I’ve been up a while,” Carter shrugged. “Went to the gym.”

“Look at you,” Amber raised her brows in amazement before shutting the door behind her.

“Yeah. Styles was there.”

“You worked out with Harry?” Amber asked incredulously as they reached the elevators.

Suddenly, the image in her head of Harry working out made her flushed, and she pretended to look down at something on her phone.

“I wouldn’t say with,” Carter chuckled. “But he was there. I talked to him for a little bit. He’s a nice guy.”

“Yes, he is,” Amber nodded as she stepped onto the elevator.

“He asked about us.”

“Us?”

“Yeah, you and me. I guess he wanted to know if we were a couple.”

Her stomach lurching, Amber glared at Carter. “What exactly did he ask?”

“He was curious about our history.”

Rolling her eyes, Amber ran a hand through her hair.

“He probably meant how we met and you became my drummer, Carter. Not if we were together!”

A smirk grew on Carter’s face as the elevator doors opened.

“Maybe so.”

“Carter!”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him anything.”

“Yeah, because there’s nothing to tell.”

Fuming, Amber strode briskly past Carter and toward the hotel restaurant. She knew Carter’s pleasant mood had been too good to be true, and she was pissed off that it had taken him all but five minutes to ruin hers. She stopped when she walked into the restaurant and saw Brendan and Johnny sitting with three other gentlemen and two women. Harry and his band.

Stealing a glance back at Carter who’d followed her, Amber silently gave him a warning to which he merely shrugged. With a deep sigh, she put a smile on her face and walked through the tables toward Harry’s. When their eyes met, she instantly felt her rage dissolve.

“Good morning!” he greeted before she had a chance to say it first.

“Morning,” Amber said softly, taking a seat on the other side of Johnny, across from Clare who smiled up at her.

“Oh, it’s nice to have everybody!” she cheered. “What a treat.”

Amber couldn’t help but grin back, relieved that Carter had chosen to sit at the other end of the table.

“Harry doesn’t usually get to join us for meals, and last time was a fiasco,” Clare continued with a chuckle.

“Was that the night in Nashville?” Amber asked, recalling the evening she’d met Harry.

“Oh yeah, he was mobbed right outside the restaurant,” Mitch pointed toward the doorway.

“It wasn’t so bad,” Harry shrugged. “I still made it inside.”

“After what? A hundred autographs and selfies?”

Amber heard Mitch’s words, but he might as well have been sitting at another table. Harry’s eyes met hers again, and with the added smirk on his face, she couldn’t seem to look away. She suddenly felt warm and cool all over at the same time, and if it hadn’t been for the waiter coming around to take her drink order, she might have continued staring.

“Wasn’t that many,” she heard Harry say after she ordered coffee.

Clearing her throat, Amber reached for her water glass and took a sip, her gaze finding green eyes once again. She knew she had to be blushing, just as she’d been that night in Nashville when her eyes caught his staring at her from across the room. Perhaps it had been the other way around, she admitted to herself. But either way, his emerald eyes were like magnets pulling her in.

The rest of breakfast was filled with light chatter as the two bands got to know each other a little better. Amber found Clare to be delightfully friendly and pleasant, a calm aura about her, much like Harry’s. She suggested that when they get to the next city, they do a bit of shopping together since they had a couple of days.

“If Jeff lets me out of the hotel,” Amber remarked with a smirk before biting into a slice of bacon.

She heard Harry chuckle next to Clare. She eyed him, knowing he caught the sarcasm in her tone.

“I reckon you should be okay,” he offered. “Jeffrey will have a car if you need.”

Giving Clare a smile and a shrug, they agreed to make plans.

When all the plates had cleared and Amber couldn’t swallow another sip of coffee if she’d tried, the gang rose from the table and said their goodbyes. While Harry stood chatting with Mitch, Amber secretly hoped she could walk out with him and possibly get an idea of what exactly he and Carter had discussed earlier. She wasn’t quite sure why, but she didn’t want him to get the impression that she and Carter were an item. Feeling a hand on her back, however, she dropped her shoulders and sighed.

“What time’s soundcheck?” Carter asked.

“Two o’clock.” She gritted her teeth, knowing damn well that her drummer was aware what time soundcheck was.

“Oh yeah,” she heard him say. “You ready to go?”

“Go where?” Amber asked, finally turning her head. She saw Carter wasn’t looking at her at all. Instead, his gaze pointed toward Harry and his guitarist who were still having a conversation.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, giving her a side-eyed grin. “Breakfast is over.”

“Ugh,” she scoffed, turning for the exit.

“What?” Carter called after her. Catching up with her at the elevator, he stood between her and the doors. “What did I say?”

Amber crossed her arms, her jaw tight. “It’s not what you said, Carter, it’s what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing?”

“I don’t know exactly,” she rolled her eyes. “But it’s pissing me off.”

“That’s nothing new,” Carter muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Huh?”

Carter puffed out a breath and shook his head. “All I ever seem to do is make you mad. I can’t win with you.”

Furrowing her brows, Amber considered his comment. “Yeah, you’re right.”

The elevator doors opened then and an older couple stepped off. Giving them a fake smile, Amber ignored the scowl on Carter’s face as he stepped in.

“Are you coming?” he asked, holding the door.

“No.”

“No? What the fuck is with you? You can’t even ride on an elevator with me?”

“I wanna be alone right now,” she replied.

Carter scoffed. “You always wanna be alone. You used to need me, Amber. What happened?”

Blinking, Amber dropped her arms and stepped back.

“I grew up,” she said.

Rolling his eyes, Carter released the door. As it shut, Amber heard him mumble something about her becoming a bitch too.

With a shutter, Amber sniffled, realizing she had tears in her eyes. Quickly wiping them, she waited a few moments before pressing the button for the lift to come down again.

“Hey, everything okay?”

Jumping when she heard the voice, Amber cringed, hoping he hadn’t seen or overheard the exchange.

“Um, yeah,” she nodded, turning to meet his concerned face. Or maybe she was just imagining the concern. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Thought you’d gone,” said Harry.

Amber tried to think of the best excuse she could in two seconds, but only came up with, “Not yet.”

“Oh,” Harry smiled gently. “Good then, because I just got a text from Jeffrey, and he wants to talk to you. We’ll go up together.”

“Okay,” Amber managed a breath as the doors opened.

“I chatted with your drummer this morning.”

Biting her lip, Amber braced herself for Harry’s reveal. She watched his ringed fingers as he pressed the button for his floor, and the doors shut again.

“An interesting lad, that one,” Harry added.

“Carter talks a lot,” Amber blurted, unable to control herself.

Harry grinned. “Actually, I found the opposite. I tried asking him several questions, but his responses were short and minimal.”

“Oh.”

“You sure you’re fine?” Harry asked with apparent concern. “Your eyes are all…”

“Oh. Yeah,” Amber lied. “It’s fine. I have allergies. Not used to this cold, either.”

“Ah yes. I get a fit of hay-fever myself from time to time.”

Amber smiled meekly and wiped her eyes, completely embarrassed.

“Anyway,” Harry chuckled low, “it wasn’t until I asked Carter how you met that he finally started talking.”

“Oh.” Amber felt the blood rush to her cheeks. She was afraid to ask what Carter had said.

“You two have a history?”

Amber wasn’t quite sure if it was a question, though Harry’s inflection did rise a little at the end.

“History? Um…”

“I mean, you’ve been through a lot together, it’s no wonder.”

“I’m not sure…” Amber pulled at the sleeves of her sweater, worried she might confess what had not actually been confessed.

The door opened then, and Harry held it as Amber stepped off. Waiting for him to lead the way, however, she was surprised when he stopped next to her.

“He’s quite fond of you,” remarked Harry.

Amber glared at him, her mouth agape.

“He said that?”

Harry shrugged. “In so many words. He didn’t really have to, though. I could tell.”

“Hmm…”

“Although…” Harry added, his eyes shifting toward the opposite wall. “He might seem just a wee bit...possessive.”

Amber gasped. “What?”

“Perhaps possessive isn’t the right word. Protective, maybe? But I can understand that, I suppose. I mean, after all you’ve been through.”

Narrowing her eyes, Amber crossed her arms.

“What exactly did he tell you?”

“Oh, don’t worry, love, it wasn’t anything bad. No intimate details or anything,” Harry smirked, and Amber swore she saw the color rise in his cheeks. “He just told me about your desire to become a singer, your ambition. About your mum and your baby sister. How you were determined to make a better life for them. Which I find very commendable, by the way.”

“Oh,” Amber mouthed, blinking hard. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. You’re very strong-willed, Amber, and I like that about you.”

Knowing her face had to be bright pink, Amber felt like a dumbass.

“C’mon,” Harry gestured. “I’ve said too much. Let’s go see Jeffrey.”

“Whoa!” Carter laughed as he wrapped his arm around Amber to keep her from falling.

“Oops,” she giggled. She tried her best to stand upright, but she only managed to do so for a second or two before starting to sway again, her knees giving out.

The band had played a good show that night - a damn good show. Amber had been in her element, taking requests from the audience and singing them as they if she herself had written them. Anything from Tanya Tucker to Pat Benatar to Elvis, she’d performed them all with a certain amount of both grace and audacity, proving she was worthy of being up on that stage.

The drinks had started coming after the first request and hadn’t stopped until she’d said goodnight into the microphone, her weak limbs and last call from the bartender the only things keeping her from letting the night continue.

“Probably shouldn’t have had that last tequila shot,” Amber giggled again, planting her palm on the brick wall before twisting and resting her back against it.

“The last shot was over an hour ago, Ambs,” Carter chuckled. “I think you had a few more drinks after that.”

“Were you keeping score?” Amber asked, her eyes merely slits.

“Nah,” he grinned. “Just noticed.”

“Are you as drunk as me?”

Carter laughed again, stepping closer to her. “Not even, babe. I’m drunk but...it’s kinda hard to keep up with you from behind the drums.”

“Oh,” she blinked, letting the sound of him calling her babe roll around in her head and make her tummy flutter. Or maybe it was just the alcohol.

“You were great tonight,” he declared, letting his hand rest on her hip.

“Thanks,” Amber said low. Then with a groan, she reached out and grabbed a fist of his shirt.

“Help me to my room, Carter,” she insisted. “I’m too wasted to walk.”

With another chuckle, Amber’s drummer gladly obliged, wounding his arm around her again and leading her down the hall to her motel room.

“Where’s your key?” he asked when they arrived after a few stumbles.

Amber groaned again, trying her damndest to remember where she’d put it.

“Um...back pocket.”

Carter smirked, letting his hand linger a bit on her butt cheek as he retrieved her key. He smiled wider when she didn’t slap his hand or pull away.

Sliding the key inside the lock, he waited for the green light before pushing the door open. Then guiding Amber toward the bed, he set her down.

“Where are you going?” he heard her ask as he started to back away.

“Um…” he hesitated. “You should probably drink some water.”

Carter walked to the sink, poured a glass of water and handed it to Amber.

“Thanks,” she muttered before taking a sip. Realizing how dehydrated she was, she soon gulped down the rest of it, handing the empty glass to Carter.

“Want some more?” he asked.

Shaking her head, she reached down to remove her boots, but she found the movement too difficult. Carter set down the glass and knelt in front of her.

“Let me help,” he insisted.

When he’d removed both of her boots, he looked up and met her blue eyes, wider than he’d seen them since they’d left the bar.

“Please don’t leave,” she whispered.

A small smile crept up on his face. “You want me to stay?”

With a tiny nod, she grasped Carter’s bicep and pulled him towards her. Stumbling slightly, Carter kicked Amber’s boots away just as his lips met hers. As she reached for him, he paused only to kick off his own boots before joining her on the bed.

“I need you,” Amber cried in his ear as his hands roamed up her sides and underneath her shirt.

“God, yes,” he moaned, nipping at her neck. “I need you, too, babe. So bad.”

Soundcheck went off without a hitch, giving everyone more time to rest before the show. As the band made their way to the backstage parking lot, Amber stopped Carter, letting Brendan and Johnny take the car back to the hotel.

“Hey, can we talk for a sec?”

“What for?” he scowled.

Amber frowned. Okay, so he was still mad at her, despite having a decent rehearsal and soundcheck. At least he was able to remain professional, she told herself.

“I wanted to apologize,” she sighed.

“Oh yeah?” he quirked a brow.

“I talked to Harry.”

“Oh,” Carter’s expression faltered, the scowl returning to his face.

“He told me what y’all talked about. And I just wanted to say, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions.”

“Okay,” Carter crossed his arms.

“I was afraid you’d...told him things.”

Rolling his eyes, Carter shook his head. “I told you I didn’t. You always think the worst of me.”

“I know…” she hesitated, looking down at her hands. “I guess that’s not really fair. I’m sorry.”

Amber heard Carter sigh before he stepped closer to her, his hands grazing her arms.

“Ambs…” he said, making her lift her head. Her blue eyes questioned him as he ran his fingers down her wrists and took her hands in his. “We’ve been through a lot together. I want this band to make it as much as you do.”

“I know,” she nodded meekly.

“I guess I…” Carter paused. “I guess I just don’t want you to shut me out. Talk to me. Hang with me.”

Carter playfully twisted back and forth, making Amber dance with him. Cracking a smile, she nodded again.

“Can you still do that?” Carter asked.

“Yeah.”

“C’mon,” he grinned, tugging on her hand. “Let’s go grab a burger or somethin’.”

Amber crinkled her nose. “I was actually thinking about a nap.”

“Hmm,” Carter sounded. “That sounds good, too. Your room or mine?”

“Carter.”

“I’m joking! I swear, I’ll keep my hands to myself.”

Making a face, Amber thought for a moment. “A burger does sound pretty good.”

“I’ve got the keys to the van,” Carter beamed as he slipped them from his pocket and twirled the keyring around his finger.

“A good one with everything on it,” Amber announced as she followed him outside. “Mayo, no mustard.”

“Of course.”

“Maybe with avocado. Or mushrooms.”

“Whatever you want, babe,” grinned Carter as he opened the passenger door.

“No bacon though,” Amber added when she crawled inside and grabbed her seatbelt. “I never understood why anyone wants to add more meat.”

“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” Carter chuckled as he rounded the front of the van and climbed in his side.

Harry made his way down the hall, hoping to run into Amber to wish her luck before her set. He’d also hoped he could ease her mind a bit after the chat they’d had on the lift before the meeting with Jeffrey. The look on her face had been a mix of astonishment and embarrassment, maybe a little bit of relief in there as well. He wanted to reassure her that everything was fine, though he wasn’t quite sure why himself.

Perhaps he’d given her the impression he was leery or even jealous of Carter, and that certainly was not the case. At least not the latter. While he still didn’t know the man very well, from their short exchange in the gym that morning, he’d gotten the feeling that Amber’s drummer was more than just a bandmate. If they were romantically involved, he was still unsure, but he definitely could tell they had a history together.

He was just about to her dressing room door when it burst open and he heard a loud, boisterous laugh.

“Shut up!” he heard Amber say emphatically. “You’re a tool.”

“And you love it,” chuckled Carter.

Stopping in his tracks, Harry watched Amber stumble out of the dressing room, her drummer’s arm around her.

“Oh, hey man!” grinned Carter. “How’s it goin’?”

“It’s going well, thanks,” said Harry. “Everything okay here?”

“Yeah, man.”

“Just fine,” added Amber, tucking her hair behind her ears as she tried her best to stand up straight.

Harry could detect the glossiness in her gaze. She was definitely more buzzed than he’d seen her that evening after sharing the bottle of champagne.

“You sure?” he asked.

“Mmhmm,” Amber nodded, blinking her eyes. “I feel great. Ready to get this show on the road!”

Carter smirked, pulling her closer to him. For a moment, Harry considered suggesting to Carter that he make sure his singer was actually ready to take the stage, but seeing as she wasn’t falling over or slurring her words, he reckoned it wasn’t his place to step in.

“Alright then,” grinned Harry. “Just wanted to come wish you luck. Have a great show.”

“Thanks, Harry,” Amber beamed her pretty smile at him, and for a split second he forgot the other man was standing there.

“Thanks, man,” Carter offered his fist for a bump.

Harry obliged before watching the duo make their way down the hall. Just as he was turning away, he heard her call his name.

“Are you gonna watch again?” Amber asked, her head turned to look at him, Carter’s arm still stretched across her shoulder.

“Always,” he grinned.

Keeping his promise, Harry watched Amber’s show the way he had the first two nights, from the side of the stage, behind the equipment. To her credit, and a little to his surprise, Amber seemed to use whatever alcohol she’d consumed to fuel her performance. She no longer seemed to be the somewhat shy girl he’d met that summer in Nashville. She had attitude and grit, and if he was being honest, a bit of sex appeal. He even caught her making a few jokes with the audience and found himself laughing at her audacity.

Still, when he watched her make several trips to the drum riser to grab another drink of beer, or whatever was in the cup, he felt the urge to protect her take over. And when she turned around to face Carter for a count-off, and he saw her wink at her drummer, his own stomach began to turn as though he’d just swallowed an entire bottle of whiskey.

When Amber was finishing her set, introducing her final song, Harry felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Where’ve you been?” he asked his manager.

“Out there,” replied Jeffrey. “I wanted to watch her from the audience this time. She doesn’t know, though. I didn’t wanna make her nervous.”

“I don’t think you could have,” chuckled Harry. “She’s a little firecracker tonight.”

“Stop using my words.”

“Your words?” Harry raised a brow. “Did you coin that phrase?”

“No, but I just said it to Sarah and Mitch.”

Harry laughed again just as his band joined them.

“Where has this girl been?” asked Sarah.

“She’s come out of her shell,” Clare commented.

Crossing his arms as he nodded to the beat of the song, Harry agreed with the others. Amber Crosby was certainly in her element tonight. Even the rest of her band seemed to be feeding off of her energy, playing the best they ever had. Harry had to admit, he was proud, and he hoped to continue seeing her like this.

The crowd went wild when the song was finished and the band took their final bows. When Amber met Carter halfway and he slung his arm around her again, however, Harry was reminded of the sour feeling in his stomach.

Standing back, Harry allowed his bandmates to congratulate Amber, each of them hugging her one by one. When it was his turn, she gave him that same beautiful smile from earlier.

“You were a-” he began before he was interrupted by Carter.

“Is my girl the shit, or what?” he cheered.

“Absolutely fantastic,” Harry replied. He felt his jaw set, but immediately dismissed it. He had no real beef with Carter.

“We’re gonna go watch you from the audience tonight, Harry,” Amber said. “Is that okay?”

“Oh yeah, sure, of course. Hope you enjoy.”

Amber beamed wider. “I know I will.”

Before he could say another word, Carter pulled Amber to the left and down the hall where the others had gone, leaving him alone.

Running his hand down his face, Harry took a deep breath and headed toward his dressing room. He could hear the chatter from his manager and bandmates, but he wasn’t in the mood to join them. Instead, he shut the door behind him, poured two fingers of tequila and sat back on the leather sofa. He quickly realized his jaw was clenched again, so he dropped it, wiggling it back and forth to loosen it. He knew it was no good to let the tension build in his muscles now, not right before a show.

Taking a long sip from his glass, he sighed, leaning back on the couch as he took in the smell of his candle. It reminded him of her now. Closing his eyes, he could see her pretty face smiling back at him.

“God damn it,” he muttered to himself.

tagging: @freedomfireflies, @daphnesutton

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lignes2frappe · 2 years ago

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40 ANECDOTES PRESTIGIEUSES SUR « CASINO », LE PLUS GRAND FILM SUR LA MAFIA

1. Casino est une adaptation.

Comme avec Les Affranchis six ans plus tôt, Martin Scorcese s'est basé sur un livre de Nicholas Pileggi, Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, une enquête sur l’influence de la mafia dans la capitale des jeux d’argent.

Comme avec Les Affranchis, Pileggi est à ce titre crédité en tant que coscénariste.

Notez que Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas n’a été publié qu'une fois le tournage de Casino débuté.

2. Les noms de toutes les personnes ayant existé ont été modifiés.

Le studio craignait de crouler sous les procès de la part des intéressés.

Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal (le personnage joué par de Robert De Niro) a ainsi été rebaptisé Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein, Tony Spilotro est devenu Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), Geri McKee est devenue Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone), le capo de l’Outfit de Chicago Joseph Aiuppa est appelé Remo Gaggi (Pasquale Cajano), etc.

Chicago n’est en sus jamais mentionné (est évoqué « le pays »), tandis que le film est présenté comme « adapté d’une histoire vraie », et non pas comme « basé sur une histoire vraie ».

3. Martin Scorsese considère Casino comme une sorte de « Sodome et Gomorrhe dans le désert ».

Catholique pratiquant, le réalisateur aime comparer son film avec « un conte de l’Ancien Testament ».

« Nous ne voulions pas que le parallèle soit trop évident, mais c’était l’idée. Ace se voit offrir le paradis sur Terre. L’orgueil et la cupidité vont cependant tout gâcher. »

4. Casino n’a pas de scenario.

Là encore, c’est Scorsese qui le dit : « Le film dure trois heures. L’action suit son cours, les intrigues s’enchaînent... Sauf que si vous regardez bien, il n’y a aucun scénario. »

5. Casino a été tourné de nuit dans un vrai casino.

Toutes les scènes se déroulant au Tangiers ont été filmés entre une heure et quatre heures du matin au Riviera de Las Vegas, un lieu qui par le passé a notamment accueilli James Bond dans Les diamants sont éternels et Frank Sinatra dans L'Inconnu de Las Vegas.

Amis touristes, il n’est malheureusement plus possible de visiter l’établissement : fermé en 2015, il a été dynamité en 2016, puis remplacé par un parking.

6. Seule exception : les scènes dans lesquelles l’argent est compté ont été reconstituées en studio. La production n‘était pas autorisée à filmer dans la salle des comptes du Riviera.

7. Casino marque la huitième collaboration entre Martin Scorsese et Robert De Niro.

Les deux hommes avaient précédemment travaillé ensemble sur Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), New York, New York (1977), Raging Bull (1980), La Valse des pantins (1983), Les Affranchis (1990) et Les Nerfs à vifs (1991).

Il faudra ensuite attendre 28 ans pour qu’ils se retrouvent sur The Irishman en 2019.

8. Sharon Stone a posé un lapin à Martin Scorsese lors des essais.

Après que le réalisateur ait annulé à deux reprises son audition, l’actrice était persuadée qu’il s’agissait d’un non poli de sa part. Aussi, lorsqu’une troisième lui a été proposée, elle a préféré aller manger au restaurant avec une amie. Scorsese s’est alors rendu en personne sur place pour la convaincre de changer d’avis.

9. Parmi les plus grandes actrices d'Hollywood ont été considérées pour le rôle de Ginger.

Cameron Diaz, Uma Thurman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Traci Lords, Amber Smith, Nicole Kidman, Melanie Griffith, Rene Russo, Madonna...

10. Une fois sur le plateau, Sharon Stone a confié s’être sentie pour la première fois de sa carrière « à sa place ».

« Pendant longtemps, personne ne savait vraiment quoi faire de moi. Je ressemblais à une Barbie, j’avais la voix d’une fille qui avait passé sa vie dans les bars, sans pour autant raconter n'importe quoi. Et puis un jour, je me suis retrouvé face à Marty et Bob qui m’ont encouragé à donner tout ce que j’avais en moi, sans aucune retenue. »

11. Quand James Woods a appris que Martin Scorsese cherchait à le joindre, il a immédiatement appelé son bureau pour lui dire « Où vous voulez, quand vous voulez. N’importe le rôle, n’importe le prix ».

12. Pour plus d’authenticité, les croupiers et chefs de salles vus à l’écran sont interprétés par de vrais croupiers et de vrais chefs de salles.

13. Certains des comiques de Las Vegas les plus en vogue de l’époque ont été recrutés.

Scorsese leur a toutefois offert des rôles à contre-emploi : Alan King interprète le syndicaliste en chef Andy Stone, Don Rickles, le manager du Tangiers Billy Sherbert, et Dick Smothers, un sénateur.

14. Casino s’ouvre sur La Passion selon Saint Matthieu de Jean-Sébastien Bach.

Achevé en 1736, ce récit en musique des derniers jours du Christ tels qu’ils sont rapportés par le premier évangile dure près de trois heures, de son dernier repas avec ses disciples à sa mise au tombeau.

15. Le costume rose corail que porte Sam Rothstein dans la scène d’ouverture, celle qui chronologiquement se déroule à la toute fin, a une signification bien particulière.

En charge de conseiller De Niro sur ses tenues, John Dunn explique que cette couleur montre « qu’Ace est allé trop loin ».

« À ce moment, il n’est plus l’homme de l’ombre qu’il devait être. Il n’est plus celui qui tire les ficelles en coulisses. Il souhaite désormais se faire voir, être la personne qui brille le plus dans la pièce. Bien entendu, il y a un prix à payer pour ça. »

Plus généralement, plus le film avance, plus les couleurs des costumes de De Niro se font criardes et flamboyantes (jaune moutarde, rouge cramoisi, vert menthe, rose bonbon...).

« Un indicateur de sa démesure » dixit Scorsese.

16. Sam Rothstein porte 52 costumes différents dans Casino.

Tous ont été confectionné sur-mesure spécialement pour le film. Robert De Niro a pu tous les conserver à la fin du tournage.

17. Joie du détail, la couleur du cadran des montres de Sam Rothstein est très souvent assortie à la couleur de ses costumes.

18. Comme dans Les Affranchis, Joe Pesci porte une perruque. Cette dernière est ici assortie d’une mèche argentée, afin de coller plus prêt à l’apparence physique de Tony Spilotro.

19. Dans toutes les scènes où le big boss Remo Gaggi apparaît, une lumière blanche brille autour de lui.

Cf. notamment la toute première et la toute dernière réunion des chefs mafieux.

20. La scène où Nicky Santoro broie la tête d’un homme dans un étau a été tournée dans le seul but de faire diversion.

Estimant Casino déjà extrêmement violent, Martin Scorsese souhaitait s’éviter les foudres de la censure en focalisant toute l’attention de la Motion Picture Association of America sur cette séquence, rendant ainsi le reste du film plus acceptable en comparaison.

À sa grande surprise, pas la moindre remontrance ne lui a été adressée, et il a pu sortir Casino en salles sans effectuer la moindre coupe.

21. La scène de l’étau n’a cependant pas été inventée : Tony Spilotro a dans la vraie vie vraiment torturé à mort un homme de cette manière, un certain Billy McCarthy, non sans lui transpercer les testicules avec un pic à glace.

22. Le futur maire de Las Vegas fait un caméo dans Casino.

Avocat de Tony Spilotro et Frank Rosenthal dans les années 80, Oscar Goodman apparaît brièvement dans le film aux côtés de Sam Rothstein à sa sortie d’une salle d’audience.

Très ironiquement, quatre ans après la sortie du film, Goodman a été élu maire de la ville de 1999 à 2011.

23. La mère de Martin Scorsese, Catherine Scorsese, tient un petit rôle.

Elle y interprète la mère du mafieux Artie Piscano – celui qui effectue les allers-retours entre Vegas et le pays, et qui la désespère par la grossièreté de son langage.

Catherine Scorsese est décédée deux ans après la sortie du film, à 83 ans. Il s’agissait de sa neuvième apparition dans l’un des films de son fils.

24. La femme de Joe Pesci, Claudia Haro, joue, non pas sa femme, mais l’une des hôtesses du show Ace’s High.

Haro et Pesci ont divorcé quelques années plus tard. Remariée, cette dernière s’est plus tard faite remarquer dans la rubrique faits divers : en 2000, elle a été condamnée pour tentative de meurtre après avoir engagé un tueur à gages pour se débarrasser de son nouvel époux.

25. Les propriétaires de la maison de Ginger et Ace au moment du tournage apparaissent dans le film.

Richard et Sharon Weisbart jouent en arrière-plan un couple de voisins curieux quand la police débarque suite au coup de téléphone de Ginger.

26. La maison de Ginger et Ace a été racheté en 1996 par Suge Knight, le patron de Death Row Records.

27. La maison de Ginger et Ace est ensuite devenue une attraction touristique.

Conseiller technique sur Casino, Frank Cullotta, un ancien ami d’enfance de Spilotro et lieutenant en chef de son gang (interprété par Frank Vincent dans le film), a monté après la sortie du film un « tour de la mafia » qui se proposait de visiter les lieux de la ville rendus célèbres par le crime organisé.

28. Dans la scène où Nicky joue au black-jack et insulte abondamment un croupier, on peut entendre dans le fond un client crier. Il s’agit d’un vrai client poussant un vrai cri après avoir gagné une grosse somme aux dés.

29. L’acteur qui joue le croupier en question, Nick Mazzola, joue également le croupier de la table de black-jack à laquelle s’assoient Tom Cruise et Dustin Hoffman dans Rain Main (1988).

30. Afin éviter les problèmes de continuité, Robert De Niro tient chacune des cigarettes qu’il fume à la même distance du foyer. Ces dernières apparaissent ainsi à l’écran toujours de la même longueur.

31. Bien que le nom du casino que dirigeait en sous-main Rosenthal, le Stardust, n’ait pas été repris, Marin Scorsese s’est servi de la bande originale pour lui faire quelques clins d’œil : la chanson Stardust de Hoagy Carmichael est entendue à trois reprises – lors du mariage d’Ace et Ginger, lorsque Remo demande à Franck Marino si Nicky et Ginger ont une liaison, et lors du générique de fin.

32. Dans la scène où Nicki menace de tabasser le banquier d’Ace, on peut apercevoir sur l’une des étagères du salon une photo Frank Rosenthal et Tony Spilotro.

33. Lors de la scène où Nicki et son frère Dominic se font tabasser dans un champ de maïs, Joe Pesci s’est fêlé une côte en étant jeté un peu trop lourdement dans le trou qui avait été creusé par ses petits camarades.

34. Casino a longtemps tenu le record de « fuck » prononcés dans un film avec 435 occurrences (2,4 par minute). Il a été détrôné en 2013 par Le loup de Wall Street (600 occurrences).

Doublure de Tony Dog, Carl Ciarfalio se rappelle que toute l’équipe avait été influencée par la crudité des dialogues, Scorsese compris, au point qu’entre les prises il se croyait à la « F-bomb University ».

35. De nombreux détails de la vie de Frank Rosenthal semblent avoir été inventé de toutes pièces pour les besoins de la fiction, alors que pas du tout.

Un avion du FBI a réellement atterri dans son jardin. Il a réellement exigé que chaque muffin confectionné dans la cuisine de son hôtel comporte le même nombre de myrtilles. Sa femme Ginger a réellement entretenu une liaison avec Spilotro.

36. Parmi les différences les plus notables entre la réalité et la fiction, notons que Rosenthal gérait, non pas un, mais quatre casinos ; que Nicky a été battu à mort, non pas dans un champ de maïs, mais dans le sous-sol d’une maison ; que Frank Cullotta, craignant de se faire exécuter par Spilotro, a rejoint le programme de protection de témoins ; ou que Geri McGee était déjà mère d’une petite fille avant de rencontrer Rosenthal.

37. La scène préférée Martin Scorsese est celle où Ginger jette ses jetons en l’air à la table de craps, juste avant qu’Ace ne tombe amoureux d’elle.

38. Malgré un succès critique et public évident, Casino n’a récolté qu’une seule nomination aux Oscars, celle de la meilleure actrice dans un second rôle pour Sharon Stone.

Cette dernière a toutefois dû s’incliner face à Susan Sarandon dans Dead Man Walking.

39. Frank Rosenthal s’est montré très élogieux à propos de Casino.

« Certes, le scénario condense et raccourcit bon nombre d’évènements, mais une fois pris dans le film, il est très difficile de démêler le vrai du faux. Les personnages sont extrêmement bien interprétés. Le Las Vegas du bon vieux temps est parfaitement retranscrit. »

40. Bien qu’aucune licence de jeu ne lui ait jamais été délivrée, Frank Rosenthal a laissé une empreinte profonde à Las Vegas : on lui doit notamment d’avoir été le premier à engager des croupières femmes et d’avoir introduit les paris sportifs dans les casinos.

3 notes · View notes