Hollywood's Vegas gaming guide

By Susan King, Los Angeles Times staff writer

The 1991 drama "Bugsy" explored how mobster Bugsy Siegel created Las Vegas. The harrowing 1995 drama "Leaving Las Vegas" examined the life of a failed writer (Nicolas Cage in an Oscar-winning performance) who goes to Vegas to drink himself to death. And the 1964 Elvis Presley musical "Viva Las Vegas" revolved around a car racer who could swivel his hips like nobody's business.

But most films set in Vegas focus on gambling. The latest, "The Hangover," goes all kinds of places even Elvis would fear to tread, but it does feature some gambling. In this case, it's all about comedian Zach Galifinakis' "Rain Man"-like ability to count cards and win at blackjack.

Here's a look at several other films that have played their cards right in Sin City: