The: Cincinnati Kid (1965)

I'm so used to seeing Edward G. Robinson as a smarmy villain (see Key Largo), but he gives a much more nuanced character here. He' popcult.blog The Cincinnati Kid (1965) - Seeing Things Secondhand

The story follows Eric "The Kid" Stoner (played by the legendary ), a rising stud poker player with a razor-sharp focus and a cool-as-ice demeanor. The Kid doesn’t just want to win; he wants to be the best . To get that title, he has to take down the reigning king of the tables, Lancey "The Man" Howard ( Edward G. Robinson ).

McQueen, often called the "King of Cool," is at his peak here, using subtle facial expressions and a stoic machismo to convey a man driven by a near-manic need to compete.