Bingo has come a long way since its earliest variations emerged in 16th-century Italy more than half a millennium ago. It’s experienced name changes, format evolution, and transitioned from analogue to digital worlds with enormous success.
In different eras and locations, bingo has been both a social phenomenon and an old people’s pastime. Today, thanks to online bingo sites like Jackpotjoy, it’s played by more than 100 million people all over the world.
Like other games that are integral parts of our lives, bingo has also found its way onto the big screen. People playing bingo appeared regularly in the background of both British and US movies during the Golden Age of Cinema.
The 1960s and 70s saw bingo become a symbol of working-class culture in comedies like Carry On at Your Convenience. In the 1990s, it was used to demonstrate that characters might be ageing, in a routine, or perhaps even lonely.
In the 21st century, bingo has been added to film scenes to show everything from shared joy to social clashes. Bingo is so widely known and understood, it acts as a perfect foundation on which to build a million stories.
Bingo to us might be a game played by our grandparents, one we remember from beachfront arcades. It could be something we’ve enjoyed with family, or a simple thrill we load up every day on our phones.
Though our touchpoints might be different, a connection to bingo is something that unites us all. It’s this universal nature which draws many filmmakers to the game when developing the scenes they create for their movies.
But that’s not the only reason bingo makes a good scene, and audiences can expect much more when it appears. Here are just a few of the reasons bingo and movies go together so well.
- Tension
Bingo games build toward a natural crescendo with the tension increasing as each ball is drawn. As numbers are variously hit or missed, and cards filled, everyone involved is put on the edge of their seat.
Whether used as a source of jeopardy or suspense, this adds real energy to a movie scene. Add a little dramatic music or quick cutting, and bingo scenes can have audiences holding their breath.
- Pacing
Similarly, bingo has a natural rhythm which can be adjusted to fit the pace required in any scene. Call the numbers slowly when a scene needs to feel lethargic, race them out and things soon feel frenetic.
This can be handy for introductory scenes, communicating the right atmosphere to the audience in seconds. It can also be changed as a scene progresses, creating a transition and setting things up for a new development.
- Comedy
“Two little ducks… 22, droopy draws… 44, two fat ladies… 88,” traditional bingo calls have always had elements of humour. Add a little imagination, and the simple rhyming format is a potential comedy goldmine when used in a movie scene.
As a social activity with predefined roles, bingo also offers opportunities for comedy through eccentric players or callers. You could build petty rivalries, create melodrama, introduce slapstick… the list of mirth-making possibilities is endless.
- Background
It’s not just the concept of bingo that people around the world understand, but also its flexibility and adaptability. Many of the situations and locations in which the game is played are distinctive and instantly recognisable.
Through a purposefully set bingo game, audiences can be guided to draw conclusions about the scene’s background at a glance. A community hall, a smartphone on the subway, a makeshift party game – these pictures say more than a thousand words.
- Symbolism
Bingo is an excellent reference point which can tell us many things about characters, situations, and even plots. Is somebody lucky or unlucky? Is the scene light-hearted or serious? What era or location are we in?
By using bingo as a shorthand device, filmmakers can communicate huge amounts of information to their audiences. It’s also a great way to show the personality quirks of several characters in a single scene, often with minimal dialogue.
Whether used to give insight, trigger nostalgia, or urge laughter, bingo is an excellent device for film scenes. Compared to big action sequences or heavy dialogue, it can also be much kinder on studio resources and filming schedules.
It’s easy to see why huge shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Better Call Saul have turned to the game. You can see its impact for yourself in movies from Cocoon to Big Momma’s House, Bad Grandpa, and Inglourious Basterds.
We’re not all filmmakers, but we can still enjoy bingo for the same qualities that make it a movie star. Chances of the next Oscar for Best Supporting Actor going to the humble game of bingo… lucky seven to one?
