The Hustler

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Han R Mar 1, 2019 A slow burn of pool hall swindlers and doomed addicts. The Hustler is directed by the steadfast Robert Rossen. His black and white aesthetic helps smoke up the air with his dingy pool hall sets and sleazy cast of realistically tragic characters. Rossen's direction leaves you with empty spaces of room filled with a few characters of magnificent presence. His shots hold on faces, hands, and cues to squeeze out all the tension of his shots with a horrifying suspense. I always felt uneasy watching The Hustler as you never knew what would happen. Paul Newman is gripping and upsetting as the hotheaded con artist "Fast" Eddie Felson. His quick wit and quick temper lead to tragedy of his own making. Newman plays the distracted, distraught, and forlorn loser turned professional pool hall hustler with an effortless skill. Newman makes Eddie look skilled as a pool player and affectionate as a lover. His frustration at being bested in pool is admirable, but Newman's troubled anguish at his equally relied upon relationship is the most convincing. Paul Newman was a cool actor, a funny actor, but also a realistic dramatic actor who characters always feel grounded. Jackie Gleason is great as the calm veteran, whose experience gives him a patient terror. Gleason's massive Minnesota Fats is amiable, yet intimidating. His pool playing skills are cleverly formidable, but it's his cool calculated demeanor that makes Fats memorable. George C. Scott is at his most sleazy and unethical as Bert Gordon. His gangster gambler is more reminiscent of the devil conning men into selling their souls, as Murray Hamilton's Findlay remarks to Scott. George C. Scott eyes up a room in a moment and glares at all the events taking place with a knowing presence that you cannot ignore. His performance is excellent and infuriating as Scott makes you love his likable blunt gambler, while despising his shrewd sleazy conduct. On the other hand, Myron McCormick is endearing as Charley Bums. "Fast" Eddie's father figure is charming in an old hustler way with his honesty and sincerity towards Eddie. He gives it to Newman straight and you appreciate it, even though Eddie does not see the light as he does not heed Charley's warning. Lastly, the most compelling performance other than Paul Newman's has to be Piper Laurie. Her alcoholic intellectual is a woman in despair. She's a strong woman dealing with despair, coping with past trauma, and hoping for something, or someone, better than she's got. I think Laurie captures what is so tragic about The Hustler's broken promise for an entertaining little hustler con. She makes it all so real as the consequences of "Fast" Eddie's choices are dealt out to her. Laurie is brilliantly charming and deeply disturbing to see a woman so hurt. All in all, The Hustler is the perfect slow burn sports drama. The pool games are gripping and the humanistic drama with riddled with parables. I think The Hustler is worth seeing once. See more

Anakin W Jun 26, 2018 1961, so yes, the story is pretty basic. Still "The hustler" has heart, passion and great performances. On top of that it also has morality, addiction and the best game ever invented! Easy to see why it is a classic! See more

Luke P Jun 15, 2018 One of the greatest films of all time!

Finn G May 7, 2018 I saw this gem as a teenager back in 1961. I loved it and fantasize about beating A Minnesota Fats type The Hustler brought pool playing into the mainstream. I recently watched it again to see if it really was that good.yesindeed it was.The characters are even more compelling now that I've matured. Robert Rossen uses a steady hand directing his story with Paul Newman creating perhaps his best antihero. Piper Laurie playing his fragile girlfriend Sarah more then holds her own with George c Scott's venomous Bert Gordon and Jacky Gleason's elegant Minnesota Fats. You don't have to like pool to like this near perfect film with its great acting and character depth. Rack em up! See more

Han W Apr 24, 2018 One of my favorite movies ever. Love everything about it.

Dec 7, 2017 Definitely one of the best movies of it's time. Pool became so popular with pool rooms/billiard parlors springing up all over the country even in many bowling alleys because of this movie. About 15 years later many were closed as the interest dwindled. See more

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The Hustler

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