The Hustler (1961)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Robert Rossen

Writers:

Sidney Carroll (screenplay) and
Robert Rossen (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 September 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

They Called Him "Fast Eddie"

Plot:

An up-and-coming pool player plays a long-time champion in a single high-stakes match.

Plot Keywords:

Hustler | Pool Hustler | Pool Hall | Train | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 13 nominations

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Paul Newman	...	Eddie Felson
Jackie Gleason	...	Minnesota Fats
Piper Laurie	...	Sarah Packard
George C. Scott	...	Bert Gordon
Myron McCormick	...	Charlie Burns
Murray Hamilton	...	Findley
Michael Constantine	...	Big John
Stefan Gierasch	...	Preacher
Clifford A. Pellow	...	Turk (as Cliff Pellow)
Jake LaMotta	...	Bartender
Gordon B. Clarke	...	Cashier
Alexander Rose	...	Score Keeper
Carolyn Coates	...	Waitress
Carl York	...	Young Hustler
Vincent Gardenia	...	Bartender

Also Known As:

Robert Rossen's The Hustler (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #20068) | Brazil:12 | Ireland:12 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:16 | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Rossen Films

Trivia:

During the filming, one of the production days happened to fall on St. Patrick's Day. Prior to Jackie Gleason's arrival to the shoot at the pool hall, the lighting crew took out all the clear gels, and replaced them with green ones. Upon seeing this, Gleason was so impressed he said, "Boys! This looks beautiful! Take the rest of the day off!". He left, and production was shut down for that day!

Goofs:

Continuity: During the last game, Eddie calls and pockets the 1 ball. Then he sets up, calls the 12 ball and you hear the ball dropping into the pocket. Eddie then walks around to the other side of the table and calls the next shot - the 12 ball again.

Quotes:

[Eddie watching Minnesota Fats during their first game, whispers to Charlie]
Fast Eddie: Boy, he is great! Jeez, that old fat man. Look at the way he moves: like a dancer... And those fingers, them chubby fingers. That stroke... it's like he's, uh, like he's playin' the violin or somethin'.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Dick Van Dyke Show: Hustling the Hustler (#2.5)" (1962)

Soundtrack:

Louisville

Best Sports Movie Ever

I think "The Hustler" is the best sports movie ever made. Fast Eddie Felson is perhaps the most talented pool shooter in the country and yet, at his core, he's a born loser. Why is Eddie so self-destructive? He has Minnesota Fats, ostensibly the country's greatest player, beaten in the first marathon match only to drink himself into insensibility and let Fats off the hook.

Throughout the movie Eddie is surrounded by other people who are self-destructive or only interested in making a buck off of him. Even Charlie, his original manager (Myron McCormick in a terrific role)needs him for a meal ticket. Bert, his second manager, is a slithering, calculating parasite who uses everyone around him. Sara, Eddie's pathetic girlfriend, is going through life in an aimless, alcoholic haze.

The movie really lets you into the lives of these people who live on the margins of society. The cinematography is outstanding, the settings and mood of the movie draw you in totally. The acting is uniformly outstanding from top to bottom. Great movies get great performances from the minor characters, too. Vincent Gardenia, Michael Constantine, Murray Hamilton and McCormick are perfect in the smaller roles while Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie (all getting well-deserved Oscar nominations) and George C. Scott are indelible in the major roles. Even boxer Jake LaMotta has a cameo as a bartender.

Can Eddie finally overcome being a born loser? Can love redeem any of these lost people? What makes a person a champion? Is it talent alone or does a champion need some inner demon that can only be defeated by pursuing victory at all costs?