The Hustler (1961)

Director:

Robert Rossen

Writers:

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

Release Date:

25 September 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | 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:

Manager | Partner | Pool Hustler | Pool Hall | Hustler

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 14 nominations

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Adams	...	Old Doctor (uncredited)
Tom Ahearne	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Charles Andre	...	Waiter at Parisien Restaurant (uncredited)
Don Crabtree	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Gloria Curtis	...	Girl with Fur Coat (uncredited)
Robert Daget	...	(uncredited)
Don De Leo	...	Another Player (uncredited)
Charles Dierkop	...	Pool Room Hood (uncredited)
William Duell	...	Louisville Hustler (uncredited)
James Dukas	...	Kibitzer (uncredited)
Brendan Fay	...	Player (uncredited)
Jack Healy	...	Hotel Proprietor (uncredited)
Hoke Howell	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Don Koll	...	Racetrack Ticket Clerk (uncredited)
Charles McDaniel	...	Reservation Clerk at Louisville Hotel (uncredited)
Charles Mosconi	...	Second Man (uncredited)
Willie Mosconi	...	Willie (uncredited)
Sid Raymond	...	First Man (uncredited)
Art Smith	...	Old Man Attendant (uncredited)
Blue Washington	...	Limping Attendant at Ames Billiards (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Rossen

Writing credits
Sidney Carroll		(screenplay) (as Sydney Carroll) and
Robert Rossen		(screenplay)
Walter Tevis		(based on the novel by) (as Walter S. Tevis)

Produced by
Robert Rossen	....	producer

Original Music by
Kenyon Hopkins

Cinematography by
Eugen Schüfftan		(director of photography) (as Eugene Shuftan)

Film Editing by
Dede Allen		(film editor)

Production Design by
Harry Horner

Set Decoration by
Gene Callahan

Costume Design by
Ruth Morley		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Donoene	....	hairstyles
Robert Jiras	....	makeup

Production Management
John Graham	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles H. Maguire	....	assistant director (as Charles Maguire)
Ulu Grosbard	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Don Kranze	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Angelo Laiacona	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Albert Brenner	....	associate art director
Jack Flaherty	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Edward Beyer	....	sound editor
Jim Shields	....	sound (as James Shields)
Dick Vorisek	....	sound (as Richard Vorisek)
Jack Fitzstephens	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Herbert Holcombe	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William Cronjager	....	assistant cameraman
David Golden	....	chief electrician
Saul Midwall	....	camera operator
Muky	....	still photography
Martin Nallan	....	chief grip (as Martin Nallan Jr.)
Felix Trimboli	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Stone	....	assistant editor
Evan A. Lottman	....	montage of pool scenes editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Angelo Ross	....	music editor
Dan Terry	....	musician: Louisville music

Other crew
Marguerite James	....	script supervisor
Willie Mosconi	....	technical advisor
Fred Hift	....	publicist (uncredited)
Ralph M. Leo	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Rossen Films (as Rossen Enterprises, Inc.)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1961) (USA) (theatrical) (presents) (as 20th Century Fox) (A Cinemascope Picture)
• Centfox (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1964) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1966) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Key Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Film Opticals  optical effects

Also Known As:

"Robert Rossen's The Hustler" - USA (complete title)
"Eddie Felson" - Israel (English title)
"Hustler" - Japan (English title)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Rossen Films

Trivia:

Boxer Jake LaMotta appears as as one of the many bartenders in the film. His one line is "Check," and he says it three times.

Goofs:

Continuity: Eddie's hands change position on his cue after his first shot against Minnesota Fats.

Quotes:

[in their $3,000 game, after Minnesota Fats breaks, it's Eddie's shot]
Fast Eddie:How should I play that one, Bert? Play it safe? That's the way you always told me to play it: safe... play the percentage. Well, here we go: fast and loose. One ball, corner pocket. Yeah, percentage players die broke, too, don't they, Bert?
[he makes the shot and the spectators applaud]
Fast Eddie:How can I lose?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #28.201" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Louisville Dixieland

An All Time Classic

When is a movie about pool not a movie about pool? When it's The Hustler. Watching this for the first time, i was expecting a movie full of games of pool with trick shots galore, with Newman the hero getting the girl and beating Fats the champ, role credits...a nice little feel good story. wow, was i ever mistaken (and very pleasantly surprised to be). The Hustler is filled with great performances: Newman, Gleason, Scott, and Laurie all give great, GREAT performances that makes a fairly simplistic plot with little real action absolutely riveting to watch. Newman is great as Eddie the born loser with talent coming out of his ears, but not enough brains to know how to utilise it best. Gleason is great and says a lot with simple body language more than the few lines he has. Scott is phenomenal as always as a soulless gambler only looking out for himself and dragging all those around him down as well. Laurie is perfectly suited to her character, a desperate, lonely alcoholic who seems to know her relationship with Eddie is bad for both of them, yet is unwilling or unable to break free.

The Hustler is amazingly written, with quotable lines and dialogue that just cuts deep into the cores of these characters; as they interact with each other and are forced to show their true colours, we see the true people underneath as the facade is stripped away. These are damaged, broken, confused, troubled souls who seem to gravitate towards one another, as if they can sense a kindred spirit. I have to say that the reason these characters resonated so strongly with me, is because, as unpleasant as it is to do so, i can see elements of myself in each character.

This kind of movie is one that would be nigh on impossible to get made in contemporary Hollywood. A downbeat story from start to finish, with unlikeable characters, it is one of the greatest films i have ever seen. an absolute classic in the purest sense.