Film Review: The Hustler

About The Hustler (1961)Low-life pool player Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) begins a downhill slide after losing to Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). However, gambler Bert Gordon (George C. Scott) sees the potential in the boy, takes him in, teaches him the art of the hustle, and sets him on the road to another thrilling pool hall confrontation with the unbeatable Fats. Robert Rossen’s acclaimed classic won an Oscar for Best Cinematography and was nominated for a further six. Martin Scorsese’s film ‘The Color of Money’ (1986) is a sequel of sorts, with Newman playing Fast Eddie once again.

Starring: Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Myron McCormick

Directed by: Robert Rossen

Runtime: 134 minutes

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB

Review: The Hustler 

“Fast” Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) is a young and arrogant pool player who challenges legend Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) to a game. Initially losing to Fats, Eddie hits back and gains the upper hand, winning a substantial amount of money in the process. Despite his partner Charlie (Myron McCormick) telling Eddie to walk away, he refuses, insisting he wants Fats to concede defeat, which Fats doesn’t. The two men continue to compete and after 25 hours Eddie loses everything in one game and is left broken and lost.

Eddie’s fortunes change somewhat when he meets Sarah (Piper Laurie), an alcoholic, and the two begin to fall in love. Eddie remains low key, hustling in small clubs, but he comes to the attention of Bert Gordon (George C. Scott) who takes Eddie under his wing and the two men begin working together. Bert is greedy and ruthless though and the more time Eddie spends with him the more he has to sacrifice of himself and his relationship with Sarah. The question is can he break from Bert’s influence?

I’ve been looking forward to seeing this one for a long time and it didn’t disappoint. Newman is fantastic in the lead, beginning as the cocky Fast Eddie but by the end he has changed dramatically, gained a lot of perspective and suffered so much ruin along the way. The epic battle between Eddie and Fats is an undoubted high point and inevitably the two men face one another again in a dramatic conclusion. There are no joyful celebrations and ecstatic crowds to round this one off though. The ending is surprisingly bleak leaving us to reflect on Eddie’s painful journey rather than rejoicing in anything he has achieved.

The Hustler is a fantastic film built around the high stakes gambling on games of pool. Newman and Gleason are both brilliant and the supporting turns from Laurie, Scott and McCormick are most welcome too. Seeing a young Murray Hamilton made me smile, this being 14 years before he was insisting people go into the water despite a shark being on the loose. Great film.

Verdict: 4/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

Film Review: The Hustler | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave