Luke
stu-kicks
CibbuanoThe Hustler
March 11th 2007 23:34
The Hustler (1961)
'The Hustler' is often ranked amongst the greatest films ever made, and is often also flagged as being Paul Newman's definitive performance and the role that truly made him a screen icon. It also features on-the-ball performances from Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie and George C. Scott. All four leads of the film were nominated for Academy Awards for their work here, and the film overall was nominated for 9 Oscars, winning one for Art Direction and another for cinematography.
'Fast' Eddie Felson is a pool shark. He pretends to be a travelling salesman but actually makes his money hustling barflies - tricking them into playing against him for money, and subsequently cleaning up. Eddie has a real skill when it comes to pool games, and he seeks to prove himself to be the best when renowned pool player Minnesota Fats (Gleason) comes to town. The two duke it out in a marathon 40-hour session, with alcohol and sleep deprivation eventually getting the better of Eddie. Eddie becomes obsessed with beating Fats... he falls in love with a lonely drunk (Piper Laurie) and recieves some financial backing from the depraved and soulless Bert (George C. Scott), and slowly grows colder as his need to beat Fats consumes his soul.
What starts as an engaging and entertaining film about pool becomes something substantially more. Newman's portrayal of the cocky and charming hustler gradually gives way to the dirt underneath. It becomes clear that he is a 'born loser' - no matter how much Eddie wins he will never really be a 'winner', his obsessive nature ensures this and the ways in which he sabotages any other success that comes his way (including the possibility of true love) paves the way for one of the most tragic endings in 60s film. The rest of the cast is similarly in tune with the text, Laurie's pathological loner hits all the right marks and Gleason brings presence to a role that requires exactly that. George C. Scott in particular is remarkable as the cold-hearted Bert, reminding me just what a great and underrated actor he was.
The film wanes a little in the middle, but it's a neccessary dip, showing us Eddie's gradual consumption by obsession. The film has some great black and white cinematography, and the direction is beauiful... we get lurid, jazzy montages with scenes half dissolved over one another, conveying the passing of time with a bourbon-soaked lackadaisical quality perfectly in tone with the film's themes of greed and glory. 'The Hustler' offers a sleazy and completely identifiable depiction of greed, a small-scale story that shows us the nature of an unhealthy lust for winning in a way that's relevant to our own everyday lives. It shows us what it means to be a 'winner' or a 'loser'. Newman's 'Fast' Eddie Nelson doesn't know when to quit. The price he pays is too high, but he learns it the hard way.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Luke
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
It does feature some snazzy Scorsese style cinematography and editing.
Paul Newman, John Tuturro and Forrest Whitaker are great but Cruise and a the script are uneven. Thats not to say there isn't some cool dialogue in amongst it that is observant of human moves.
Comment by Theresa
Today's World
Between your terrific review, and JD's, you really do honor to a great movie.
It's a little like listening in to an interesting coversation, to read both reviews.
Enjoyable.
Theresa
Comment by Luke
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior