Review for The Hustler

The Hustler tells the story of Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) a pool hustler, who goes around the country playing the game for money. He plays against local legend Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) who has never been beaten. After playing for over twenty five hours he has beaten Fats a number of times winning over $12,000. However, when another gambler Bert (George C. Scott) labels Eddie 'a loser' he continues to play until he loses everything.

Dejected Eddie leaves his partner Charlie and begins to hook up with local girl Sarah (Piper Laurie) and after a disastrous attept to hustle at pool he agrees to a deal with Bert to play again. This results in a horrific moment involving Sarah that is one of the most shocking I've seen in a film for a long while. Then Eddie decides to return to play Fats once again.

The Hustler is one of the best loved films ever created. It made a genuine star out of Paul Newman and has over the years been viewed as one of the greatest sports related films ever made. Receiving nine Oscar nominations (winning two for Art Direction and Cinematography), all major performers Newman, George C Scott, Jackie Gleason and Piper Laurie were nominated for Acting Oscars with the film also being nominated for Best Picture and won the BAFTA for Best Film and Newman for Best Actor. I could literally go on and on about the accolades, awards and praise this film has been given.

BUT...

I'm watching this film confused as to why this is. Now the film is wonderfully made, the acting by all is perfect and the way it is shot, edited and scored is wonderful. But I really didn't enjoy watching the film. I don't know why. Maybe it's because the whole story of the underdog losing and then fighting for a comeback is a little cliche... seen in so many films over the years... However I should realise that when the film was released in 1961 this plot was fresh and not something that every sport film had done.

That being said, this film is a powerful drama and the performances by everyone are amazing. The story arc involving Newman and Laurie is very bleak and their scenes are some of the most emotional of the film. The problem I have with the film is that sometimes the pool scenes go on for far too long. The initial hustle at the beginning of the film is quick, swift and cut wonderfully, but the scene were Eddie plays against Fats is just so long that I got a little bored and if I'm honest I couldn't follow who was winning. Maybe it's just me, but unlike other sports films in which there is a scoreboard or whatever to keep track, this film I had to just guess as to how well Eddie was doing.

If like me you may not feel The Hustler deserves such praise you should watch all of the extras as you then will realise just how great this film is and how much effort and work went into it. Commentary featuring Newman is great, featurettes on hustling and the legacy of the film and of Newman and Gleason are also well made and I must admit after watching 'Milestones in Cinema History: The Hustler' I finally realised just how great this film is and upon second viewing I would agree with all the comments made.

The Hustler is a great film for its time. I don't want to say that it has dated, because performances as good as this don't date, but the story is certainly not something that we haven't seen in EVERY sports film that has come since. But it was fresh in 1961 and certainly the blueprint that they all strived to achieve. So if you are a fan of Paul Newman and classic films this is certainly a film that you need to watch.