A Timeless Classic

Rating: 10/10 (22 October 2011)

The Hustler tells more about pool.It is a story of overcoming arrogance,redemption of a human being in the context of winning and losing and helping the viewer realize the value of challenge in overcoming obstacles presented in life.
The Hustler is directed by Robert Rossen.He adapted it from the novel of the same title by Walter Travis.It stars Paul Newman as Eddie Felson, Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats, Piper Laurie as Sarah, and George C. Scott as Bert.It tells the story of small-time pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson and his desire to prove himself the best player in the country by beating legendary pool player "Minnesota Fats." After initially losing to Fats and getting involved with unscrupulous manager Bert Gordon,Eddie returns to beat Fats, but only after paying a terrible personal price.Aside from Fast Eddie's exploits,it also tells a love story between him and Sarah and how they help one another in overcoming the many trials and adversities in life.
The film was a major critical and popular success.It gained a reputation as a great film. Its theme of of winning, losing, and character study garnered a number of major nominations and awards.Aside from that,it is also credited with helping to spark a resurgence in the popularity of pool.
The stellar performances of Newman,Laurie,Gleason and Scott,all of whom got an Oscar nomination for this movie, gave this film a place in modern cinema as one of the best movies of all-time.Paul Newman's Fast Eddie Felson has become one of the most memorable characters in film history. Overall,the movie is not just a great one during its year and decade of its release,but it also proved that it is a timeless classic.