A gritty sports drama with several memorable performances

Rating: 8/10 (23 August 2008)

Robert Rossen's "The Hustler" centers on 'Fast' Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) and his goal of beating 'Minnesota Fats' (Jackie Gleason) in a high-stakes pool game, thus proving himself to be the best there is. However, unlike most sports films, this one is equally concerned with life outside the pool hall.
Paul Newman gives a standout performance as a charismatic pool hall hustler. He has exactly the right mix of charm and assurance that makes his character both likable and believable. Jackie Gleason, on the other hand, gives a nicely understated performance as 'Minnesota Fats' which is the perfect complement to Newman's brash portrayal of Felson. I was also impressed by George C. Scott's turn as manipulative gambler Bert Gordon. These three actors all received well-deserved Academy Award nominations. So did Piper Laurie as Felson's love interest, though I must admit that I wasn't completely sold on her somewhat mannered performance.
The story is interesting and will certainly take you by surprise if you're expecting a cookie-cutter sports film. The matches between Felson & Fats are central to the plot but the events in between are the real guts of the picture. That being said, I do think that there was just a little too much emphasis on the non-sports elements of the film, causing it to drag slightly as a result.
While none of the technical aspects of the film particularly stood out for me, the direction by Rossen is solid and so is Dede Allen's editing. Meanwhile, the cinematography & set decoration won the film its two Oscars (out of nine nominations). The jazzy score is also ideally suited to the subject matter.
I particularly recommend this movie to fans of sports films though its value as a serious drama should not be underestimated. Certainly a film worthy of classic status.