Fast Eddie Rules The Pool, baby! Vintage Newman

Rating: Null/10 (10 April 2003)

THE HUSTLER (1961) **** Paul Newman, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Jackie Gleason, Murray Hamilton, Michael Constantine, Jake LaMotta, Vincent Gardenia. Newman was born to play cocky, talented and troubled pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson in one of his best roles. Felson has the gift but not the right attitude to make it to the tops in an endless parade of seedy bars and quick action. Superb support by Laurie as his doomed yet supportive lady and Gleason makes it worth the while as pool shark legend Minnesota Fats. Scott is memorably slimy as the slick talking oddsmaker/Satan in disguise. Written and directed with panache by Robert Rossen. Newman, who was nominated for Best Actor, would reprise his role 25 years later in Martin Scorsese's sequel "The Color of Money" and (finally) win the Oscar for Best Actor. Oscar nods went to Laurie, Gleason, Scott and Rossen as well.