Enjoyable pool drama

Rating: 9/10 (28 January 2005)

This drama about an up-and-coming pool hustler was said to be the model for all the formulaic sports movies, like "Rocky" and "The Karate Kid", that have appeared since. But "The Hustler" is different from it's imitators due to a tragic, ironic edge to its plot. Whilst it's a popular saying that every loser wins, the hero of this film learns the hard way that sometimes when you win, you lose.
Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) is a young, arrogant pool shark regularly playing other would-be glory hunters for up to thousands of dollars a game. Eddie's ambition is take on and beat the long-time pool champion Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). But in his first match with Fats, Eddie gets too cocky and his rival gets the better of him. Obsessed with getting a return match, Eddie gets involved with a sleazy manager (George C.Scott) who tries to develop in Eddie the 'character' necessary to defeat Fats. Things are complicated when Eddie falls in love with a lonesome alcoholic Sarah (Piper Lawrie), an affair that eventually leads to tragedy...
The film succeeds through a flowing blend of great acting and tight scriptwork. Although the film meanders inconsequentially through it's love story, the performances and memorable dialogue ('Fat man you shoot a great game of pool') ensure an engaged viewer. Pool fans too will enjoy the array of trick shots on display here. Paul Newman was taught by billiards legend Willie Mosconi, while Gleason himself was already a very telented pool player.
Paul Newman is on top form as the talented but tortured Eddie, while Piper Lawrie engenders sympathy as his fragile, weak-willed girlfriend. George C.Scott is brilliantly dislikeable as Eddie's scheming manager, while Jackie Gleason plays Minnesota Fats with a quiet subtlety. In his hands the pool king is not really a villain, but just an honest, hardworking professional.
Despite it's slow pace at times, this is still an immensely enjoyable, well-acted drama. "The Hustler" spawned a sequel over twenty years later with "The Colour of Money" (1986).