A Fine Film, Made Finer By Paul Newman

Rating: 8/10 (25 March 2010)

Small-time pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson (Paul Newman) travels cross-country with his partner Charlie (Myron McCormick) to challenge the legendary player "Minnesota Fats" (Jackie Gleason). Arriving at Ames, Fats's home pool hall, Eddie declares he will win $10,000 that night. Fats arrives and he and Eddie agree to play for $200 a game. After initially falling behind, Eddie surges back to being $1,000 ahead, and suggests raising the bet to $1,000 a game; Fats agrees.
This film is great for the trick shots alone, but then you throw in Paul Newman, one of the greatest actors of all time. Oh, and Jackie Gleason at his best? And even George C. Scott? You really cannot make a bad movie under those conditions.
There is some talk that this film captures man at his most human, a striving to be the best in his field, a competitive nature. And, along the way, he must stumble... but this seems a bit of a cop-out. As I understand it, most films feature characters who strive for a goal and encounter an obstacle along the way. That's nothing new, and never has been. Sure, as Ebert says, "This is one of the few American movies in which the hero wins by surrendering, by accepting reality instead of his dreams." But I don't find that as deep as he does.