A Treasure

Rating: 10/10 (22 September 2009)

"Fast Eddie" Felson (Paul Newman) is a brash young pool hustler with the talent to compete with the best in the game, namely "Minnesota Fats" (Jackie Gleason). On his way to his initial confrontation with Fats, Eddie and his older partner Charlie (Myron McCormick) work their hustle in pool halls along the way from California to New York. They have finely tuned their show which consists mainly of convincing the marks that Eddie has mediocre talent and any good shot he makes is luck. Then, when the money is on the table, Eddie comes through with just enough skill to win.
But Eddie's desire to play Fats is much more than a hustle--Eddie wants to prove he is the best there is. The first encounter between Eddie and Fats is captured in a masterfully filmed, captivating scene that lasts over twenty minutes. During the course of that scene Bert Gordon (George C. Scott) comes to spectate. Bert is a behind-the-scenes power broker and Scott plays this villainous character to perfection. As an example of how small details can establish character, in one beautiful scene Eddie asks Bert to move, since his continuing to sit in the same chair for hours on end is bothering him. At that point Bert stands up, moves his chair a few inches, and sits back down.
By calling Eddie a loser Bert delivers a psychological blow that contributes to Fats' winning. This also sets up pivotal themes about whether Eddie has the mental toughness and true desire to win, and what he is willing to sacrifice for success. These are questions most everyone faces, whether they consciously recognize them or not. Sometimes it is easier not to compete at all, or to buckle under the pressure and back off and settle for less. Anyone who enters the workplace has to figure out how aggressive to be and what they are willing to sacrifice to get ahead.
After Eddie's initial defeat he meets Sara (Piper Laurie) in a bar and ultimately takes up with her. The fact that polio has left Sara lame plays a significant role, both actually and symbolically. Although we do not know her background, Sara is a sensitive woman who has been wounded by life and has retreated into alcohol, but her relationship with Eddie starts to bring her back to life--their relationship is crucial to Eddie's ultimately being able to understand the sacrifices made in order to pursue his passion.
Each of the main characters is given substantial screen time. Between Newman, Scott, Gleason, Laurie, and McCormick you have five Oscar-worthy performances. And the supporting performances are all quality as well, particularly Murray Hamilton as a rich southern gentleman who plays a high-stakes game of billiards with Eddie. It's too bad that monetary inflation factors cannot be edited into movies-- the $18,000 (which does not seem like all that much now) that Eddie was up on Fats would be over $125,000 in 2009 dollars. So, the guys were playing for some pretty hefty stakes at the time.
This movie is a high point in black and white cinema. Filmed in CinemaScope (aspect ratio 2.35:1) it should be viewed on a wide screen for full appreciation. Director Rossen takes full advantage of the CinemaScope format with many shots having three characters in the scene, two of whom are at the edges. The print on the DVD is sharp. I think black and white is a dying or dead art form. Recent movies are rarely filmed in black and white and those that are, such as "Good Night, and Good Luck," do not have the crispness of the older ones and it seems that contemporary directors have lost the ability to work in this art form, which is quite distinct from color. Facial expressions are much more dramatic in black and white than in color and can convey subtle reactions and emotions without any dialog being necessary. This is particularly capitalized on in this movie; you are fully focused on the close-ups of Gleason and Scott in scenes that would hardly hold your attention in color. And the use of shadows can be highly effective. Consider the scene where Sara walks down the staircase at the Kentucky party. The shadows of the balusters on the wall accentuate that scene and concentrate your interest on Sara's descent in a way that would be less effective in color. By comparison to this film, Scorsese's follow-up "The Color of Money" some twenty-five years later is filmed in color and is much less striking. It's not like I am opposed to color ("Lawrence of Arabia" would be a complete dud in black and white), but I regret the passing of an art form.
The jazz score (not always up-tempo) by Kenyon Hopkins is perfectly suited to the material. Most of the sets are actual places and that creates an atmosphere of realism. The pool hall is a classic.
There is some sharp, meaty dialogue to be had. When Eddie offers the excuse to Bert that he lost to Fats because he got drunk, Bert answers:
Sure you got drunk. You have the best excuse in the world for losing. No trouble losing when you got a good excuse. And winning, that can be heavy on your back, too, like a monkey. You drop that load too when you got an excuse. All you gotta do is learn to feel sorry for yourself. One of the best indoor sports--feeling sorry for yourself. A sport enjoyed by all, especially the born losers.
An essential scene has Eddie giving this impassioned observation to Sara:
You know, like anything can be great--anything can be great. I don't care. Bricklaying can be great, if a guy knows. If he knows what he's doing and why, and if he can make it come off.
I cannot think of a single negative thing to say about this film.