A Truly Great Movie

Rating: 10/10 (1 September 2015)

I waited about forty years to finally watch this film. It is a tale of both depravity and courage. Paul Newman is a pool hustler. He and his buddy go from pool hall to endless pool hall to scrounge up a few bucks. The thing is that Newman is a really gifted player and one day decides that he's had enough penny ante. The problem is that he is not wise to the ways of gamblers and the bigger hustlers. George C. Scott appears in one of his greatest roles. Piper Laurie is a spooky actress, but pulls off the alcoholic, depressed soul that hooks up with Newman and finds her ship may have sailed. Jackie Gleason really steals every scene. He is probably one of the greatest comic actors of all time, but has been relegated to that place where "TV" people go. As Minnesota Fats, he is formidable but part of the real world. The cinematography of the dark halls is also marvelous and the direction grabs us and holds us.