# The Sting

The Sting is a 1973 film about two confidence tricksters working in 1930s Chicago who team up to pull the ultimate con on a millionaire mob boss.
    Directed by George Roy Hill. Written by David S. Ward.

## Henry Gondorff

* No sense being a grifter if its the same as bein' a citizen.
* Sorry I'm late, guys, I was takin' a crap.

## Doyle Lonnegan

* [to Gondorff] Not only are you a cheat, you're a gutless cheat as well.
* You see that fella in the red sweater over there? His name's Donnie McCoy. Works a few of the protection rackets for Cunnaro when he's waiting for something better to happen. Donnie and I have known each other since we were six. Take a good look at that face, Floyd. Because if he ever finds out I can be beat by one lousy grifter, I'll have to kill him and every other hood who wants to muscle in on my Chicago operation.
* [Repeated line] You follow?

## FBI Agent Polk

* [to Snyder] Sit down and shut up, will ya? Try not to live up to all my expectations.

## Dialogue

    Luther: How much did you lose?
    Hooker: [winces] All of it.
    Luther: In one damn night? What are you spraying money around like that for? You could've been nailed.
    Hooker: I checked the place first. There were no dicks in there.
    Luther: But you're a con man! And you blew it like a pimp!
    Henry: [drunk] Turn it off.
    Hooker: Are you sober?
    Henry: [drunk] Turn it off.
    Henry: [drunk] Glad to meet you, kid - you're a real horse's ass.
    Hooker: Luther said I could learn from you. I already know how to drink.
    Hooker: Listen, Gondorff! Am I gonna learn the big con or not?
    Henry: What's your hurry?
    Hooker: I want to play for Lonnegan.
    Henry: You know anything about the guy?
    Hooker: Yeah! He croaked Luther! Anything else I gotta know? [after he calms down] All right. He runs a numbers racket on the south side. He owns a packing house. A few banks.
    Henry: Yeah, and half the politicians in New York and Chicago. Not a fix in this world is gonna cool him out if he blows on you.
    Hooker: I'll get him anyway.
    Henry: Why?
    Hooker: 'Cause I don't know enough about killin' to kill him.
    Henry: You can't do it alone, you know. It takes a mob of guys like you and enough money to make them look good.
    Hooker: I know plenty of guys.
    Henry: It's not like playing winos in the street. You can't outrun Lonnegan.
    Hooker: I never played for no winos.
    Henry: You gotta keep his con even after you take his money. He can't know you took him.
    Hooker: You're scared of him.
    Henry: Right down to my socks, buster! You're talkin' about a guy who'd kill a grifter over a chunk of money that wouldn't support him for two days!
    Hooker: What're you doin'?!
    Henry: Always drink gin with the mark, son. He can't tell if y' cut it!
    Henry: Tough luck, Lonnehan. But that's what you get for playing with your head up your ass!
    Doyle: The name's Lonnegan, DOYLE Lonnegan! You're gonna remember that, Mr. Shaw, or you're gonna get yourself another game.
    Floyd: Doyle, I KNOW I gave him four THREES. He had to make a SWITCH. We can't let him get away with that.
    Doyle: What was I supposed to do - call him for cheating better than me, in front of the others?
    Hooker: Hey, where's June?
    Loretta: She quit. I'm filling in for a couple of days, till I can get a train outta here.
    Hooker: Yeah? Where ya going?
    Loretta: I don't know. Depends on which train I get on.
    Hooker: Can you get a mob together?
    Henry: After what happened to Luther, I don't think I can get more than two, three hundred guys.
    Kid Twist: Now how do you want to work this? Flat rate or percentage?
    Benny Garfield: Who's the mark?
    Kid: Doyle Lonnegan.
    Benny: [short pause] Flat rate.
    Hooker: I gave him the breakdown, just like you said.
    Henry: And?
    Hooker: It's good. He threatened to kill me.
    Henry: Hell, kid, they don't do that, you know you're not getting to 'em.
    Billie: Who told you this guy was in here?
    Lt. Snyder: Nobody, I just know what kind of woman he likes. Going to check all the joy houses till I find him.
    Billie: Oh, well maybe I could help you, if you tell me his name.
    Lt. Snyder: I doubt it. Which way are the rooms?
    Billie: Right through there. But I wouldn't go in there if I were you.
    Lt. Snyder: What you are going to do, call the cops?
    Billie: I don't have to. You'd be busting in on the Chief of Police just up the hall.
    Hooker: [watching Lonnegan] He's not as tough as he thinks.
    Henry: Neither are we.
    Henry: Is Lonnegan after you too?
    Hooker: I don't know. I ain't seen anybody.
    Henry: You never do, kid.
    Hooker: I, ah...thought you might wanna come out for a while. Maybe have a drink or somethin'.
    Loretta: You move right along, don't ya.
    Hooker: I don't mean nothin' by it. I just don't know many regular girls, that's all.
    Loretta: And you expect me to come out, just like that.
    Hooker: If I expected somethin', I wouldn't be still standin' out here in the hall.
    Loretta: I don't even know you.
    Hooker: You know me. I'm just like you. It's two in the morning and I don't know nobody.
    Doyle: I put it all on Lucky Dan- half a million dollars to win.
    Kid: To win? I said place! "Place it on Lucky D-" That horse is gonna run second!
    Doyle: [runs horrified to the betting booth] There's been a mistake! I want my money back!
    Henry: You beat him, kid.
    Hooker: You were right, Henry. It's not enough... But it's close.
    Henry: You're not gonna stick around for your share?
    Hooker: Nah, I'd only blow it.

## Cast

* Robert Redford — Johnny "Kelly" Hooker
* Paul Newman — Henry "Shaw" Gondorff
* Robert Shaw — Doyle Lonnegan
* Charles Durning — Lieutenant William Snyder
* Ray Walston — J.J. Singleton
* Eileen Brennan — Billie
* Harold Gould — Kid Twist
* John Heffernan — Eddie Niles
* Dana Elcar — FBI Agent Polk
* Jack Kehoe — Erie Kid
* Dimitra Arliss — Loretta Salino
* Robert Earl Jones — Luther Coleman
* Charles Dierkop — Floyd
* James J. Sloyan — Mottola

## External links

* The Sting quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* The Sting at Allmovie
* The Sting at Rotten Tomatoes