Claim: Tony Bill directed a film based on a book.

The Sting is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936 , involving a complicated plot by two professional grifters -LRB- Paul Newman and Robert Redford -RRB- to con a mob boss -LRB- Robert Shaw -RRB- . The film was directed by George Roy Hill , who had directed Newman and Redford in the western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid . Created by screenwriter David S. Ward , the story was inspired by real-life cons perpetrated by brothers Fred and Charley Gondorff and documented by David Maurer in his book The Big Con : The Story of the Confidence Man .   The title phrase refers to the moment when a con artist finishes the `` play '' and takes the mark 's money . If a con is successful , the mark does not realize he has been `` taken '' -LRB- cheated -RRB- , at least not until the con men are long gone . The film is played out in distinct sections with old-fashioned title cards , the lettering and illustrations rendered in a style reminiscent of the Saturday Evening Post . The film is noted for its anachronistic use of ragtime , particularly the melody `` The Entertainer '' by Scott Joplin , which was adapted -LRB- along with others by Joplin -RRB- for the movie by Marvin Hamlisch -LRB- and a top-ten chart single for Hamlisch when released as a single from the film 's soundtrack -RRB- . The film 's success created a resurgence of interest in Joplin 's work .   The Sting was hugely successful at the 46th Academy Awards , being nominated for 10 Oscars and winning seven , including Best Picture , Best Director and Best Original Screenplay .