Review of The Hustler (1961) by Scott S — 20 Mar 2010

The Hustler opens up with a gripping and excellent opening montage of two men making small talk with a bar tender. They are Eddie Felson and his 'business' partner Charlie Burns. They are said to be traveling salesmen in town for a convention and Eddie is getting an award for being the fastest and best salesman. Eddie and Charlie start playing pool and betting each other that Eddie had luck making an impossible shot. First they bet at 10 dollars and then Eddie raises the stake at 20 and misses the shot. Charlie tells him he doesn't want to bet anymore and gives up on the game. The bartender after attentively watching the game decides to take on Eddie and makes a bet with him that he can't make the impossible shot. Eddie bets 105 dollars and the man decides to stake some money from his till. The next shot you see is Eddie and Charlie in their automobile with Eddie having an ecstatic grin on his face and a wallet in his hand. It is then obvious what Eddie's talent is: hustling big time money.

"Fast" Eddie Felson is played pitch perfect by the one of the greatest actors ever to grace the screen: Paul Newman. He is a money grabbing pool hustler who loves making good hard cash to thrive on his pride. He has an overstimulated ego and is both charming and convincing with his smart quips and jokes and fast talk. Eddie doesn't know what's more important in life other than money and being the best.

When he decides to take on Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) after hearing from everyone that he is the best pool player, Eddie is ready to take on a big game knowing that he can beat him quick and flat if he plays it right. He wants to feed his ego if he beats Fats. However, he makes a huge mistake: he drinks too much whiskey and gets drunk. At one point of their excruciatingly long pool game, he has him beat at 18,000 dollars but it isn't satisfying so he decides to wager even more. He asks his partner Charlie for more money and he refuses. Finally he gives in and tells Eddie, "be a damn fool" seeming to know the consequences. After a near victory with Fats; he ends up losing it all. This absolutely puts a dent in some of his confidence and egotism and he holds on to the idea that he must beat Minnesota Fats. It's all Eddie can think about. It's all that matters to Eddie.

Then, he meets Sarah (Piper Laurie) in a diner in a bus station. He is immediately attracted to her and decides that he must 'get' her. He finds out that she is a binge drinking alcoholic whose a bit crazed as he is. She goes to college Tuesdays & Thursdays and the rest of the time.. she drinks. She loves to drink. They start seeing each other and eventually Sarah invites him to live in her place. At first, Eddie is intent on the idea of using Sarah and to 'hustle' her but he ends up falling for her. They are perfect for each other because they are emotionally crippled and they bond together by having problems. They are both obsessive about something: him: the intensity of winning and success and her: drinking.

He goes into business with Bert; a professional gambler ready to take Eddie for a fool and, Eddie, hungry for winning, pours his pride and soul right into the devil himself- after being told from Sarah not to give in. This leads to her downfall when he refuses to listen to her and shoves her away. In the end, after Eddie goes through situations the hard way, he somehow wises up and learns what is meant to have true character.

All of the characters from the main ones to the extras deliver some of the finest acting. The cinematography is shot beautifully in black and white and it lends some character from the grungy shots of the pool hall to the grittiness of the characters themselves. The fact that it is shot in black and white also makes shadows appear more often hiding the actors faces much like giving them masks that they invisibly wear. The dialogue is clever and at times can be very fast paced as Newman delivers some witty comebacks that are par to the role of Fast Eddie. Jackie Gleason, although he appears in approximately 30 minutes of the film, is engaging as the calm and collected Minnesota Fats. Every second of his screen time is a delight. He plays Fats with an air of mystery and it is exciting and convincing.

All in all, it reveals a powerful message. The true nature of the film is a metaphor about corporate America and how greed played a part. It is dealing with how people were hungry for success during those times and how mentally challenging it was. The game of pool is the lifestyle that people lived. It is also a landmark film because it brought the 'anti-hero' into cinema and that was a revelation in itself.

This is what a perfect film is and Robert Rossen has created a masterpiece that should be seen by any true lover of film and anyone interested in the nature of the human condition.