Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 0024543042525 Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Original recording reissued, NTSC Label: 20th Century Fox Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: 20th Century Fox Release Date: June 04, 2002 Running Time: 134 minutes Studio: 20th Century Fox Theatrical Release Date: September 25, 1961 Sales Rank: 5446
Description: Paul Newman heads a superb cast featuring Jackie Gleason, George C. Scott and Piper Laurie in the riveting film that received an Academy Award® nomination as Best Picture of 1961 and brought all four of its Oscar® nomination. Newman (Best Actor nominee) is electrifying as Fast Eddie Felson, an arrogant, amoral hustler who haunts backstreet pool rooms fleecing anyone who'll pick up a cue. Determined to be acclaimed as the best, Eddie seeks out the legendary Minnesota Fats (Gleason, Supporting Actor nominee), who's backed by Bert Gordon (Scott, Supporting Actor nominee), a predatory gambler. Eddie can beat the champ, but virtually defeats himself with his low self-image. The love of a lonely woman (Laurie, Best Actress nominee) could turn Eddie's life around, but he won't rest until he beats Minnesota Fats, no matter what price he must pay. Voted one of the year's ten best by "The New York Times" and "Time," and distinguished by 2 Academy Awards- Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration (B&W), The Hustler is a dazzling cinematic triumph.
Amazon.com essential video: Paul Newman shines as cocky poolroom hustler "Fast" Eddie Felson in Robert Rossen's atmospheric adaptation of the Walter Tevis novel. Newman's Felson is a swaggering pool shark punk who takes on the king of the poolroom, Minnesota Fats (a cool, assured Jackie Gleason in his most understated performance). After losing big and crashing into a void of self-pity, Eddie meets down-and-out Sarah (Piper Laurie in a delicate performance), an alcoholic blue blood who's dropped into Eddie's world of dingy bars and seedy poolrooms. Eddie regains his confidence and attracts the attention of a shifty, calculating promoter, Bert Gordon (George C. Scott at his most heartless), who offers to bring Eddie into the big money--but at what cost? Rossen brings his film to life with the easy pace of a pool game, giving his actors room to explore their characters and develop into a razor-sharp ensemble. Eugen Schüfftan earned an Academy Award for his shadowing black-and-white cinematography, as did art directors Harry Horner and Gene Callahan for their deceivingly simple set designs. Even in the daylight this film seems to be smothered by night, lit by the dim glow of a bar lamp or the overhead glare of a pool-table light, an appropriate environment for this tale of one man's struggle with his soul and his self-esteem. Newman returned as an older, wiser, cagier Felson 25 years later in Martin Scorsese's Color of Money. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - What's not to like?
I got this for our "movie night" group the week after Newman's death in lieu of a Woody Allen pick that was originnaly on the schedule. It was very fitting; and we had all forgotten what a great film this ... Read More
Rating: - Atmospheric Early 60s
Dramatic, sometimes downright melodramatic. There's something kind of James Deanish in Newman's character - naive, brash, arrogant - old school 50s tough guy. Shot in black and white, it still feels distinctly ... Read More
Rating: - Great movie!
When Newman died I decided to buy this movie. It shows him at his prime. The Hustler is a movie about redemption in 1961 America.
The movie's pacing is different from the standard movie. This is a classic. ... Read More
Rating: - Classic Newman!
I purchased "The Hustler" in tribute to the passing of iconic Paul Newman. The movie represents my favorite Newman performance. The package is wonderful with an extra disc of Extras. A must-have movie for true fans ... Read More
Rating: - Great dissapointment
Boring tale about neurotic phonies in a neurotic phony world.
Waste of acting talents and photography.
The music in the jazz scene is described by the subtitles as "Dixieland jazz". If that is so, I am King ... Read More
- What's not to like?
- Great movie!
- Great dissapointment