The Hustler

THE HUSTLER is one of the essential American films of the 1960’s, right up there with BONNIE & CLYDE, THE GRADUATE, and THE WILD BUNCH, a cultural touchstone for years after its release with scenes that defined a generation. If its luster has faded in the past few decades, maybe it is because B/W films were not favorites of the MTV generation and the millennials that followed, but I think it is The Great American Movie the way The Great Gatsby is The Great American Novel, in that it is a film that challenges the viewer to consider just what makes a person a success, a failure, and how does one gain the character to become the former and avoid the latter. It is also a damn good piece of film making, filled with subtle touches that vividly bring to life a time and place, and the marginalized culture of the big city pool halls.Most know the plot, of how cocky young pool hustler, Fast Eddie Felson, comes to New York City to challenge the legendary champ, Minnesota Fats, to a game of straight pool in Fats’ regular haunt. It’s youth challenging experience, and though Fast Eddie may well have the raw talent to beat Fats, he does not have the sense to know when to quit while he is ahead, and Fats utterly humiliates Eddie after a 25 hour marathon series of games, stripping the challenger of $18,000 in winnings and leaving him exhausted and drunk on the floor. It is a hard fall, and as brutal as any suffered by any gladiator in the arena, and the middle part of the film concerns Eddie’s quest to get back on his feet, earn enough money, and take on Fats again. Along the way, he meets, Sarah Packard, a damaged young woman and begins a relationship with her, and ultimately makes an arrangement with Bert Gordon, a sharpie with a fat wallet who is willing to stake Eddie because he knows he has talent, if not character. But while Eddie has a chance at love with Sarah, his real passion is the game, and Bert is determined to protect his investment by getting rid of the competition. It does not end well for Sarah, and the sadly wiser Fast Eddie gets what he wants, a rematch with Fats, and a settling of accounts with Bert. In the end, Eddie Felson is a success, but was the price worth it, that is the question the movie asks and it has been challenging audiences ever since.More than its weighty themes, THE HUSTLER is a masterpiece of subtle film making, and its centerpiece is Eddie and Fats’ initial clash around the pool table, a sequence that takes up nearly a quarter of the film’s more than two hour running time. The genius of it is that you don’t have to know much about the game to follow what is happening, but it is the interaction between the characters that is what bears watching, as money changes hands, signals are sent, liquor is drunk, and how simply the washing of hands, the putting on of a coat, and the picking up of a pool cue is tantamount to putting on a sword and a shield and going into battle. It is in the way Bert Gordon sits like an Emperor in the Ames pool hall, and how he gets up and moves his chair two inches and then sits back down when a drunken Eddie tells him to move somewhere else. More than that, it is in the scene where Eddie has his thumbs broken after he hustles the wrong crew, thus making him a “cripple” like Sarah, and for the first time, he is dependent on someone else, and they both become better people for it. The picnic scene where Eddie talks to her about his love of the game and the satisfaction he gets just playing it better than anyone is a paean to true success, the kind that comes from within. There is the party in Louisville sequence, where the vapid and empty character of the well to do is made plain by the way they ignore a drunken Sarah as she lies on a bed, rolling her out of the way to retrieve a coat, or the how the homosexuality of the aristocratic Findley is suggested in the statues of satyrs and Greek Gods in his basement.The heart and soul of THE HUSTLER lies in the casting of the four principles and the career best performances they give. Simply put, this is the film that made Paul Newman a superstar, it happens the moment when he flashes that great Golden Boy smile in the cold open scene. Fast Eddie Felson was a different kind of movie protagonist, the first of the wary anti heroes that would grace America’s movie screen as the 50’s faded into the rear view mirror and the popular culture began to more reflect the tensions in American life. Newman makes being tough and being vulnerable look sexy, and does things with this role that Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin, who were considered for the part, could never have done. He was the front runner for the Best Actor Oscar that year, but lost to Maximilian Schell’s performance in JUDGMENT AT NUREMBURG, he would have to wait a quarter of a century before getting the award, which many consider a consolation Oscar, when he reprised Fast Eddie in Martin Scorsese THE COLOR OF MONEY. I think he should have gotten it the first time around. For those who only know Piper Laurie only as Carrie White’s mother, this movie will be a revelation, her Sarah Packard is Eddie’s true love, a lame woman who clings to her man even as she is losing him; her final scene in the hotel room with Bert, where a vile sexual act is committed, is not to be forgotten. Sarah was a role many big stars of the time would have passed on as inappropriate for their images. Laurie was rewarded with a well deserved Best Actress nomination for taking the risk. This was George C. Scott’s third movie, his Bert Gordon is shrewd and intelligent, but with no moral center whatsoever, he is the Satan of this particular hell, and Scott brings all his skills to the role, with that great voice getting to deliver some equally worthy dialogue; and nobody ever leaned in better than George C. Scott. Jackie Gleason was simply a force of nature, very familiar to audiences in 1961 from his time on TV, especially from THE HONEYMOONERS, but he had spent his many years honing a larger than life persona, and a reputation as a man who enjoyed the finer things in life. All of that is in his portrayal of Minnesota Fats, and it reminds us that this man who’s other great movie role is Buford T. Justice, was one hell of a dramatic actor, if there are any doubts, just watch him in REQUIM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, made the next year. Murray Hamilton, who will forever be Mayor Larry Vaughn from JAWS, is the smarmy Findley; some might remember that he and Myron McCormick, who plays Eddie’s partner, Charlie, were in NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS only a few years before. And there is a direct Scorsese connection in that the Raging Bull himself, Jake LaMotta, has a cameo as a bartender.There are some behind the scenes heroes of THE HUSTLER, starting with the director and screen writer, Robert Rossen, who spent some time in the 50’s away from Hollywood because of the McCarthy blacklisters. A onetime member of the Communist Party, he had appeared before Congressional investigators and named names. Some of this finds its way into the story in the way Fast Eddie must make a deal with the devil in form of Bert in order to do what he loves to do best. Rossen had been something of a pool hustler himself in his younger days, long before finding success as a script writer at Warner Brothers and directing such classics as BODY AND SOUL and ALL THE KING’S MEN. This project was his big comeback and he made the most of it, turning it into his greatest critical and financial success. Sadly, it would be his last one, as he made only one more movie before dying much too soon in 1966. And THE HUSTLER would be nothing without the contribution of pool champion Willie Mosconi, who taught the game to Newman before production started, did some of the trick shots himself with the help of editor Dede Allen, and has a cameo as “Willie,” the man who holds the money at Ames Pool Hall.Scorsese’s sequel, which came out in 1986, picked up the story of Fast Eddie 25 years later, and though it took its title, THE COLOR OF MONEY, from Walter Tevis’s official follow up novel, the sequel did not use the plot of the book, but instead told the story of an older Fast Eddie, who is drawn back to the game he loves when he meets a talented kid, played by Tom Cruise, who is just as deficient in character as Eddie was at his age. My only complaint about Scorsese’s follow up, is that it had so few call backs to the original film, that many young viewers in the 80’s and later would watch MONEY over and over completely unaware that Fast Eddie had first made his appearance on the scene in 1961; their loss.The DVD special edition is an excellent version, complete with many extras and a commentary track; the transfer is well done, preserving the effect of Cinemascope, which made the pool rooms seem enormous, something seldom done in a B/W movie. My only complaint that the commentaries by various parties – Carol Rossen, Dede Allen, critic Richard Schickel, actor Stefan Giersach, and briefly, Newman himself – do not do a scene by scene breakdown. No matter, it is the definitive version of this classic.And after all these years, THE HUSTLER still speaks to us, especially to those who see it for the first time. Don’t be turned off by the B/W, watch it and meet Fast Eddie and Minnesota Fats, Bert Gordon and Sarah Packard. They still have a lot to tell us.

Over the years I've watched eighty eight movies on the original list of the AFI Top 100 Movies of all-time and of those eighty eight movies there are about four or five films I would drop. Of the list of the AFI Tenth Year Anniversary Top 100 I've seen eighty three movies and though I was pleased to see "The Shawshank Redemption" was added to the group I was disappointed to find the AFI dropped both "Fargo" and "Rebel Without a Cause". Of that list I would drop about seven or eight of the newly listed films as well. As the original four to five films I'd drop still remained on the new list this makes a total of eleven to thirteen spots that, in my opinion could be filled by better American films.If I'm being honest most of the more intelligent movies these days do not come out of America. A lot of them come out of Europe. Take for instance recent gems "The Lives of Others", "Head On" and "Revanche" to name a few which are far superior to such embarrassing Oscar winners as "Juno", "Little Miss Sunshine" and the insipid and idiotic "Her". But back in 1961 at the start of a great boom in American cinema that would run up through the end of 1976, a timeless film came into being that any country and any generation could be proud of. It was based on Walter Tevis' first novel of the same name and it was called "The Hustler".The best description of the film I've ever come across is "A Greek Tragedy played out in pool halls". And that is precisely what it is. Shot in stark and glorious black and white the story tells a tale about the quest to be a winner and the price one must pay to achieve such a goal. The argument of the story or the premise if you will is "In order to win one must have character". The definition of both what it is to win and what denotes character is argued throughout the script. Eddie, the lead character, thinks winning equates with money and beating the best pool player around; Minnesota Fats whom he loses to in the first act and hungers to beat passionately from that point on. The villain Bert Gordon, who becomes Eddie's new manager, claims everyone has talent but not necessarily character and also believes winning equates with wealth but also that with wealth comes power. But the voice of reason in the story encompassed by Eddie's intelligent polio stricken alcoholic writer girlfriend Sarah Packard argues differently saying because Eddie possesses both a wealth of talent and an uncommon passionate love for the game he is a winner already. And with this the battle lines are drawn.The names of the characters in the story are paramount. Sarah brings this to light in an early scene where she is sitting in a bar with Eddie whom she has just met. She asks him if he wants to know what the name Sarah means and there is reason for this. The name "Sarah" means "Princess". Her last name "Packard" means "one who packs" which she finds herself having to do in order to keep Eddie. The name Burt means "Illustrious" with his last name Gordon meaning "Large Fortification". The name Eddie means "Wealthy Guard" and his surname Felson may allude to the translation "fallen son". Each name says something about the characters that may on the surface seem less than what they are as they dwell in the seedy and smoky world they inhabit. But do not be fooled. As Sarah points out Eddie is wealthy already. He's a talented winner who has already won her heart and doesn't need to beat Minnesota Fats to prove himself. But Burt, who has money but does not possess talent, passion or princess, is the devil on Eddie's shoulder urging him on to play Minnesota Fats again...and hustle some wealthy billiards players on the way as a means to use Eddie to line his pockets and feed his ego in his own twisted quest to be a winner.Eddie's drive to beat Minnesota Fats in a rematch makes him desperate and blind to Bert's manipulations. Bert's jealousy of Eddie's talent and the egotistical thrill of using him to make money are threatened by Sarah's intelligence and ability to see through his schemes and he fights to get rid of her. Sarah's insecurities about her deformity and her love for Eddie make her vulnerable despite her insightful ability to see through the haze and distinguish the truth about each of the men. This volatile combination needs amongst the three characters builds a tension that grows mesmerizingly until it reaches its explosive and unforgettable conclusion.This is an extraordinary film with standout performances all around. Jackie Gleason is perfectly cast as the cool headed pool champion Minnesota Fats. George C. Scott is excellent as a sleazy business man who as Sarah's character marvelously points out is a Roman who has to have it all. Piper Laurie plays Sarah with a convincing pitch perfect balance of brains, strength and fragility. And in one of his best if not his very best performance Paul Newman plays Fast Eddie brilliantly showing us all the power and fissures in this engaging and tragically flawed man. The directing is spot on bringing us straight into a seedy underground of early 1960's pool halls filled with desperation and the struggle for triumph. And the writing is top notch with its complex layers drawing us into its characters and its themes which keep us riveted from beginning to end.It still shocks me even now that "The Hustler" did not make the AFI Top One Hundred. The movie is a brilliant timeless testament to America's obsession with winning. Possibly the best ever. All one needs to do is turn on a television set where from sports to reality shows to awards shows we can how relevant it's premise remains to this day. Of all the great American films ever made, "The Hustler" may just be the most overlooked masterpiece of them all.

Pool players love this movie but it's really not about pool. It's a true to life struggle with real world problems we all face and how we can get in our own way of a solution. A touching story about what might have been or could be if only done different. Pool players movie, hardly, as there is very little actual Pool to watch, but Pool players like the rest of can identify with the struggle.James Waggoner

Excelente película, actualiciones memorables, un clásico que no se puede dejar de tener en su videoteca

THE HUSTLER [1961] [Limited Edition SteelBook] [Blu-ray] It Delves Without Compromise Into The Hungers That Lie Deep Within Us All!Racking up Nine Academy Award® Nominations, including Best Picture, this powerful and provocative cinematic masterpiece explodes on screen as never before on this Limited Edition SteelBook Blu-ray!Paul Newman electrifies in his brilliant portrayal of Fast Eddie Felson, an arrogant hustler whose unbridled ambition drives him to challenge legendary pool player Minnesota Fats [Jackie Gleason] — but the stakes are higher than either of them could have imagined.FILM FACT: 1961 Golden Globe Award: Nominated: Best Actor for Paul Newman. Nominated: Jackie Gleason for Best Supporting Actor Nominated: Best Supporting Actor for George C. Scott. Nominated: Best New Star of the Year for George C. Scott. 1962 BAFTA® Awards: Won: Best Film from Any Source for ‘The Hustler.’ Won: Best Foreign Actor for Paul Newman. Nominated: Best Foreign Actress for Piper Laurie. 1961 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures: Honoured: Best Supporting Actor for Jackie Gleason. 1961 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures named ‘The Hustler’ the Ten Best Films of 1961. 1961 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Director for Robert Rossen. 1961 Writers Guild of America Award: Best Written Drama for Robert Rossen and Sydney Carroll. The film was shot on location in New York City and stars Paul Newman as "Fast" Eddie Felson, Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats, Piper Laurie as Sarah, and George C. Scott as Bert.Cast: Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Myron McCormick, Murray Hamilton, Michael Constantine, Stefan Gierasch, Clifford A. Pellow, Jake LaMotta, Gordon B. Clarke, Alexander Rose, Carolyn Coates, Carl York, Vincent Gardenia, William Adams (uncredited), Tom Ahearne (uncredited), Charles Andre (uncredited), Don Crabtree (uncredited), Gloria Curtis (uncredited), Don De Leo (uncredited), Charles Dierkop (uncredited), Willie Mosconi (Louisville Hustler) (uncredited), James Dukas (uncredited), Brendan Fay (uncredited), Larry Gaynes (uncredited), Jack Healy (uncredited), Hoke Howell (uncredited), Don Koll (uncredited), Charles McDaniel (uncredited), Charles Mosconi (uncredited), Willie Mosconi (uncredited), Sid Raymond (uncredited), Art Smith (uncredited) and Blue Washington (uncredited)Director: Robert RossenProducer: Robert RossenScreenplay: Robert Rossen, Sidney Carroll and Walter S. Tevis (novel)Composer: Kenyon HopkinsCinematography: Eugen SchüfftanVideo Resolution: 1080pAspect Ratio: 2.35:1 [CinemasCope]Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English: 2.0 Dolby Digital, French: 5.1 DTS-HD, German: 5.1 DTS-HD, Portuguese: 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish: 5.1 Dolby DigitalSubtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Swedish, Thai and TurkishRunning Time: 129 minutesRegion: All RegionsNumber of discs: 1Studio: 20th Century FoxAndrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘The Hustler’ was nominated for Nine Oscars, winning for cinematography and art direction for a black and white film. The four main actors deservedly received nominations, although George C. Scott refused his. It was the second nomination for Paul Newman, the first of three for Piper Laurie and Jackie Gleason’s only nomination. The film deserved the recognition, but ‘West Side Story’ ended up with 10 Oscars that year. Newman received an honorary Oscar in 1986 and won a best supporting actor Oscar a year later when he reprised the role of Eddie Felson in ‘The Color of Money.’The film is quite complex. Although a sports movie on the surface, there’s a strong romantic element. The story is essentially about strength of character. What would you do to get what you want in life? What if it means hurting people close to you? Is the goal worth the sacrifices? And, most important of all, how do we define success? Paul Newman was an emerging force in 1961, but his popularity hadn’t reached its peak. His portrayal of Fast Eddie Felson was convincing. He only took the role because another film he had committed to fell through.Fast Eddie Felson [Paul Newman] begins the story as a pool player who is building his reputation. He wants to take on the best and prove that he’s the better player. There are definite similarities between Fast Eddie Felson’s place in the pool world and Paul Newman’s status in the acting world at the time. We learn in the opening scenes that Fast Eddie Felson is a hustler. While playing a game with Charlie Burns [Myron McCormick], his manager, he deliberately misses his shots and also pretends to be drunk. The people watching are fooled and he wins $105 by betting that he can make a difficult shot and pulling it off. Then he leaves with Charlie Burns and they look for victims in another town. This is Fast Eddie Felson’s life. He makes a living conning people who don’t know that he has real ability. Fast Eddie Felson isn’t satisfied and dreams of making $10,000 in one night. In order to reach his lofty goal, he plans to play the best pool player in the country, Minnesota Fats [Jackie Gleason]. Minnesota Fats hasn’t lost a game for 15 years and has heard of Fast Eddie Felson. He agrees to the game. Charlie visits and we learn that he has $1,500 which was his cut of Fast Eddie Felson’s previous pool winnings. Fast Eddie Felson is angry and decides to cut Charlie Burns out of his life. Sarah Packard [Piper Laurie] wonders if she’s next. This part of the film moves a little slowly and some viewers may lose interest, but I felt it worked and was essential to give the film depth and additional meaning.The stakes begin at $200 and quickly build to $1,000 per game. Fast Eddie Felson is cocky and talks a good game, but also backs it up with good play. He’s soon ahead by over $11,000 and Charlie Burns wants him to quit, but Fast Eddie Felson says he’ll play until Minnesota Fats [Jackie Gleason] says the game is over. He doesn’t just want to win, he’s looking to humiliate Fats and break his spirit. After 12 hours, Fast Eddie Felson is ahead $18,000, but still insists on continuing the game. You can see where the story is heading. Minnesota Fats freshens up, washes his hands and puts powder on them. Fast Eddie Felson teases him on how beautiful he looks. Minnesota Fats starts winning and Fast Eddie Felson keeps drinking. He eventually loses everything apart from $200. Who was hustling whom?The pace of the film changes after the initial meeting with Minnesota Fats and Fast Eddie Felson doesn’t have the necessary stake money for another game. He meets Sarah Packard [Piper Laurie] and eventually moves in with her. She has a limp from having polio as a child and enjoys drinking even more than Fast Eddie Felson. The two are a good match and each has flaws. The pace picks up when Fast Eddie Felson meets Bert Gordon [George C. Scott] who is Minnesota Fats’ manager and witnessed the first game between the two. Bert says that Fats was on the hook for the first time in 10 years, but Fast Eddie Felson let him off. He calls Fast Eddie Felson a born loser, but a loser with talent. He wants to be his manager and demands 75 percent of any winnings. He also issues a warning that Fast Eddie Felson could get hurt if he wanders into the wrong pool hall and they realise that he’s hustling.After learning a few life lessons, Fast Eddie Felson takes Bert up on his offer. He takes Sarah for a meal and she comments that it’s the first time she’s seen him wear a tie. It’s a sign that he is willing to change. The two go on the road with Bert and Fast Eddie Felson plays billiards for big stakes. Billiards isn’t his game of choice; he prefers pool. Fast Eddie Felson loses initially, but something in his demeanour convinces Bert to continue staking him. He eventually wins enough for another showdown with Minnesota Fats. The final 10 minutes of the film show the second game between the two. Fast Eddie Felson has changed since the first meeting and life has toughened him up. He’s still brash, but won’t take a drink while he’s playing. I won’t reveal who wins, but the film reflects on how we define winning and success in life.The film has an authentic feel. The pool rooms are dark, seedy and potentially dangerous places. They match the gritty feel of the film. The pool scenes were shot in real pool halls rather than on a set. The only thing that wasn’t convincing is the way the actors held a cue in a few shots. A professional player wouldn’t have his head so far away from the cue and certainly wouldn’t wear a jacket in case it touched another ball and caused a foul shot. But the actors did a good job and both performed most of their shots. The remainder were performed by former billiards world champion Willie Mosconi.‘The Hustler’ is an outstanding film. It's a great story brought to life by a talented cast at the hands of a capable director. The grittiness of the city and the lives of these people are visceral, thanks in part to Academy Award-winning work of cinematographer Eugene Shuftan and art director Harry Horner and set decorator Gene Callahan. But the person who gained the most from ‘The Hustler’ was Paul Newman. Although he had survived his disastrous debut in ‘The Silver Chalice’ [1954] to become a popular leading man and male sex symbol, Paul Newman's performance in ‘The Hustler’ propelled him into the top ranks of actors and made him the reigning male superstar of the next decade. The role, and Paul Newman's performance of it, also paved the way for the rebel anti-heroes of the 60s, the tormented, less-than-sympathetic characters who would be the central focus of many films and performances by the likes of such 1970s successors to Fast Eddie as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty.Blu-ray Video Quality – 20th Century Fox presents ‘The Hustler’ in its original Cinemascope ratio of 2:35:1 with a faithful transfer. When dealing with the black and white photography of catalogue releases results seem to be a mixed bag, but this boasts great clarity in image with only slight blurring around the edges that inherently comes with the use of wide lenses. Certain textures aren’t as sharp as they could be, but the picture is void of any grain, specks, or debris, and delivers great depth of detail. What matters most is the translation of performance, and that is what shines about this transfer. Take for instance the final scene that uses the wide frame to show Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, and George C. Scott in the same shot. Scott is situated in the background of the shot, but his performance is of the utmost importance. In earlier transfers of this film, the intensity of Scott’s face before he shouts “YOU OWE ME MONEY!” is almost lost. But it, along with the nuanced performance of every actor, is beautifully presented.Blu-ray Audio Quality – There are always inherent audio problems when filming on location. Considering the technology at the time, the coherence of the audio is remarkable. Even still, there remains a consistent hiss throughout the film that while not necessarily distracting is ever present. The biggest problem comes with sudden sharp sounds that seem to be lost – especially a smashed cup of coffee is almost entirely lost as the sound peaks. Even still, there is nothing nearly enough to ruin the experience of this film. In fact 20th Century Fox’s 5.1 DTS-HD Audio Mastering of the original mono track provides a great representation of the while still remaining faithful to the original vision of the film.Blu-ray Special Features and Extras: 20th Century Fox’s dedication to their catalogue releases is quite impressive. They have pulled no stops in presenting as much material as they could for this release, and there is very little to complain about. The smallest qualm would be that this cries out to be two discs, but somehow they managed to consolidate everything into a single disc by providing half of the features in standard definition.Audio Commentary: Commentary with Stuart Galbraith: Stuart Galbraith compiles this audio commentary from personal interviews with the cast, crew, and relatives of the filmmakers. Actors Paul Newman and Stefan Gierasch, assistant director Ulu Grosbard, film editor Dede Allen, Carol Rossen (director Robert Rossen’s daughter), and film historians Richard Schickel and Jeff Young share their thoughts and memories of ‘The Hustler.’ This commentary is quite insightful, but most of the information can be gleaned from the other special features. The most interesting and worthy part of the commentary is the insight Dede Allen provides about the editing process and its place in cinema history.Special Feature: Paul Newman at Fox [2011] [1080p] [27:11] This is a brief overview of Paul Newman’s career from his rise to fame as a pretty boy in the studio system, his independent sense of filmmaking, and his foray into philanthropy and auto racing. This feature was produced specifically for this release by 20th Century Fox, and puts more of a focus on Paul Newman’s time spent at 20th Century Fox with pictures like ‘The Hustler’ and ‘Rally Round the Flag, Boys!’ and other productions with his wife Joanne Woodward. Other contributors include Rick Jewell, Scott Klavan, Jonathan Kuntz, Eric Lax, Thomas Schatz and Gene Shalit. Directed by John Cork.Special Feature: Jackie Gleason: The Big Man [2011] [1080p] [12:04] This mini-biography delves into the unconventional casting of the television comedian in a serious role, and what Jackie Gleason brought to the film that no other actor could. This also briefly goes into his history with television, and his post-Hustler film career. Other contributors include Rick Jewell and Thomas Schatz.Special Feature: The Real Hustler: Walter Tevis [2011] [1080p] [18:55] Walter Tevis is the author of the novel that ‘The Hustler’ is based upon. This mini-documentary provides the background on the author who struggled with alcoholism and the difficulties of writing. Other contributors include Ross Klavan and Julie Tevis McGory.Special Feature: Life in the Fast Lane: Fast Eddie Felson and the Search for Greatness [2007] [480i] [11:49] Interviews with actors Paul Newman, Piper Laurie, Michael Constantine, film editor Dede Allen, film historian Dr. Drew Casper, reflect on the power of ‘The Hustler.’ The commentary of the interviewees ranges from incredibly insightful to merely entertaining. Great anecdotes and analysis can be found here. Directed by Constantine Nasr.Special Feature: Milestones in Cinema History: The Hustler [2007] [480i] [28:04] Another deliberation on ‘The Hustler’ in its place in cinema history with interviews with Dr. Drew Casper, Paul Newman, Michael Constantine, Piper Laurie, and Dede Allen. This is a great commentary that will give viewers a new perspective on the film. Directed by Constantine Nasr.Special Feature: Swimming with Sharks: The Art of the Hustle [2006] [480i] [9:38] Professional pool players and authors explain the history of the game of pool as well as a background on the act of hustling. Tricks of the trade are divulged in how to spot a hustler, and the thorough research that one must endure to become a successful hustler.Special Feature: The Hustler: The Inside Story [2002] [480i] [24:32] Actor Jerry Orbach, World Artistic Champion Mike Massey, assistant director Ulu Grosbard, Carol Eve Rossen, Richard Schickel, and other billiard historians give yet another outlook on how ‘The Hustler’ fits into the history of the game of pocket billiards. This feature also talks a bit about the research that the actors and crew went through to prepare for the film. Other contributors include Stanley Cohen, Jackie Gleason (archive footage), Piper Laurie (archive footage), Willie Mosconi (archive footage), Paul Newman (archive footage), Robert Rossen (archive footage), George C. Scott (archive footage) and Charles Ursitti. Narrated by Bruce Chandler. Directed by David Naylor.Special Feature: Paul Newman: Hollywood’s Cool Hand [2005] [480i] [43:44] This is an episode of Biography [TV Series] with the focus on Paul Newman. It provides a more in-depth look at Newman’s career and life than Newman at 20th Century Fox, with by providing candid interviews with Paul Newman and wife Joanne Woodward. While forty-four minutes doesn’t seem like enough time to cover the entire life of a man as talented and intriguing as Paul Newman, this hits all of the interesting points.Special Feature: Trick Shot Analysis by Mike Massey [2011] [480i] [13:51] Perhaps the least interesting feature on this disc, Pool Champion Mike Massey gives his commentary on the pool playing from each scene in the film. His nervous demeanour provides little insight and culminates in him dictating what’s happening on screen.Special Feature: How to Make the Shot [2011] [480i] [3:41] Again, Mike Massey’s nervous on-screen persona doesn’t provide anything too useful here, he demonstrates mostly that he can make the trick shots seen in the film, and not necessarily how to make them, as the title of this feature suggests.Theatrical Trailers [1961] [1080p] American and Spanish Trailers of ‘The Hustler.’Finally, bolstered by a quartet of simply amazing performances by Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie and George C. Scott. This is an acting tour de force the likes of which must have amazed 1961 audiences. The film's achievement is so shattering that the depth, nuance and power of those performances seem hardly diminished by the intervening years. Though ‘The Hustler’ is undeniably seedy, and it's a gritty, grimy look at desperate characters trying to carve out a piece of their own twisted version of the American Dream. It's sad, it's compelling and it is completely and utterly unforgettable. The ensemble cast also seized the opportunity to make this a breakthrough movie for them. Piper Laurie got the chance to break the mould of pretty ingénue parts she had mostly been offered for a decade. Jackie Gleason, whose film career had gone nowhere in the 50s, was able to prove he was a dramatic actor to be reckoned with and not just a popular TV comedy star. New York stage actor George C. Scott added another outstanding performance to his early film career, and garnered perhaps the best reviews of the picture, today, many people consider George C. Scott's and Jackie Gleason's performances to hold far more interest than that of the leading actors. An appropriately nervous jazz score keeps the eardrums sharp. ‘The Hustler’ is one of the most compelling character-based films to emerge from the decade of the 1960s. Very Highly Recommended!Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film AficionadoLe Cinema ParadisoUnited Kingdom

There's no way to ask a question for this product, so I'll put it here....On this DVD, the commentary from directors etc always plays. There's no way to turn it off, so one cannot watch the film.Playing on VLC, I see there is only one video track. Which would indicate to me that this is how it is, there's actually no way technically to turn them off. That seems mad. Am I missing something?

I've watched the film twice since I bought the bluray, because firstly its a great film anyway, and secondly on bluray it looks stunning. The black and white photography looks like it was filmed yesterday rather than 52 years ago.The cast are superb with Paul Newman and the leading actress (whose name escapes me) giving great performances, ably supported by George C Scott who plays the agent/promotor/manager. As somebody else in another review said the film isn't really about Pool. In fact large chunks of it are in the realm of kitchen sink drama, and thats no bad thing as it contrasts starkly with the Pool room scenes.The film is in 2.35:1 ratio and the extras, which I watched some months ago are pretty good. But the main reason to get this is the bluray transfer, which, for a film of this age is one of the best I've seen.

I play a lot of pool and I love this movie. It was Newman's premier performance and he just nails the character of Fast Eddie". What a way to start a career. Jackie Gleason and George C. Scott play awesome parts and make it all real. Excellent story and superior acting from everyone.

For me Paul Newman was not as convincing in this picture as he was in the earlier "Cat on a hot tin roof", but the supporting cast including Jackie Gleason and George C Scott were excellent. As you would expect from an American film there is some violence, too much muzak, and the lovers keep their clothes on in bed.