Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Hustler
1961
****½
Director: Robert Rossen
Cast: Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Myron McCormick, Murray Hamilton, Stefan Gierasch

A terrific drama about "Fast Eddie" Felson, a young arrogant pool hustler who gets a heartbreaking lesson about winning and losing. The moody black and white cinematography and art direction/set decoration earned Academy Awards. Newman, who is excellent, had to wait for his Oscar for another 25 years when he reprised the role in The Color of Money. Adapted from a novel by Walter Tevis.