The Hustler (film)
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| The Hustler | |
|---|---|
 original movie poster |
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| Directed by | Robert Rossen |
| Produced by | Robert Rossen |
| Written by | Walter Tevis (novel) Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen (screenplay) |
| Starring | Paul Newman Jackie Gleason Piper Laurie George C. Scott |
| Music by | Kenyon Hopkins |
| Cinematography | Eugen Schüfftan |
| Editing by | Dede Allen |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | September 25, 1961 |
| Running time | 134 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The Hustler is a 1961 film adaptation of the novel of the same name (1959) by Walter Tevis. It stars Paul Newman as Eddie Felson, Jackie Gleason as Fats, Piper Laurie and George C. Scott as Bert.
The film was adapted by Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen. It was directed by Rossen and, like his earlier movie, Body and Soul (1947), it can be seen as an attack on the soul-destroying power of greed. At another level, it is about winning or losing, or what makes a winner and what makes a loser.
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[edit] Production
Pool expert Willie Mosconi was a technical advisor on the film, and shot many of the trick shots in place of the actors. He has a cameo appearance as Willie, who holds the stakes for Eddie and Fats's games. Boxing champion Jake LaMotta also has a cameo as a bartender.
[edit] Awards and honors
Oscar wins and nominations:
- Best Art Directions-Set Decoration, Black-and-White (winner)
- Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (winner)
- Best Picture (nominated)
- Best Actor in a Leading Role - Paul Newman (nominated)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role - George C. Scott (nominated; refused the nomination)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Jackie Gleason (nominated)
- Best Actress in a Leading Role - Piper Laurie (nominated)
- Best Director - Robert Rossen (nominated)
- Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium - Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen (nominated)
The film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry but Fox Films has discontinued the DVD for the general public.
In 2006, the screenplay by Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen was selected by the Writers Guild of America as the 96th best motion picture screenplay of all-time.
The novel's sequel, The Color of Money was also loosely adapted into a film sequel of the same name, again starring Newman in the role of "Fast Eddie".
[edit] In popular culture
The book and film are credited with introducing the term "born loser" into the American English lexicon.[citation needed]
Real-life professional pool player Rudolph Wanderone Jr. adopted the nickname "Minnesota Fats", for life, after the release of the movie. It is often thought that Gleason's character is intended to represent Wanderone (who was previously known as New York Fatty), but Tevis has emphatically denied this.[citation needed]
[edit] External links
- The Hustler at Internet Movie Database
| Preceded by The Apartment |
BAFTA Award for Best Film from any Source 1960 tied with Ballad of a Soldier |
Succeeded by Lawrence of Arabia |
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