THE HUSTLER

Robert Rossen


T. it.: “Lo spaccone”; Scen.: Robert Rossen, Sidney Carroll, da un racconto di Walter Tevis; F.: Eugen Schüftan; M.: Dede Allan; Production Design: Harry Horner; Mu.: Kenyon Hopkins; Int.: Paul Newman (Eddie Felson), Piper Laurie (Sara Packard), Jackie Gleason (Minnesota Fats), George C. Scott (Bert Gordon), Murray Hamilton (James Findley), Vincent Gardenia (barista), Jake La Motta (barista), Myron McCormick (Charlie Burns), Michael Constantine (Big John); Prod.: Robert Rossen per 20th Century-Fox/Rossen Enterprises; 35mm. D.: 134’.

info_outline
T. it.: Italian title. T. int.: International title. T. alt.: Alternative title. Sog.: Story. Scen.: Screenplay. F.: Cinematography. M.: Editing. Scgf.: Set Design. Mus.: Music. Int.: Cast. Prod.: Production Company. L.: Length. D.: Running Time. f/s: Frames per second. Bn.: Black e White. Col.: Color. Da: Print source

Film Notes

 

Robert Rossen’s feature is a somber morality play postulating as existential hero a pool hustler perfecting his craft (Paul Newman at his best). It makes wonderful use of its seedy locations (memorably filmed in black-and-white Scope by Eugen Schüftan, who won an Oscar for his work) and its first-rate secondary cast. This picture is so much better than Martin Scorsese’s belated sequel The Color of Money that they don’t even belong in the same category. A post-noir melodrama with metaphysical trimmings, it does remarkable things with mood and pacing, and the two matches with Gleason as Minnesota Fats are indelible.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Copy From