IMDb > The Hustler (1961)
The Hustler
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The Hustler (1961) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 3 NEW)
The Hustler (1961) -- An up-and-coming pool player plays a long-time champion in a single high-stakes match.
The Hustler (1961) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
The Hustler (1961) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Rossen
Writers:
Sidney Carroll (screenplay) and
Robert Rossen (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Hustler on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 September 1961 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Romance | Sport more
Tagline:
They Called Him "Fast Eddie" more
Plot:
An up-and-coming pool player plays a long-time champion in a single high-stakes match. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 13 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(35 articles)
Birthday Suits 11/07
 (From FilmExperience. 7 November 2009, 8:45 AM, PST)

Top 7 Actors playing Athletes in Sports Films
 (From Scorecard Review. 3 October 2009, 7:30 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
More praise heaped onto enduring classic more (112 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Paul Newman ... Eddie Felson
Jackie Gleason ... Minnesota Fats
Piper Laurie ... Sarah Packard

George C. Scott ... Bert Gordon
Myron McCormick ... Charlie Burns
Murray Hamilton ... Findley

Michael Constantine ... Big John
Stefan Gierasch ... Preacher
Clifford A. Pellow ... Turk (as Cliff Pellow)
Jake LaMotta ... Bartender
Gordon B. Clarke ... Cashier
Alexander Rose ... Score Keeper
Carolyn Coates ... Waitress
Carl York ... Young Hustler
Vincent Gardenia ... Bartender
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Robert Rossen's The Hustler (USA) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
134 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Company:
Rossen Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When first approached to play the role of Fast Eddie Felsen, Paul Newman couldn't accept it because he was scheduled to begin filming Two for the Seesaw (1962) with Elizabeth Taylor. When Taylor was held up with the filming of Cleopatra (1963), "Seesaw" was postponed and Paul was able to do this film. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Eddie's hands change position on his cue after his first shot against Minnesota Fats. more
Quotes:
Bert Gordon: I don't think there's a pool player alive shoots better pool than I saw you shoot the other night at Ames. You got talent.
Fast Eddie: So I got talent. So what beat me?
Bert Gordon: Character.
more
Soundtrack:
Louisville more

FAQ

A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is "The Hustler" based on a novel?
Any recommendation for other pool-playing movies like "The Hustler"?
more
33 out of 48 people found the following comment useful.
More praise heaped onto enduring classic, 18 January 2004
10/10
Author: Cue-ball from Austin, Texas

I've seen The Hustler repeated times, thought not as many as some of the other commentators. Recently I saw it for the first time in the theater, at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin. Watching "The Hustler" in a theater is like listening to Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" album: you start to see and even hear things in black and white. You know the pool tables are green, and the balls are multi-colored, but somehow the black and white perfectly matches the colorless existence of the protagonist and his supporting players. You can smell the cigarettes, taste the booze.

Newman, Gleason, Scott, and Laurie all turn in great performances. But this movie, made after the heyday of the studio players' contract, still bears the hallmark of great movies from that era: strong supporting performances all the way down the line. Vincent Gardenia, for pete's sake, as the unlucky bartender in the first scene! Michael Constantine as Big John. Myron McCormick as Charlie, Eddie's sponsor most of the way through the movie. And Murray Hamilton as the millionaire Southern mark. This movie was made when supporting roles were an end in themselves, by actors who believed every second they were on screen should be of high quality.

The day I wrote this review -- January 18, 2004 -- The Hustler was no. 143 on the Top 250 list. No way are there 142 better movies.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Hustler (1961)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Why was Burt a bad guy? Coolhandjosh
George C Scott or Jackie Gleason? kag2-1
Sarha in the Mirror falconfightfist
Newman and Scott both got robbed deniropacino89
Did Sarah sleep with George? tidypainter
type of game they played Royalroland656
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