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by Jennifer Alpeche Published: June 11, 2002
It was “The Hustler” that made me fall for Paul Newman. I remember the first time I saw it. It was by chance. I had always known about Mr. Newman and his famous blue eyes, but I never really watched any of his movies. He was before my time and I figured I wouldn't like them. But when I saw “The Hustler,” I was very much taken with it and him. And although I think I was a bit young to fully appreciate the film, it certainly made an impression on me. I went on to watch more, from “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" to "Hombre" and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." I went through a similar phase with all things Cary Grant. Released in 1961, “The Hustler” was a triumph for its filmmakers, garnering eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Picture. Although Paul Newman did not win Best Actor for the film, he would go on to win 25 years later for reprising his role as “Fast Eddie” Felson in Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money.” Now 41 years after its release, “The Hustler” gets its glorious DVD presentation. The film about a pool player brimming with confidence and ambition, a desire to not just win, but crush opponents, is poignant and difficult to watch. It’s not easy seeing Fast Eddie fall so far. He’s driven. Driven to beat the best of the best. And in the pool-playing world, the reputed best is Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). Eddie struts into the “church,” Ames Billiard Hall, with the intention of playing and defeating the greatest of players. Although he has the talent, the question is whether or not he has the character, the discipline, to truly win. “I’m gonna make ten grand in one night.” The first meeting between Eddie and Fats is a marathon, as they both experience the game’s highs and lows. Eddie’s talent gets him what he wants, but his character flaws and inability to play smart, bring him crashing down. Fats on the other hand, paces himself and when Eddie begins to spiral after taking one too many drinks, he picks the young, brash pool player apart, leaving Eddie with nothing. Disappointed and upset, we know he’ll be back. But before that, he must experience a great deal more. To suffer, to be dependent on others. To find love and not embrace it. To take it for granted like he does his talent. To make a deal with a corrupt and seductive shark. To see his destructiveness manifested in a suicide. To fully realize the consequences of his actions. The person who brings him clarity at the expense of her life is Sarah Packard (Piper Laurie). She’s an alcoholic and part-time college student who wants to do more with her life, but who relies too much on drinking to get through her day. She has a crippled leg and has experienced a good deal of disappointment herself. She takes up with Eddie after a few brief encounters and together, they live a life that is uncomplicated. Uncomplicated until it becomes too much like a relationship. Eddie sees himself as a loner, unable to rely on anyone else. Sarah wants more. Still hustling, Eddie meets up with Bert Gordon (George C. Scott), who first watched him play Minnesota Fats in the opening match. A rapacious individual, he preys on Eddie’s desire to get back in the game and earn enough money to challenge Fats to a rematch. Making a bargain with Gordon is clearly bad news and in their first exchange, Eddie refuses. Eddie’s thumbs are then broken, rendering him helpless. Unable to play the game he loves, he is frustrated, but his recuperation enables him and Sarah to reconcile. She cares for him and truly loves him and yet, once healed, he returns to the game. Gordon finds him and once again, presents his offer. This time, Eddie accepts and so begins the final act of his downfall. They travel to Louisville where he is to play a high-stakes game. He takes Sarah along with him and she and Gordon clash, both pulling on Eddie --Gordon trying to pull him down, Sarah trying to pull him up and out of the abyss. In the end, it’s Gordon who wins as Eddie risks everything he has, including Sarah, on a chance to continue playing after losing. Gordon holds out until Eddie is ready to sacrifice everything. Then and only then -- when Eddie is totally reliant -- does he lend him the money to continue on. But Sarah’s disappointment is too much. Eddie had sent her away, told her to go. She pleaded with him to stop, to believe in himself, but he couldn’t listen, couldn’t see beyond the moment and clearly, hadn’t learned from the past. She goes away and commits suicide, leaving him a message that cuts him deep. He destroyed her and the guilt is too much. “I traded her in on a pool game.” The big rematch with Minnesota Fats concludes the film and this time, Eddie is angry. He’s upset with himself but he came to play. He’s got to play Fats one more and he’s a different player this time. He’s focused, determined and nothing and no one, meaning himself, will take it away. His actions after the game further illustrate he’s a changed man. Finally, Sarah’s belief in him had registered and his betrayal of her will never leave. The best he can do is take her words and live by them, make it so that her life meant something. He walks out of Ames Billiard Hall, turning his back on the world he loved. The menu shows Fast Eddie and Minnesota Fats in action. In the background, we hear a rack of balls being broken, exploding into the pockets, bouncing off the pool table’s side walls. Filmed in black and white, “The Hustler” is beautiful to watch. Director Robert Rossen and cinematographer, Eugen Shufftan, made the most of its striking contrasts and revealing shades. Light and dark are used to perfection. Audio Commentary Providing commentary are: Paul Newman; Robert Rossen’s daughter, Carol Rossen; film editor, Dede Allen; assistant director, Ulu Grosbard; actor, Stefan Gierasch; film historian, Jeff Young; and film critic for “Time” magazine, Richard Schickel. Although informative and very well done, don’t expect to hear comments on the actual scenes that are playing. Sometimes, the speaker reflects the film, but it’s more so an interview with the filmmakers as they remember the difficulties involved in making the movie, the studio’s concerns, the social climate of the time. Basically, an interviewer asks questions and we hear the responses. We learn a lot, but not necessarily about what’s happening on screen. For instance, when Minnesota Fats makes his first appearance, actor Stefan Gierasch is heard talking about how he got the role of “Preacher.” The Hustler: the Inside Story In this short documentary, we learn about the cast, about how Paul Newman didn’t know how to play pool, how Willie Mosconi was an on-set advisor, how the film tackled social issues (making it very much ahead of its time), and how the critics and public embraced it. Although Walter Tevis, who wrote the novel on which “The Hustler” was based, says all the characters were fictional, there’s no doubt that the hustling was real. We’re given a brief history lesson on the origin of billiards, as well as the birth of the hustle. How to Make the Shot: A fun featurette with world champion trick-shot artist, Mike Massey. Five shots are broken down. Trick-Shot Analysis with Mike Massey : This particular extra can be selected as picture-in-picture with the film or as a stand-alone featurette. The film opens up with Fast Eddie going through the motions of a perfect hustle. It takes almost six minutes to complete. No title credits have rolled. Assistant director, Ulu Grosbard, tells us that there was a debate over whether or not this sequence should stay in the final edit. The thinking being that it was superfluous. The film hadn’t actually begun. But Rossen and his team wanted it in, believing it was highly important as it sets the stage -- this is a hustle. And “The Hustler” is a film about hustling, but it’s also about the man behind it. In the opening sequence, we get a close-up look at both. Once the title credits roll, we’re hooked. Overall Rating: A for the film, A for the DVD. |
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