| 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 (1961) is a film adaptation of the novel of the same name (1959) by Walter Tevis. It stars Paul Newman as Eddie Felson, Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats, Piper Laurie and George C. Scott as Bert. The film was adapted by Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen, and was directed by Rossen.
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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' games. Boxing champion Jake LaMotta also has a cameo as a bartender.
Awards and honors
Academy Award Wins:
Academy Award Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Actor in a Leading Role - Paul Newman
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role - George C. Scott (refused the nomination)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Jackie Gleason
- Best Actress in a Leading Role - Piper Laurie
- Best Director - Robert Rossen
- Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium - Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen
In 1997, The Hustler was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". 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".
In popular culture
The book and film are credited with introducing the term "born loser" into the American English lexicon. 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. In the opening scene of the movie The Outsiders, Ponyboy walks out of the theater where The Hustler is playing and is trying to imitate Fast Eddie Felson's mannerisms. In the episode "Homer Loves Flanders" of the animated series The Simpsons, Homer claims that he is referred to as "Springfield Fats" not only because he is "morbidly obese", but also an excellent pool player.
External links
| 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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