Of course, this is a serious over-generalization; still, it would be interesting to compare the two films, a quarter of a century apart, not the least because of Paul Newman, who stars in the same role in both films.
What to me was most impressive about The Hustler was the opening. The charismatic Mr. Newman – and boy does he appear so young! – captures the audience effortlessly, with that big and almost childish (but nonetheless potently charming) smile. If I were female I would probably have fallen for Mr. Newman at that instant – and by saying so I am probably already revealing too much of my fondness for this actor.
But of course, the film would not be a classic if it were simply a stage for Mr. Newman's sex appeal. And the light humor of the film's opening is deceptive, in that the rest of this 135 minute film is decidedly somber.
Mr. Newman, who plays “Fast” Eddie Felson, is a talented young pool hustler – that is, he makes money by playing and gambling at the pool table. When he losses an opportunity to beat Minnesota Fats, who is “the best player ”In the country, he is determined to stick around until he has enough money to challenge Fats again. In the process, he hooks up with a mysterious young girl named Sarah (Piper Laurie, in an Oscar-nominated role), and seeks out a sly gambler / bookmaker (Bert, played by George C. Scott) to help him raise money.
Eddie's relationship with Sarah is a fragile one – both do not talk about their respective histories, and at face value their relationship seems to be blank besides the physical pleasures. However underneath the silence is their obvious and straightforward affection for each other, and you get the sense that, despite their past pains, and the uncertainties ahead, this young couple is willing to risk their hearts for love.
The film is clever in setting up this fragile relationship first, and then insert Bert the semi-antagonist into the picture, thus changing the dynamics. Sarah appears to see through Bert, and vice versa; Eddie, on the other hand, is desperate enough to be willingly exploited. The film's climax is presented when Eddie is forced to make a choice.
As someone else commented, the brilliance of The Hustler is how it directs the audience. For almost two whole hours, the audience eagerly awaits the rematch between Eddie and Fats, and all the while we have probably already developed various scenarios of how it would look like in our heads – but by the time it does happen, the film has already turned in another direction, and while the rematch is as we had expected, we have been taught a bigger lesson – that there are more things to life than winning and losing.
8/10
http://www.dani19.com/2009/03/16/the-hustler-1961/
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