I could easily have imagined that this film was a hastily slapped together attempt to capitalize on the success of the "Cincinnati Kid". Grab a bunch of talent the likes of Dianne Lane, Tommy Lee Jones, Matt Dillon, and Bruce Dern, and Tom Skerritt, take away the card table and substitute a crap table and go collect your receipts. The only problems with this scenario are that the films are 22 years apart and that this a poorly slapped together effort. Oh yeah, and they're both remakes of a true classic. I suppose you could say the concept was used one other time between "Kid" and "Big Town" with "The Color of Money", but I categorize that as a sequel.
It's the story of a young gambler (Newman McQueen Dillon) whose prodigious talent motivates his departure from small town small time to take on the best members of their calling. He risks losing his loyal true love (Laurie Weld Amis) in the pursuit of his dream, falls into the clutches of an evil influence (Scott Ann-Margret Lane), and learns a lesson from the older, wiser (Gleason Robinson Skerritt) whatever.
Out front I must confess that Dianne Lane is one of my all time favorite actresses although I don't always like all her roles. In this film, however, she is the perfect amoral opportunistic little whore. In "Cincinnati" Edward G. Robinson's Lancey Howard comes very close to equaling Jackie Gleason's performance as Minnesota Fats, but Gleason's is simply perfect.
I'm sure I'll see this film again just to see a 22 year-old Lane naked, and I'm a big Steve McQueen fan, but I'll take "The Hustler" every time.
It's the story of a young gambler (Newman McQueen Dillon) whose prodigious talent motivates his departure from small town small time to take on the best members of their calling. He risks losing his loyal true love (Laurie Weld Amis) in the pursuit of his dream, falls into the clutches of an evil influence (Scott Ann-Margret Lane), and learns a lesson from the older, wiser (Gleason Robinson Skerritt) whatever.
Out front I must confess that Dianne Lane is one of my all time favorite actresses although I don't always like all her roles. In this film, however, she is the perfect amoral opportunistic little whore. In "Cincinnati" Edward G. Robinson's Lancey Howard comes very close to equaling Jackie Gleason's performance as Minnesota Fats, but Gleason's is simply perfect.
I'm sure I'll see this film again just to see a 22 year-old Lane naked, and I'm a big Steve McQueen fan, but I'll take "The Hustler" every time.