The Hustler (1961)

Director:

Robert Rossen

Writers:

Sidney Carroll (screenplay) and
Robert Rossen (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 September 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

They Called Him "Fast Eddie"

Plot:

An up-and-coming pool player plays a long-time champion in a single high-stakes match.

Plot Keywords:

Hustler | Pool Hustler | Pool Hall | Train | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 13 nominations

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Adams	...	Old Doctor (uncredited)
Tom Ahearne	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Charles Andre	...	Waiter at Parisien Restaurant (uncredited)
Robert Daget	...	(uncredited)
Don De Leo	...	Another Player (uncredited)
Charles Dierkop	...	Pool Room Hood (uncredited)
William Duell	...	Louisville hustler (uncredited)
James Dukas	...	Kibitzer (uncredited)
Brendan Fay	...	Player (uncredited)
Jack Healy	...	Hotel Proprietor (uncredited)
Hoke Howell	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Don Koll	...	Racetrack Ticket Clerk (uncredited)
Charles McDaniel	...	Reservation Clerk at Louisville Hotel (uncredited)
Charles Mosconi	...	Second Man (uncredited)
Willie Mosconi	...	Willie (uncredited)
Sid Raymond	...	First Man (uncredited)
Art Smith	...	Old Man Attendant (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Rossen

Writing credits
Sidney Carroll		(screenplay) (as Sydney Carroll) and
Robert Rossen		(screenplay)
Walter Tevis		(novel) (as Walter S. Tevis)

Produced by
Robert Rossen	....	producer

Original Music by
Kenyon Hopkins

Cinematography by
Eugen Schüfftan		(as Eugene Shuftan)

Film Editing by
Dede Allen

Production Design by
Harry Horner

Set Decoration by
Gene Callahan

Costume Design by
Ruth Morley

Makeup Department
Donoene	....	hair stylist
Robert Jiras	....	makeup artist

Production Management
John Graham	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles H. Maguire	....	assistant director (as Charles Maguire)
Ulu Grosbard	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Don Kranze	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Angelo Laiacona	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Albert Brenner	....	associate art director
Jack Flaherty	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Edward Beyer	....	sound editor
Jim Shields	....	sound (as James Shields)
Dick Vorisek	....	sound (as Richard Vorisek)
Jack Fitzstephens	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Herbert Holcombe	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William Cronjager	....	assistant camera
David Golden	....	chief electrician
Saul Midwall	....	camera operator
Muky	....	still photographer
Martin Nallan	....	chief grip (as Martin Nallan Jr.)
Felix Trimboli	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Stone	....	assistant editor
Evan A. Lottman	....	montage of pool scenes editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Angelo Ross	....	music editor
Dan Terry	....	composer: song "Louisville Dixieland"
Dan Terry	....	musician: Louisville music

Other crew
Marguerite James	....	script supervisor
Willie Mosconi	....	technical advisor
Fred Hift	....	publicist (uncredited)
Ralph M. Leo	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Rossen Films
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1964) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1966) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Key Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)

Other Companies

• Film Opticals  optical effects

Also Known As:

Robert Rossen's The Hustler (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #20068) | Brazil:12 | Ireland:12 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:16 | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Rossen Films

Trivia:

William Duell's film debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: The can of talcum powder Eddie is holding switches hands.

Quotes:

Sarah Packard: Eddie, look, I've got troubles... and I think maybe you've got troubles. Maybe it'd be better if we just leave each other alone.
Fast Eddie: I have my things over at the hotel. I'll bring them over later.
Sarah Packard: I'm not sure. I don't know.
Fast Eddie: Well, what do you want to know? And why?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Essentials: The Hustler (#6.1)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Louisville

Superb film by a great director.

Because of his tragically erratic, often interrupted career, Robert Rossen is rarely put into the pantheon of great Hollywood directors. However, he produced three films which deserve a permanent place among the classics, All the Kings Men( probably the best film about American politics), Lilith( one of the greatest films about mental illness) and this, a movie which DESERVES to be ranked with the hundred greatest, and possibly the fifty greatest, American films. It is superbly acted, brilliantly photographed and edited, and directed with clarity and assurance. In a just world ( if there is such a place), an special Oscar would have been bestowed on Newman, Laurie, Scott, and Gleason AS A GROUP. Piper Laurie was unforgettably poignant, Scott unforgettably sleazy, and Gleason... well, Gleason simply IS Minnesota Fats. Paul Newman almost certainly deserved the Oscar.It was an amusing irony, perhaps a little joke by God, that the bartender in the movie was played by none other than Jake LaMotta.