The Hustler
Seen it?1961 | 134 min | Drama, Romance
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won 2 Oscars, audiences rate it highly (7.7 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. If you loved Atlantic City or On the Waterfront, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 14 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1961: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Fast Eddie Felson is a small-time pool hustler with a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude. His bravado causes him to challenge the legendary Minnesota Fats to a high-stakes match.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
7.7 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 2 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Art Direction – Black-and-White, Academy Awards: Best Cinematography – Black-and-White. Won 2 BAFTAs: British Academy Film Awards: Best Film, British Academy Film Awards: Best Foreign Actor. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Written American Drama. Also nominated for 6 more Oscars, 2 Golden Globes and 1 more BAFTA. Plus 5 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$8 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 252K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Robert Rossen
- Paul NewmanEddie Felson
- Jackie GleasonMinnesota Fats
- Piper LaurieSarah Packard
- George C. ScottBert Gordon
- Myron McCormickCharlie Burns
- Murray HamiltonFindley
- Michael ConstantineBig John
- Stefan GieraschPreacher
- Clifford A. PellowTurk
- Jake LaMottaBartender