The Hustler Movie Review

At the start of this film, you’ll get to see Fast Eddie in action with his coach Charlie Burns while they are pretending to be travelling salesmen. In reality, they are travelling through Pittsburgh, going to bars and pool halls to hustle people out of all their money. After that scene cuts out, the two gentlemen enter Ames Pool Hall, where Minnesota Flats is known to play regularly. I love the subtle sign that reads, “No Gambling Allowed,” at the front desk and although it’s never mentioned, it does leave a powerful mention behind.

As soon as Eddie starts talking to the people in the pool hall, they immediately recognize him as the infamous Fast Eddie. Although he doesn’t get a chance to hustle anyone out of money that night, these men do tell him that Minnesota Fats will be there Friday night at 8 o’clock! Eddie claims that he’ll make over $10,000 when he plays against him, which everyone believes to be preposterous.

That Friday, Minnesota Flats agrees to play Fast Eddie for $200 a game in which Eddie has an excellent start. Actually he seems unbeatable and before he knows it, he’s up $18,000 but he won’t stop until Minnesota Fats says it’s over. They continue to play through the night and for over twenty-five hours straight. They play until Eddie loses all of the money that he had won prior, leaving him angry and broke.

Eddie decides to ditch his partner in the middle of the night and for awhile he lives out of a locker at the bus station. It’s at this bus station that Eddie is introduced to Sarah, a beautiful woman who has polio and loves to drink. Sarah is played by Piper Laurie, a perfect fit for this part. Eventually Eddie and Sarah start living together and have a very unhealthy and unstable relationship. Despite all the complications though, you can tell they truly do care for each other.

It doesn’t take long for Eddie’s old partner, Charlie, to creep back into his life. He begs Eddie to come on the road with him again but he refuses because the only person he cares to play is Minnesota Fats. Soon after, Bert Gordon approaches Eddie and tells him he watched his games against Minnesota Fats and is willing to pay for him to compete against him for a 75% cut. Eddie believes that amount is outrageous and refuses to take it.

In Eddie’s spare time, he goes to the local pool halls to practice his skills but this particular night was much different. He notices another young lad trying to hustle people out of their money and decides to teach this boy a lesson. Eddie plays against the boy and ends up causing him to lose all of his money. A few regulars at the bar take notice of his hustling skills and decide to break his thumbs in order to teach him a lesson about hustling. It’s hinted later in the film that Bert Gordon paid these men to cause harm to Eddie but we’ll never known for sure.

After his thumbs heal, Eddie decides to take Bert up on his previous offer. Eddie takes Sarah out for a fancy dinner and tells her that he’ll be on the road for awhile. Sarah doesn’t take this news very well and has an emotional breakdown, revealing to Eddie that she had lied about her past and that her father sends her money to avoid having a relationship with her. Sarah is broken inside and recognizing that, Eddie invites Sarah to come on the road with her.

On the road, Eddie is introduced to Findley, a millionaire who loves throwing lavish parties. Findley invites Bert, Eddie, and Sarah to his party so that they can play pool after it’s finished. At the party, Bert makes advances towards Sarah and pushes her over, claiming she’s simply a clumsy drunk. This event foreshadows an upcoming, devastating event. Sarah lies down in a guest bedroom for awhile. When she awakes, she runs downstairs, interrupts their pool game, and tells Eddie that he needs to stop playing because Bert is using him and doesn’t have his best interests at heart.

Eddie, frustrated from losing several games beforehand, tells Sarah to leave him alone. He then continues playing, winning over $12,000 from Findley. Bert takes a cab home but Eddie decides to walk in order to clear his mind from the fight he had earlier with Sarah. This is where the story takes a turn for the worst, as Sarah decides to sleep with Bert and take her own life that night all before Eddie returns to the hotel.

He’s crushed when he sees her bloody body and through his pain, you can see his sincere love for her for the first time. Although the camera doesn’t show her after her death, you can see what an awful sight it must have been through Eddie’s sad eyes and distressed look. Paul Newman is an excellent actor and this is one of the most impressive scenes we’ve seen him accomplish.

Now Eddie is more determined than ever to take down Minnesota Fats. He scrimmages up all the money he can find and heads to Ames Pool Hall once more. This time, Eddie doesn’t lose plus Minnesota Fats admits to Eddie that he simply cannot beat him. Bert hears about what Eddie has done and marches down to the pool hall, claiming that he deserves at least 50% of his winnings. Eddie scoffs at Bert, telling him he would never pay him and that if he’s not careful he’ll come back and kill him. Eddie walks away will all of his money and no regrets.