Not too long ago one of cinema’s biggest legends, Paul Newman, passed way. I’ve seen him in a couple of films, The Verdict (Sidney Lumet, 1982), The Sting (George Roy Hill, 1973). He was also one of the few good things in Road to Perdition (Sam Mendes, 2002), along with Conrad Hall’s cinematography. But I had still missed out on several of his classics, so I thought it would be about time to catch up on some of the films I’ve wanted to see for some time. First up was The Hustler, a film I’ve wanted to see for a long time, but always put off.
At first glance it seems like a typical Hollywood film of the era. However, it differs in some good ways. It is much more direct about its subject matter, while still being a fairly deep psychological drama. The film is literally drowned in alcohol and cigarettes, the two main characters are for the majority of the first half drunk, but it is not just those two either. During the pool matches a huge amount of alcohol is consumed, and this works well in defining the characters, as well as creating tension. This is accompanied by beautiful and crisp black & white cinematography, which while not being beautiful on the spot, creates the perfect mood and empathises the grittiness of the characters lives. I asked myself before watching this; can I really enjoy a film about men playing pool? The answer is simply yes. The sequences are so well shot and directed, the tension is constantly built up, and the camera angles always add something to the sequences. Obviously, it’s not just about pool. It’s about sportsmanship, greed, and an unusual romance. But at the core of the film is the pool, and most important of all; the bar room atmosphere, supported by a great jazzy soundtrack.
The cast is great. I refuse to let my emotions of Newman recently passing away blur my judgement, but he was truly great in this. Just he looking across a room gives a shot significant meaning, and he is quite unusual from most Hollywood stars. There is a reason why Fast Eddie Felson has become such a legendary character, he is created through Newman. But he’s not alone though, and doesn’t steal the show completely. George C. Scott is in this, and is as always fantastic and charismatic; I loved his character, even though he was an outright bastard. I guess it is a bit of an insult to Scott, but this feels like the character he was born to play. Actually, I think he would be happy with that statement. Jackie Gleason is also great as Minnesota Fats, a great character that at times stands tall in front of Eddie Felson, and their relationship is one of the best I’ve seen in Classical Cinema. They are rivals, yet they love and respect each other. This range of characters makes sure that the film stays interesting and twists and turns at every corner, they are more than well enough examined. This is one of the things I’ve felt that Hollywood at its best always did better than anyone, great psychological examinations of its characters; I’ll certainly be looking out for more of this.
It was nice to see this finally, I read about it probably three or four years ago, but always had something else to watch. I finally got the DVD, the Cinema Reserve edition, which I’ve already raved about, it is the superior edition, no faults in picture or sound quality, plus a audio commentary by Newman himself, which I am surely going to listen to, a great last stand from a legend.
No comments:
Post a Comment