The Bottom Line: An entertaining and well directed comedy/drama, with a quality cast, script, and story. A few too many plot turns do not take the pleasure out of this movie.
One of the most beloved films from the careers of Paul Newman and Robert Redford was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which was directed by George Roy Hill. Given the great commercial success of the film, it only made sense to reunite the stars with the director in a similar film.
The Sting was the result. Like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the story was set in the American past, and Newman and Redford were cast as likable career criminals. There is another major plot similarity, which unfortunately can't be discussed without spoiling both films.
Of course, there were differences as well. The previous film relied on charm and cinematography. The Sting, however, was plot heavy and evoked a nostalgic mood through colorful costumes, sets and score.
The story takes place in Illinois, during the Great Depression. Lonnegan (Robert Shaw) is a wealthy, murderous gangster. One of his flunkies is a courier carrying $10,000 of his earnings. The flunky is fleeced by grifters Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and Luther Coleman (Robert Earl Jones, the father of James Earl Jones). When Lonnegan learns of this, he sends hitmen after the two con artists. Hooker is also chased by corrupt, corpulent police officer Snyder (Charles Durning) for passing counterfeit money. Soon, the FBI is after Hooker as well.
On the run, Hooker turns to Luther's old pal Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman). Reputed to be the best con artist alive, Gondorff and Hooker set up a 'sting' on Lonnegan. This is an elaborate scheme involving dozens of grifters, with Lonnegan supposedly receiving the names of winning horses in time to place big bets at an illegal, offtrack gambling house.
The story is unnecessarily complex. Perhaps the FBI agents, crooked police and femme fatales should have been omitted. That would also have reduced the film's running length, which is over two hours.
Still, there's great charm in the performances. Robert Shaw is very entertaining as the villainous grasping gambler who is not as clever as he thinks he is. Newman's role is much smaller than that of Redford, but he does have a great scene where he out-cheats Shaw in a high stakes poker game. Meanwhile, Redford's character gets into a lot of trouble. No wonder he looks so nervous.
One unexpected cultural impact of The Sting came from the score. It was made up of several ragtime arrangements from turn of the century black composer Scott Joplin. Since the film takes place some thirty years later, the score is technically anachronistic. However, the soundtrack was a major seller, as was the case for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. While the compositions were by Joplin, it was Marvin Hamlisch who adapted them for the score, which won an Academy Award.
Surprisingly, Redford and Newman would never work together again. Hill and Redford would make The Great Waldo Pepper (1975), while Hill and Newman teamed up for Slap Shot (1977). Both films were box office failures. I may be the only person alive who thinks that The Great Waldo Pepper is much better than either The Sting or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
The Sting was the biggest grossing film of the year, raking in over sixty million at the box office. The film was also extremely successful at the Academy Awards, winning seven Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director (Hill), and Best Screenplay (David S. Ward). It was nominated for three other Oscars, including Robert Redford as Best Actor. (65/100)
The Sting (fullscreen) - Dvd - John Heffernan,dana Elcar,sally Kirkland,arch Johnson,brad Sullivan,dimitra Arliss,jack Kehoe,james J. Sloyan,joe Torna...More at Target
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