Arrogant, spiteful, pissed off, wounded, vulnerable... Pool hustler "Fast" Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) is all of these and more, strutting his way round smoky billiard halls to pocket the green stuff. What he lacks is character. And if he wants to beat legendary cue-man Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) he'll need plenty of it.
DVD Extras:
Cast and crew commentary, The Hustler: The Inside Story and How To Make The Shot featurettes.Robert Rossen's brilliant, flinty drama is a ball-breaking affair in every way, Eddie experiencing humiliating lows before becoming a winner. The extras can't match the movie though: Inside Story is lightweight and the commentary, by seven people including Newman, editor Dede Allen and Rossen's daughter, is interesting but disjointed as they were all interviewed separately. Still, the featurette makes for great viewing - World Champion pool player Mike Massey re-enacting the best trick shots from the movie whilst talking us through them.
