Newman was again teamed with director George Roy Hill and Robert Redford, and the two stars again played outlaws who are basically easy-going and human, and whose criminal exploits are comically engaging
Here the setting is Chicago in 1936 Henry Gondorff (Newman), a well-known, slight1y aging con artist, is hiding from the law, but he comes out of retirement to teach small-time hustler Johnny Hooker (Redford) the "Big Con." With the assistance of a large group of amiable crooks, the two work out an elaborate scheme to cheat an important racketeer, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), out of $500,000.
Unlike "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," the film is inordinately complicated, and has many twists, turns and surprises It is actually one con game after another, with the audience tricked as well as the characters The steps in the swindle fall neatly into place in the manner of television's 'Mission: Impossible,' although once we think about the plot, it makes little sense But we're not meant to think; "The Sting" is designed, and works extremely well, as clever entertainment
Perhaps it was the Newman-Redford team that made "The Sting" popular, and Newman alone may have difficulty drawing audiences, but one thing is certain: In fifty one years of film acting, Newman has become one of the screen's most magnetic stars Even today the very mention of his name evokes an aura of moody rebelliousness, rugged individualism, cool detachment and, above all, overpowering sex appeal And he has created more memorable characters than have most actors in much longer periods of time At least four"The Hustler," "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "Butch Cassidy"are so well-known, so indelibly impressed on the public consciousness, that they stand among the immortals of the screen
"The Sting" received ten Academy Award nominationsmore than any other Newman film
Here the setting is Chicago in 1936 Henry Gondorff (Newman), a well-known, slight1y aging con artist, is hiding from the law, but he comes out of retirement to teach small-time hustler Johnny Hooker (Redford) the "Big Con." With the assistance of a large group of amiable crooks, the two work out an elaborate scheme to cheat an important racketeer, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), out of $500,000.
Unlike "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," the film is inordinately complicated, and has many twists, turns and surprises It is actually one con game after another, with the audience tricked as well as the characters The steps in the swindle fall neatly into place in the manner of television's 'Mission: Impossible,' although once we think about the plot, it makes little sense But we're not meant to think; "The Sting" is designed, and works extremely well, as clever entertainment
Perhaps it was the Newman-Redford team that made "The Sting" popular, and Newman alone may have difficulty drawing audiences, but one thing is certain: In fifty one years of film acting, Newman has become one of the screen's most magnetic stars Even today the very mention of his name evokes an aura of moody rebelliousness, rugged individualism, cool detachment and, above all, overpowering sex appeal And he has created more memorable characters than have most actors in much longer periods of time At least four"The Hustler," "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "Butch Cassidy"are so well-known, so indelibly impressed on the public consciousness, that they stand among the immortals of the screen
"The Sting" received ten Academy Award nominationsmore than any other Newman film