Paul Newman is “Fast” Eddie Felson, a small-time pool shark with raw talent who will stop at nothing to beat legendary player Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) as long as he doesn’t self destruct first in Robert Rossen’s riveting adaptation of The Hustler. Academy Award winner for Best Black-and-White Cinematography & Best Art Direction plus nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Newman), Best Actress (Piper Laurie), Best Supporting Actor (Gleason), Best Supporting Actor (George C. Scott), Best Director & Best Adapted Screenplay.
“There are only a handful of movie characters so real that the audience refers to them as touchstones. Fast Eddie Felson is one of them. The pool shark played by Paul Newman in The Hustler is indelible.” – Roger Ebert
