Paul Newman deservedly won the best actor Oscar for this terrific drama in which he reprises the role of “Fast” Eddie Felson, the pool shark he played in 1961’s The Hustler.
Here, the ageing liquor salesman and former pool hustler takes on pushy pupil Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise) and both learn a trick or two about life and each other as Felson prepares his prodigy for a national tournament in Atlantic City.
The confrontational climax never quite convinces, but Richard Price’s knockout script is one to treasure and director Martin Scorsese brings his trademark visual style to bear on the production.
Oscar-nominated Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio puts in an accomplished performance as the naive Cruise’s knowing girlfriend and look out, too, for Forest Whitaker in a supporting role as a young pool hustler and a brief cameo from Iggy Pop.
“Fast” Eddie Felson
Paul Newman Vincent Lauria
Tom Cruise Carmen
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Janelle
Helen Shaver Julian
John Turturro Orvis
Bill Cobbs Earl at Chalkies
Robert Agins Grady Seasons
Keith McCready Casino band singer
Carol Messing Duke
Steve Mizerak Moselle
Bruce A Young Kennedy
Alvin Anastasia Chuck, the bartender
Joe Guastaferro Amos
Forest Whitaker Skinny player on the road
Iggy Pop
Director
Martin Scorsese
Related Posts
Joy Luck Club, The (1993) Faithfully adapted from Amy Tan's bestselling book, director Wayne Wang's moving yet witty melodrama mixes the stories of four Chinese-born…
Spaceman and King Arthur, The (1979) The NASA spaceship Stardust lands in Camelot in 508 AD by mistake in this Disney adaptation of Mark Twain's A Connecticut…
Ed Wood (1994) Tim Burton's Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp as Wood, brilliantly reconstructs the sleazy side of 1950s Hollywood, and is a sympathetic…
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) Constructed in short chapters, with a rainbow spectrum of characters taking turns as narrators, Hannah and Her Sisters paints a picture of contemporary…
Cool Hand Luke (1967) Paul Newman. Fifty eggs. One take. Very Cool Hand Luke. Newman takes the title role of Luke Jackson - a loner,…
Casino (1995) This masterpiece from Martin Scorsese opens with the mob pushing into the casinos in the 1970s and the action centres…
Big Easy, The (1986) In New Orleans, the steamy city of hot music and spicy food, the odd bribe is all in a day's…
Campus Man (1987) In an effort to meet tuition costs, Todd Barret (John Dye) an enterprising Arizona State student and aspiring businessman convinces his…
