Tuesday, June 30, 2015

558. The Sting

The Sting
1973
Directed by George Roy Hill












One of the best duos in cinematic history return to deliver another amazing film (Myrna Loy and William Powell might beat them for the top slot).  Now, I won't pretend I completely understood the plot of this movie, but I was happily placated by Robert Redford's and Paul Newman's charisma.

Like I said, this film is pretty confusing, at least to me.  I had an easier time following the plot to The Big Sleep and that's saying something.  Suffice to say, Redford and Newman are once again lovable criminals.

It's almost impossible not to like this film, although I suppose the length might turn some people off.  But hey, I would stare at the handsome leads all day if I could, even there was no plot.  There are some great moments in this movie (invoking the no spoiler rule) and it definitely earns its length.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Redford did not watch this film until 2004.  But it's so good!

Newman and Redford often played pranks on each other onset.  Adorable when they do it, dangerous when Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis do it.

9 comments:

  1. No arguments here.. Not a film I'd go wild about, or even bother owning, but a fine, well made, well plotted, well acted entertaining film.

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  2. Classic film. Very entertaining. Good review.

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  3. It would be hard to not like this movie, I think.

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  4. I thought this movie was great and I loved the pairing of these two again. I could watch Paul Newman stand still for hours but I didn't have to as his acting was impeccable and entertaining! Fun film!

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  5. so much was invested in the charisma of the two leads that they felt they didn't have to bother when it came to actually making a movie - an attitude all too prevalent in the modern era - but Robert Shaw's accent is pathetic, Redford seems to spend most of the film looking as if he's wondering if he left the gas on before he left home and Newman is just smugly grinning at the whole amateur dramatics production as well as the audience he knows will swallow this shit

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    Replies
    1. Good points. How do you stay impervious to their charms??

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  6. their charm has worked for me in many of their other films but the laziness of their work here and that it still got, and gets, such high praise really annoys me

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  7. I totally loved this movie. This scam movie has a charm that most others of this kind lacks and that makes it work 100% for me. How did you like Redford's suit?

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