The Hustler (film)
The Hustler is a 1961 American drama film directed by Robert Rossen from Walter Teviss 1959 novel of the same name, adapted for the screen by Rossen and Sidney Carroll. It tells the story of smalltime pool hustler Fast Eddie Felson and his desire to break into the major league of professional hustling and highstakes wagering by highrollers that follows it. He throws his raw talent and ambition up against the best player in the country seeking to best the legendary pool player Minnesota Fats. After initially losing to Fats and getting involved with unscrupulous manager Bert Gordon, Eddie returns to try again, but only after paying a terrible personal price.
Smalltime pool hustler Fast Eddie Felson travels crosscountry with his partner Charlie to challenge the legendary player Minnesota Fats. Arriving at Fats home pool hall, Eddie declares he will win 10,000 that night. Fats arrives and he and Eddie agree to play straight pool for 200 a game. After initially falling behind, Eddie surges back to being 1,000 ahead and suggests raising the bet to 1,000 a game Fats agrees. He sends out a runner, Preacher, to Johnnys Bar, ostensibly for whiskey, but really to get professional gambler Bert Gordon to the hall. Eddie gets ahead 11,000 and Charlie tries to convince him to quit, but Eddie insists the game will end only when Fats says it is over. Fats agrees to continue after Bert labels Eddie a loser. After 25hours and an entire bottle of bourbon, Eddie is ahead over 18,000, but loses it all along with all but 200 of his original stake. At their hotel later, Eddie leaves half of the remaining stake with a sleeping Charlie and leaves.Eddie stashes his belongings at the local bus terminal, where he meets Sarah Packard, an alcoholic who is supported by her father, attends college part time, and walks with a limp. He meets her again at a bar. They go back to her place but she refuses to let him in, saying he is too hungry. Eddie moves into a rooming house and starts hustling for small stakes. He finds Sarah again and this time she takes him in, but with reservations. Charlie finds Eddie at Sarahs and tries to persuade him to go back out on the road. Eddie refuses and Charlie realizes he plans to challenge Fats again. Eddie realizes that Charlie held out his percentage and becomes enraged, believing that with that money he could have rebounded to beat Fats. Eddie dismisses Charlie as a scared old man and tells him to go lie down and die by himself. ........
Source: Wikipedia
