File:The_Sting_(1973_alt_poster).jpeg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
"The Sting" is a 1973 film directed by George Roy Hill about con artists pulling off an elaborate scheme. It's considered a classic of American cinema known for its entertaining plot and stylish filmmaking.
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Film · TMDB
8.0A novice con man teams up with an acknowledged master to avenge the murder of a mutual friend by pulling off the ultimate big con and swindling a fortune from a big-time mobster.
Cast
- Paul Newman as Henry Gondorff
- Robert Redford as Johnny Hooker
- Robert Shaw as Doyle Lonnegan
- Charles Durning as Lt. Wm. Snyder
- Ray Walston as J.J. Singleton
- Eileen Brennan as Billie
Themes
- bet
- chicago, illinois
- repayment
- horse race
- con man
- mafia boss
- heist
- caper
- ragtime
- off track betting
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Wikidata facts
- Duration
- 129
- FilmAffinity ID
- 385464
- Image
- The Sting (1973 alt poster).jpeg
Show 5 more facts
- publication date
- 1974-04-19
- Commons category
- The Sting
- title
- L'Arnaque
- capital cost
- 5500000
- review score
- 8.2/10
Sources (13)
via Wikidata · CC0
~17 min read
Article
The Sting is a 1973 American caper film. Set in 1936, it involves a complicated plot by two professional grifters (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) to con a mob boss (Robert Shaw). The film was directed by George Roy Hill, who had directed Newman and Redford in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). The screenplay by David S. Ward was inspired by real-life cons perpetrated by brothers Fred and Charley Gondorff and documented by David Maurer in his 1940 book The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man.
The film plays out in sections introduced by old-fashioned title cards, drawn by artist Jaroslav "Jerry" Gebr in a style reminiscent of The Saturday Evening Post. It is noted for its use of ragtime, particularly the melody "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin, which was adapted (along with other Joplin pieces) for the film by Marvin Hamlisch, producing a Billboard-topping soundtrack and a top-10 single. The film's success created a resurgence of interest in Joplin's work.