Customer Ratings & Reviews

One of the best, overlooked, story, acting and production values coming out of hollywood! Story of pool playing hustler, Paul Newman, realizing his dream of competing against the "Great One", Minnesota Fats, played surprisingly and convincingly well by Jackie Gleason. Add 2 surprisingly fantastic performances by Piper Laurie and George C. Scott and you have one of the most realistic and enjoyable stories of the dark, dirty and dangerous side of the professional pool world. Well worth being in the library of every collector, made easier by Best Buy's pricing. Get your copy before this video disappears and only becomes available by the Criterion Collection. Great movie, great stars, great story, great price and that's no hustle!

Before Paul Newman was old Fast Eddie Felson, he was young Fast Eddie Felson, one of the THE seminal pool playing movies out there. The blu ray is a beautiful black and white transfer loaded with extras, but the real stars are Newman and Minnesota Fats. The entire cast was almost nominated for Oscars, and the whole shebang is loaded with class, pathos and wit.

The performances of the great cast (Paul Newman, George C. Scott, Jackie Gleason, and Piper Laurie) really made this movie outstanding. It's said that Paul Newman received the Oscar for The Color Of Money (as Fast Eddie Felson) because the academy felt he was snubbed for not getting an Oscar for his part in The Hustler.

Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason give powerful performances in this drama that solidified Newman's status as one of the top actors of his generation. It's a period piece today, featuring many of the vices indulged in by "the Greatest Generation."

Gritty, tension-filled picture of the underside of professional pool and how to get out from under. Jackie Gleason shows his performance chops in an unusual straight role for him. Paul Newman in his prime -- just try to look away!

A true classic for anyone who has ever been involved in competition for "all the marbles"! Believable to those of us who have been to the edge with people who put success above all else - victory or nothing! Great acting from all

"The Hustler" starring Paul Newman is an all-time classic. We are introduced to Fast Eddie, who will appear again in "The Color of Money" with Tom Cruise, and his hard luck story. Arguably one of Newman's best performances.

Absolute classic movie I watch this movie at least once a year

This is definitely a classic movie! Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason are great actors and I remember seeing this movie when I was kid! They don't make movies like this anymore....

Although the movie is an older one, Newman puts forth great effort to deliver excellent acting. Very helpful to see this movie before seeing The Color of Money (Newman and Cruise)

Many people who saw the slick and stylish Scorcese creation Color of Money didn't even realize that Eddie Felson already existed on the silver screen in The Hustler. What many people tell me when they find out and see The Hustler is that either they hated it or loved it. That's because while Color of Money is smooth, slick, smooth, and polished, The Hustler is raw, biting, and powerful and so by definition it is not for everyone. Color of Money is more about visual effects and music, which is classic Scorcese, though there's no real substance. Scorcese himself has said in interviews that movies like Goodfellas were close to his heart, but Color of Money was just a commercialized creation. The Hustler, on the other hand, really grabs you. First off, as a pool player myself, let me tell you Tom Cruise can't play pool worth a darn, and that lack of authenticity is a glaring weakness to begin with. But just the fact that Newman and Gleason can play pool does not make The Hustler a better movie - it's a masterpiece because it is a gripping tale of human redepmption, of Eddie's battle to separate his pool game from his self-esteem. It's also about one man's passion for the game. How can any pool player forget that soliloquoy by Fast Eddie when he and Sarah go for that picnic, how he talks about how he loves even just the sound of the click of the balls, how the cue has nerves in it and is part of his arm! Remember that last scene in Color of Money, where young cocky Vincent plays the older, cagier Fast Eddie and Eddie declares "I'm back" before he breaks the balls? Even though the movie ends there, everyone knows Eddie wiped up the floor with Vincent. Vincent's character had talent, but Eddie had character, and that's what beat Fast Eddie time he played Fats. Bert Gordon: You got talent. Fast Eddie: I got talent? So what beat me? Bert: Character. And that's the way the two movies are too. Color of Money has talent, but The Hustler has character.

I always wanted to own this one & when I saw the great low price, I bought it!!! This is such a great movie & the extras they included are equally as awesome!

A must own for any Paul Newman or Jackie Gleason fan, or any fan of billiards. Prequel to Paul Newman/Tom Cruise movie The Color Of Money

I really liked the movie The Hustler!! It was really a good movie and it had Paul Newman in it and he did a really good job in it.

This is an excellent movie with great actors. It is well worth buying and is widely, properly considered a classic.

What an amazing movie! Watching how things were back in '61 and the story line! The intensity is top notch! Must see movie!

Great movie! Jackie Gleason in an unfunny role and he was fantastic! Definitely an award winning performance!

Better than any salad dressing he ever made. Jackie Gleason, kills it as well 8n a stellar role. A must see.

If You Like Pool This Is The Movie To See Paul Newman And Jackie Gleason Are Excellant In This Film

I saw this movie as a child with my Dad and loved playing billiards ever since. Great actors, great movie!