Pool hall in the hustler

It was viewed as little more than something men did to amuse themselves while drinking. But The Hustler changed that. With handsome Paul Newman and elegant Jackie Gleason knocking the balls around, suddenly the game was respectable. The movie—which was released 55 years ago today—was respectable too, earning nine Oscar nominations including Best Picture and nods to all four main actors , though it only won for its cinematography and set decoration. The comedian, best known for playing working-class loudmouth Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners which he created , had grown up in Brooklyn. Like Rossen, Gleason mixed it up with neighborhood toughs and got to be a pretty good pool hustler.

Didn't they shoot the pool scenes in ''The Hustler'' somewhere in New York? Indeed they did. Just off camera during the weeks of shooting was Willie Mosconi, then the national pocket billiards champion, who shot for Newman in the close-ups Gleason, a hustler himself, did his own shooting. Mosconi also had to set up shots easy enough for the actors to polish off when the scene called for it. The pool hall was deliberately dirtied up to help underscore the film's seedy mood, with a cracked-paint job, knee-high spittoons and a faded poster reading ''Please do not spit on the floor. For some players, three-cushion is to pocket billiards as Dom Perignon is to Night Train. New York added real larceny to the local color during the shooting: two municipal electrical inspectors were arrested and charged with trying to shake down 20th Century Fox to overlook any electrical violations on the set.

It tells the story of small-time pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson and his desire to break into the "major league" of professional hustling and high-stakes wagering by high-rollers 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. Scott as Bert.

Sign in. Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet! IMDb More. Edit The Hustler Showing all 78 items.