The Sting (1980)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Chris W

  
  A few years after the great Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Paul Newman and Robert Redford reteamed with director George Roy Hill for this- an intricately crafted and wonderfully structured con artist/heist picture filled with tons of twists and turns, and entertainment value out… More
  A few years after the great Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Paul Newman and Robert Redford reteamed with director George Roy Hill for this- an intricately crafted and wonderfully structured con artist/heist picture filled with tons of twists and turns, and entertainment value out the wazoo. Set in 1936 around Chicago, Illinois, this is the story of a couple of con artsits who team up together (alogn with some others) in order to get revenge on a crime boss who killed a mutual acquaintance of theirs. The story is compelling all on its own, but making it a period piece set during the Great Depression just somehow makes it even more interesting. The film is dense and complex, and you do have to pay attention, but it's well worth it, and this is both an extremely rewarding and entertaining caper. If you can follow any of the Ocean's movies, then you should be able to follow this one just fine. Hell, this is pretty much the granddaddy of those and many other similar films. I'll be honest, I really dig this kind of thing. I'm not like a die hard fan of these types of movies, but I do really enjoy them when I happen to see them. Maybe it's because they are so invovled and are filled with tons of twists and turns. True, sometimes this sort of thing can get needlessly overcomplicated and convoluted, but thankfully that's all avboided here due to some top notch writing and directing. Newman and Redford once again show they have excellent chemistry, and you can tell they had a lot of fun here. They give some great performances, but they're not alone. As the chief antagonist, Robert Shaw is quite commanding and intimadating, and he does a great job. Just an icy stare from this guy is menacing. Supporting players such as Charles Durning and Eileen Brennan also put in some nice work. The sets, costumes, art direction, music (an homage to Scott Joplin's ragtime style), and cinematography are all excellent. This film was nominated for (and won) several Oscars, and, yeah, I think it was deserving of them. This film isn't just a well played genre film, it's an extremely lavish, well done and stylish genre film. It's light on real die hard substance, but hell, does that really have to matterthat much? This is just a real zinger, and definitely a blast to watch. It's clever, mostly inoffensive (not overly crude, that is), and the effort they put into recreating the time period really shows. If you want to see an amazing con artist movie, then you should immediately check this one out, it's pretty much the gold standard.

• Brad W

  
  A very good Oscar winner and and a classic

• Kase V

  
  The Sting sets an important template for future heist films, one full of surprises, twists, great acting, and a fine script. Unlike the modern Ocean films, The Sting never seemed to rely on it's two stars to carry the weight of a weak story. It keeps you on the edge of your seat,… More
  The Sting sets an important template for future heist films, one full of surprises, twists, great acting, and a fine script. Unlike the modern Ocean films, The Sting never seemed to rely on it's two stars to carry the weight of a weak story. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, and it's an exciting film, no matter who those actors are. A pure masterpiece for the heist genre.

• Jason L

  
  OVERVIEW: 1973's 'The Sting' is a Paul Newman classic- it's one of George Roy Hill's best films. The Acting is spot- on, the score's great, the scripts hilarious, but at the same time clever and dramatic. The score is filled with the music that people… More
  OVERVIEW: 1973's 'The Sting' is a Paul Newman classic- it's one of George Roy Hill's best films. The Acting is spot- on, the score's great, the scripts hilarious, but at the same time clever and dramatic. The score is filled with the music that people couldn't get enough of in the '70's, (Well, actually, it's pretty much just the same song, 'The Entertainer' over and over again, but it's still awesome) but it simply accents an entertaining movie about two guys, a girl, a game of cards, and the greatest heist in history (Well, at the time). SYNOPSIS: Local con man John Hooker (Robert Redford) and his fellow con partner, Luther, manage to con a random guy on the street out of 1,000 dollars one day. After blowing 300 of it at a club, Hooker is tackled by the police out of the 2,000. He discovers from them that it turns out the guy he conned that day was part of the mob, and that they killed Luther. John Hooker has given them fake 2,000 dollar bills, so now he's on the run from the mob and the police. It looks like John Hooker won't last more than two days, doesn't it? Well, before John has a plan. Before he went to the club, Luther had a discussion with him about going to the big leagues-to leave him behind and make big money. So, he gives him contacts to the greatest con man ever, Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman). The only reason he hasn't been well known lately is because he blew the money. After meeting up with him, they formulate a plan (and their acting here is excellent-it really looks like Hooker's betraying Gondorff, so I got a bit confused-their multiple characters in the story are all portrayed so excellently its hilarious) to con money off Doyle Lonnegan, local mobster, as to get their comeuppance for Luther. Henry plays a game of poker with him on a train ride back home (Both are cheating, and both know each other are cheating-hey, it's poker). Henry wins. John goes to Doyle's compartment and tells him that Henry cheated, and that he wants to make a deal with him. He wants to get revenge on Henry for not dishing out all the money. So, he tells him about his contacts at the horse races-it'll make him lots of money, and he only wants a small part of it. From here on, the story starts to twist and turn itself into a mysterious (and sometimes violent) intriguing, and yet, even more hilarious film than ever before. It involves surprising twists on the mob development, astonishing plot twists, and in the end, an ultimately satisfying film. (And the mob here gave me more chills than in The Godfather or Goodfellas) CONSENSUS: Part of the fun of The Sting is just how elaborate the schemes can be. The entire point of the movie is basically the last person to outsmart the other wins. It's hilarity and complexity is wrapped up together in a nice little bow- between the multiple parts of the movie, (Separated with a nice little place card with a title) and Paul Newman's and Robert Redford's acting at its best, you have a fun little movie that those smart enough to keep up pace with it will enjoy. The thing is with this movie, it seems to be more of an unintentional dramedy that it is. It seemed to be more aiming for a serious flick in the beginning, but it decided, hey, this would make a sweet comedy-in the end, that's what it became. The only problem with this, however, is that in the end, it seems that some moral and ethical values are being raised. I was just about to note that in my head for a review when I realized it was just a joke to raise the stakes and suspense, but in the end, it totally worked. Basically, it's a wonderful family comedy that's got suspense, comedy, fabulous acting, and a sprinkling of drama. Not perfect, but as perfect as a movie like this could be.

• Randy T

  
  There's an on-screen chemistry between Newman and Redford that seems genuine and sincere. They interact like a couple of old army buddies who've been to hell and back and are now able to communicate extensively with a wink here or a nod there. It's a beautiful thing… More
  There's an on-screen chemistry between Newman and Redford that seems genuine and sincere. They interact like a couple of old army buddies who've been to hell and back and are now able to communicate extensively with a wink here or a nod there. It's a beautiful thing to watch.

• Thomas B

  
  And you thought Ocean's Eleven was a good heist movie. Full review later.

• Daniel M

  
  It is very tempting to hate The Sting for beating The Exorcist to the Best Picture Oscar. Some would even go so far as to rank it alongside Crash and How Green Was My Valley is one of the Academy's greatest faux pas. But whatever vitriol the other two deserve, The Sting still… More
  It is very tempting to hate The Sting for beating The Exorcist to the Best Picture Oscar. Some would even go so far as to rank it alongside Crash and How Green Was My Valley is one of the Academy's greatest faux pas. But whatever vitriol the other two deserve, The Sting still holds up as a damn fine film, with all the essential ingredients of a proper American caper. Like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting is very deliberately nostalgic and old-fashioned. Both films romanticise key aspects of American history, something which is evident in everything from the jazz-inflected dialogue to the washed-out visuals, right down to The Sting's family-friendly PG certificate. One of the most obvious expressions of this old-school approach is the editing. William H. Reynolds' transitions are all slow wipes and frames twisting on each other, and the film ends with an iris wipe of our two heroes walking off into the distance, like the characters in Looney Tunes. In line with this romantic depiction of 1930s Chicago, The Sting's tone is playful and breezy even in its most threatening moments. The Scott Joplin ragtime soundtrack gives every scene a precise sense of pace and momentum, and as with Howard Shore's work on The Lord of the Rings, the action fits the music so well you can't believe the actors weren't choreographing their movements to it on set. The film nestles somewhere between a Technicolor musical and the original version of Scarface, combining all that bright and cheerful about melodramas with all that is suspenseful about crime films. Aside from its similarity to Butch Cassidy, the closest comparison to The Sting would have to be Chinatown, since both films depict a similar era from a 1970s vantage point and have incredibly twisty stories. In terms of the period touches and historical accuracy, you couldn't put a playing card between them. But Chinatown is the better film, not because it is darker or more hard-hitting, but because it has more conscious and lucid intentions. Because Roman Polanski approached the Californian water wars as an outsider, he could be as savage as he liked about the American dream and drive home his arguments about contemporary America. For all its period glamour and elegant noir touches, Chinatown feels like it is constantly driving forward and asking you to keep up, with Polanski leaving nothing to chance to reel you in and break your heart. Because George Roy Hill has such massive affection for the period and lifestyle he is depicting, The Sting occasionally feels like a film which wants to stop and admire the view even when things are becoming crucial. At two hours long, it's still an efficient piece of storytelling, but it does feel like a film with a lot less to say. There are two aspects of The Sting which hold the film together, both as a piece of breezy entertainment and as a really good thriller in which everything adds up. The first is the storytelling, which is accessible without being facile and complex without being convoluted. The use of old-fashioned title cards explains where we are for people not old or informed enough to understand the twists, while the various cheats and increasingly elaborate bluffing keeps the rest of us guessing. The Sting is a film about conning in which everyone is conning or being conned by everyone else - a premise that could quickly get out of hand. But Hill and the cast get around this, drawing the audience in with the charm of the characters so they we not only indulge their play-acting, we encourage it. In the opening con involving Robert Redford and Robert Earl Jones (the father of Darth Vader), Hill's camera is there as a passive observer, never intervening by getting in close and thereby making their actions look believable. Hence when we find out what was really in the wallet, we not only don't feel bad for being tricked, but we find ourselves rooting for these guys. The other key aspect is Robert Shaw, whose performance as Doyle Lonnegan is the best of his career. Lonnegan is the most complex character in the film, someone who has hidden his own past to shore up credibility and who has risen to the top by outsmarting his opponents before cutting them out of their own operations. Shaw is a naturally intimidating screen presence, and in sharp contrast to Paul Newman and Redford his actions are constantly restrained and understated. As is so often the way, the most interesting part of Shaw's characterisation happened by accident. A week before filming, he slipped on a wet handball court and split all the ligaments in his right knee. Rather than delay filming, Shaw had to wear a knee brace under the wide trousers, resulting in a staggered and uneven gait. The impediment is noticeable when Lonnegan enters the salon, keeping his right leg absolutely straight as he slowly hobbles the steps. This subtle touch gives the character extra reasoning behind his ruthless approach, while also reassuring the audience that he is not invincible. The best scene in The Sting is the poker game which Newman joins on the train between New York and Chicago (ironically posing as a bookie called 'Shaw'). Instead of Scott Joplin, the scene is given rhythm by the background noise of the train, making the silences all the more unbearable. Shaw's face barely alters save for little flickers in his eyes and his mouth, and yet he manages to move from calmness to smirking confidence to seething fury all in five minutes. And then there is the great guessing point - how on earth did Gondorff manage to cheat? This latter point hints at the other great success of The Sting: the lack of excessive exposition. The film expects audiences not only to follow the plot but to have a working understanding of poker - or at the very least, be aware of the wider significance of the cards being played. Despite the fact that at no point the rules of either poker or the cons are explained in any great detail, you don't have to be an expert in either to follow the story. Compare that with the poker in The Cincinnati Kid, in which every move is explained and the camera is darting all over the place, desperately trying to make the scenes dramatic but having the opposite effect. Alongside Shaw's performance, there are other dark elements of The Sting which reference characters familiar to filmgoers of the day. The character of Snyder, the rogue FBI agent hunting down Hooker way outside his jurisdiction, bears some similarity to Popeye Doyle in The French Connection: like Gene Hackman, he pulls no punches and leaves no stone unturned to do his job. The idea of female assassins had become popular in the James Bond series, with such characters appearing in both From Russia with Love and Thunderball. And the black leather gloves worn by the hidden figure tailing Hooker is a possible reference to Dr. Strangelove. The Sting is not an unqualified success. It is ultimately very light-headed even in its serious moments, and in the conclusion of the final con involving the FBI it does descend a little into silliness. But it is very hard to take against a series of such enjoyable and well-judged performances, complimented by an engagingly complicated story. While it doesn't have the cult appeal of Butch Cassidy, it is an improvement on that work, and remains a must-see 1970s crime film.

• Anthony L

  
  George Roy Hill is an underrated director, I really must catch up with more of his films. The Sting is brilliant, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance kid team up again in the best Heist film ever. Ocean's 11 isn't even close to capturing the charisma of The Sting, Newman and… More
  George Roy Hill is an underrated director, I really must catch up with more of his films. The Sting is brilliant, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance kid team up again in the best Heist film ever. Ocean's 11 isn't even close to capturing the charisma of The Sting, Newman and Redford are brilliant together and the only down-point of this film is that you know they didn't make another together. An American classic.

• Michael G

  
  The Sting is another one for my Kick-in-the-Ass list, meaning I want to kick myself in the ass for not seeing this sooner. Actually, I'd like to keep kicking until I hear my tailbone crack, I loved this movie so much. The ultimate con movie, The Sting is a superb blend of story,… More
  The Sting is another one for my Kick-in-the-Ass list, meaning I want to kick myself in the ass for not seeing this sooner. Actually, I'd like to keep kicking until I hear my tailbone crack, I loved this movie so much. The ultimate con movie, The Sting is a superb blend of story, direction and acting. Paul Newman and Robert Redford were the very definition of on-screen chemistry. Robert Shaw was also great as their mark. Shaw was scary -- I'm talking Daniel Plainview or Bill the Butcher scary. Unfortunately after seeing years of copycats, I saw the twist coming a mile away but The Sting is still magnificent. I understand why this was my grandfather's favorite movie.

• First L

  
  Maybe it's the Scott Joplin theme, or maybe it's the dirty, rundown look of everything, but The Sting has a wonderfully authentic atmosphere about it. So many movies tend to sterilize their period settings to the point where it looks more like a movie set than an actual… More
  Maybe it's the Scott Joplin theme, or maybe it's the dirty, rundown look of everything, but The Sting has a wonderfully authentic atmosphere about it. So many movies tend to sterilize their period settings to the point where it looks more like a movie set than an actual living place, but The Sting doesn't flinch from it's depression-era setting. Robert Redford stars as Johnny Hooker, a con artist with a price on his head after he inadvertently steals from the mob. He flees to Chicago where, with the help of new friend and master conman Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman), he seeks to turn the tables on those who want to see him dead. They con the mob boss using a "wire" (a telegraph wire) and a scheme involving betting on the horse races (it is in fact, an actual con that was used at the time). Newman and Redford play their parts with similar gusto, and there is much humor to be found in the complexity of the plot. The supporting cast too (including the great Ray Walston and Harold Gould), contribute wonderful moments. A truly great best picture winner from 1973.

• Lenny M

  
  Heavy hitting cast with Ballin' Paul Newman, stern Robert Redford, Robert "A Shark Ran a Train On Me" Shaw, Mrs. Peacock, and James Earl Jones' father. Well written to the tee, really captured the 30's lingo even though I don't even know what that means.… More
  Heavy hitting cast with Ballin' Paul Newman, stern Robert Redford, Robert "A Shark Ran a Train On Me" Shaw, Mrs. Peacock, and James Earl Jones' father. Well written to the tee, really captured the 30's lingo even though I don't even know what that means. In reality I barely have any idea of what is going on in this movie. Hard to follow, you got to pay attention and not be running to the bathroom every other minute, blame KFC. Love that ragtime, not really, drop some beats Marvin Hamlisch.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Dukey, if this thing blows up, the Feds will be the least of our problems"</i> In 1930s Chicago, a young con man seeking revenge for his murdered partner teams up with a master of the big con to win a fortune from a criminal banker. <center><font… More
  <i>"Dukey, if this thing blows up, the Feds will be the least of our problems"</i> In 1930s Chicago, a young con man seeking revenge for his murdered partner teams up with a master of the big con to win a fortune from a criminal banker. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Films are generally considered classics if they excel to a great level on a certain point (acting, special effects, script, etc). But the beauty about `The Sting' is that it gets a perfect (not necessarily outstanding) mark on all levels. The movie perfectly balances humour, enjoyment, style and charm with a subtle hint of gloss to create an all round brilliant movie. The film is done in a slick old fashion with a bright, exuberant feel. The majority of `The Sting' is set in 30's Chicago, not so much the hotbed of jazz, sex and murder in the current blockbuster hit. The image of Chicago is clearly a studio set with cardboard walls, but this adds to the old fashioned feel and the costumes, mannerisms, make-up etc. perfectly resemble the period in question. Above all else, `The Sting' is a sometimes vain, happy-go-lucky comedy. The heavier topics of murder and revenge don't get a chance to settle in, which is a good thing because the movie is best when it doesn't take itself to seriously. The soundtrack couldn't be better either. Scott Joplin's `The Entertainer' fits in with the environment that we are presented with. The acting is quite good, in particular from Paul Newman and Robert Redford in the lead roles. They make a perfect duo and the chemistry between the two always feels natural. Redford's more energetic performance is slightly better than Newman's sedated veteran con-man part. Generally good support from Robert Shaw as the stereotypical bad guy, Eileen Brennan and Charles Durning. The film is given the appropriate light touch so that even the most serious moments have that nostalgic glow to them. Another thing I like was the episodic division in the movie, so as each part is divided into chapters. `The Sting' is a simple but perfect movie, like a cross between `Paper Moon' and `Chicago' with the extra-added dose of glibness. Truly a classic if there ever was one.

• Conner R

  
  A flawless movie that can be both light-hearted, but also extremely intelligent. Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Robert Shaw all give amazing performances with characters you can't help but love. The locations, costumes and sets look exactly like the 30s. Even the shooting style… More
  A flawless movie that can be both light-hearted, but also extremely intelligent. Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Robert Shaw all give amazing performances with characters you can't help but love. The locations, costumes and sets look exactly like the 30s. Even the shooting style is set to a more traditional, straight forward manner. There's just no way around it, it's a perfect movie.

• Al S

  
  A masterpiece. A true classic. One of the most entertaining and enjoyable con artist films and one of the best movies of all time. It's exciting, funny and very very clever. Paul Newman and Robert Redford regain their buddy team title. Their teriffic. Redford gives a sensational… More
  A masterpiece. A true classic. One of the most entertaining and enjoyable con artist films and one of the best movies of all time. It's exciting, funny and very very clever. Paul Newman and Robert Redford regain their buddy team title. Their teriffic. Redford gives a sensational performance. Newman is brilliant. Lot's of fun from start to finish. Great entertainment that you'll love. Sizzeling twist with an ending that will shock you and at the end and surprise you incrediably.

• Aaron N

  
  Doyle Lonnegan: Your boss is quite a card player, Mr. Kelly; how does he do it? Johnny Hooker: He cheats. The same crew from Butch and Sundance return for a con/comedy/caper. Another great movie featuring great chemistry between Redford and Newman, and even Quint comes along for the… More
  Doyle Lonnegan: Your boss is quite a card player, Mr. Kelly; how does he do it? Johnny Hooker: He cheats. The same crew from Butch and Sundance return for a con/comedy/caper. Another great movie featuring great chemistry between Redford and Newman, and even Quint comes along for the ride this time around. The acting is great across the board. The style of the film is very cool, very nicely done with great cinematography and some neat camera work. The soundtrack is great as well, keeping intact the ole' timey feel of the movie. The plot matters most this time around, and it is very well constructed featuring the themes of revenge and con artist tactics. Johnny Hooker: Can you get a mob together? Henry Gondorff: After what happened to Luther, I don't think I can get more than two, three hundred guys. The story involves a budding friendship between two con artists looking to take down a powerful crime lord who murdered their friend. An elaborate plan ensues, but this movie is anything but a drama. Henry Gondorff: Tough luck, Lonnehan. But that's what you get for playing with your head up your ass! Great movie, very entertaining. Floyd: Doyle, I KNOW I gave him four THREES. He had to make a SWITCH. We can't let him get away with that. Doyle Lonnegan: What was I supposed to do - call him for cheating better than me, in front of the others?

• Cassie H

  
  Great Comedy about two con men who con others and get conned themselves. Robert Redford and Paul Newman are great in movies together.

• Saskia D

  
  It was ok, but it lacked some intensity and excitement. Don't get me wrong, Redford and Newman are a joy to watch! Great combo, but I missed the chemistry they had in Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. <div style="width:387px;"><a… More
  It was ok, but it lacked some intensity and excitement. Don't get me wrong, Redford and Newman are a joy to watch! Great combo, but I missed the chemistry they had in Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. <div style="width:387px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/servlet/embed/photo/link/4913982"><img src="http://www.flixster.com/servlet/embed/photo/4913982.jpg" border="0"/></a><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com">

• danny d

  
  even though this is considered a classic already, i still think its one of the most underrated films out there. a masterpiece. the acting and cinematography were supperb, and this boasts one of the best screenplays ever. not the first con movie and wont be the last, but its… More
  even though this is considered a classic already, i still think its one of the most underrated films out there. a masterpiece. the acting and cinematography were supperb, and this boasts one of the best screenplays ever. not the first con movie and wont be the last, but its possibly the best.

• Chris G

  
  Paul Newman and Robert Redford team up again under the direction of George Roy Hill in another film about lovable outlaws. The Sting is about a young grifter (Redford) who stumbles into a $10,000 pay-off belonging to a New York racketeer (Robert Shaw). After his partner is killed he… More
  Paul Newman and Robert Redford team up again under the direction of George Roy Hill in another film about lovable outlaws. The Sting is about a young grifter (Redford) who stumbles into a $10,000 pay-off belonging to a New York racketeer (Robert Shaw). After his partner is killed he seeks revenge not by killinh the man that put the hit on his partner, but by devising an intricate dupe with a well worn con man (Newman) and an assorted cast of characters. George Roy Hill has developed a film that feels like you're watching an old '30's movie, only it's in color. The production design goes above and beyond creating a Depression era Chicago neighborhood and when you combine this with the great cast you get a film that deserved its best picture Oscar. A great period piece.

• Ross C

  
  A very clever story about some grifters, charismatically played by Robert Redford & Paul Newman, setting up the local mob boss in Chicago. Humorous and witty with a James Bond-esque coolness, this movie clearly inspired many others as well as the BBC TV series "Hustle".… More
  A very clever story about some grifters, charismatically played by Robert Redford & Paul Newman, setting up the local mob boss in Chicago. Humorous and witty with a James Bond-esque coolness, this movie clearly inspired many others as well as the BBC TV series "Hustle". The rag-time soundtrack with "The Entertainer" as its theme tune adds to the film's legacy.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings