mdtinney's Movie Review of The Sting (1973)

Fantastic fil that boasts 2 legends of film!
mdtinney - wrote on 09/27/09

`The Sting' is an extremely well written story by David Ward (`Major League', `Sleepless in Seattle') and David Maurer about some smalltime grifters who attempt to swindle a mob boss. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards in 1974 and won seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. It reunited director George Roy Hill, Robert Redford and Paul Newman four years after their blockbuster, `Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'. Strangely, although Butch and Sundance made it to number 50 on AFI's top 100 of the century, this film did not make that list. This is even more surprising since `Butch' did not win the Oscar for Best Picture in 1970 (`Midnight Cowboy' won it that year). While I think `Butch' is funnier and more exciting, this film is more intriguing with interesting character studies and some unpredictable plot twists. Hill does a superb job of weaving the elements of the caper together and giving it a depression era feeling. The humor is more ironic than hilarious, but it fits the story well. The period props, locations, and sets are excellent, and the costumes are perfect. The costumes were done by the legendary Edith Head, who designed costumes for over 400 films in her 50-year career. She won an Oscar for best Costume Design for this film, which was one of eight she won in that category in a career marked by an astounding 34 Oscar nominations. The music by Scott Joplin and Marvin Hamlisch is also fabulous, bestowing an early twentieth century flavor on the film, and giving Hamlisch one of three Oscars he won that year (the other two were for `The Way We Were' also starring Redford). Where `Butch' was probably a little more Newman's film, this film clearly belonged to Redford. Redford, who was nominated for best actor for the role, is marvelous in the lead, giving his character a charming, lighthearted personality to go along with his scheming intellect. Newman plays almost a supporting role as the veteran conman Henry Gondorff, who assembles the team for the caper and oversees its execution. Despite the smaller part, Newman gives electrifying performance with his conniving tough guy portrayal. Robert Shaw (`From Russia With Love', `A Man For All Seasons', `Jaws') is also terrific as mob boss Doyle Lonnegan. Charles Durning (`The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'), Ray Walston (TV's `My Favorite Martian') and Eileen Brennan (Private Benjamin') round out a splendid supporting cast with fantastic character portrayals.