¶ … Sting
There is something satisfying about seeing a mob boss get his comeuppance. When it happens at the hands of two slick con artists, one of whom is driven by revenge, the sting is that much sweeter.
Winner of best picture at the 1973 Academy Awards, the Sting stars stellar actors Robert Redford and Paul Newman. George Roy Hill directed Redford and Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the team repeats the success of their prior film here only better: with a fun crime-caper plot and the infectious Scott Joplin tune "The Entertainer" to tie it all together. The Oscar-winning screenplay was written by David S. Ward.
Two talented grifters team up to trick a mob boss in George Roy Hill's masterpiece the Sting. Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) partner up after Hooker's sidekicks Luther Coleman (Robert Earl Jones) and Joe Erie (Jack Kehoe) leave the scene. When Coleman is killed by a mob boss who they took together in their last scam. Hooker is motivated not only by the rush of the con but also by revenge. Gathering a clever team of assistants and some romance on the side, Hooker and Gondorff pull off one an incredible con.
The Sting is memorable mainly for the stage presence of its lead actors Robert Redford and Paul Newman but also for the atmosphere the film creates. Not only does Scott Joplin's music punctuate the film with lightheartedness but a strong degree of comic relief transforms the Sting from a dour crime drama into a titillating crime caper. The old-fashioned cards that divide up the scenes also add to the film's unique mood.
Its Academy Award proves the enduring merits of the Sting, which stands up against the test of time and does not feel dated in 2007. Not only did the film win for Best Picture, but Hill also earned accolades as Best Director, and Marvin Hamlisch deservedly won for best musical score. This string of awards should encourage any viewer to watch the film if Newman and Redford's teaming up wasn't reason enough. Although by no means a kid's movie, the Sting does not contain any inoffensive material and can be enjoyed by families with children old enough to understand the plot. Scott Joplin's music enlivens the film, which is half drama, half comedy, and all fun.
