The Sting (1973) - Film Review
- Neyouno ケカ
- Apr 13, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 20
A Cinematic masterpiece standing the test of Time. The Sting is an instant classic, and an instant favourite.
The Set-Up
Writing a review for a book or a story is far less difficult than doing the same thing for a film or video game. While describing scenes from a book your source material is limited to the printed word and the imagination of the reader, whereas with a film your source material is an amalgamation of story, music, performance, cinematography, costume design and so much more. This has never been so clear to me as with The Sting. The film is purely oozing with charisma from it's first scene and is gripping throughout its entire 2 hour runtime.
The Hook
After a brilliant first outing in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, screen darlings Paul Newman and Robert Redford reunite four years later to bring to screen a witty gangster movie, set in 1930s Chicago, focused on two grifters trying to pull off the ultimate Con against a big New York shark played brilliantly by Robert Shaw. The film is directed by a familiar face - George Roy Hill who worked on the pairs previous film and his style completely elevates the already great script, which went through a rewrite to bring Newman's character a more prominent place in the story, which was absolutely the right call. The duo is charming and mischievous and, despite their less than legal escapades, it's impossible not to root for them, mostly because of how brilliantly Robert Shaw plays the villain. The tension rises every time he is on screen, like a ticking time bomb you are waiting to see the moment he snaps and our tricksters get busted.
The Tale
I am rather hesitant to delve deeper into the story of the film. It is definitely a piece best experienced first hand. The film consistently plays with the audience's emotions. Filled with brilliant misdirection and a plot that constantly keeps you guessing The Sting is anything but dull. Every scene is giving you hints and clues visually without forcing the information through dialogue. Every theme is subtly showcased and every story beat is well explored. You are never left feeling the need to see more or the need to see less. The film's pacing is great, each scene naturally flowing to another, the slow and introspective scenes are allowed to breathe while the action scenes are allowed to seize the moment.
Going through the film scene by scene would simply not be doing it justice. The charisma of the actors and their chemistry, the show-stopping visuals and music, and a story filled with misdirections, twists and turns is simply an experience best savored first hand.
The Wire
The film is filled with beautiful motifs that have since pervaded the culture with their iconic sounds. The long forgotten art of film openings has left a big void in modern cinema. These openings set the tone of the film to follow while allowing the artists to showcase their skill, talent and ease the audience into the story. They are often accompanied with beautiful themes, and The Sting is no exception. First thing you are hit with is this beautiful ragtime tune from the turn of the century which, while a few decades before the time the film is set in, perfectly fits the tone of a witty gangster movie. Every scene is perfectly followed by a motif previously set up, whether the scene be slow and somber or yet another chase, the tone is following the story. This perfectly timed tone shift allows for the film's twists and turns to hit so much harder and for the tension to be ever present.
The Shut-Out
We've become incredibly desensitized to style with modern films. The overuse of CGI, coupled with the similar colour schemes put in place to sell similar films to similar audiences has in some part taken the soul out of cinema. And while, of course, there are still stunning films, they are far and few between. So, going back to the movies of the 50s, 60s and 70s feels like a breath of fresh air.
The Sting begins with a wider shot showing the area of Chicago the film is set in which is rather rough, though colourful due to the tone the movie intends to set. Soon after we begin following a handsomely dressed lad and the camera focuses on his shoes, which are clearly not suited for the area he is in. This way of setting the tone visually coupled with the opening theme is a lost art that is rarely seen nowadays.
And The Sting doesn't pull its punches when it comes to style. The film is broken into chapters all with their own title cards, which have beautiful painted pieces that showcase the upcoming part. Along with these clear breaks the film is absolutely filled with little transitions that are simply to gush over.
Chicago provides a wonderful backdrop for a 30s gangster movie. The costume design is absolutely brilliant and showcases the peak fashion of the time while also not skipping out on the poorer areas of the city. A lot of the shots were filmed on site and not a single venue feels empty. Every room the camera walks into feels so lived in, which coupled with the realism in acting during the Con scenes makes you wonder if you are constantly watching a new con take place rather than watching a movie. The level of realism this achieves is quite incredible and with the gripping story filled with twists and turns brings the immersion to a whole other level.
The Players
While The Sting has some of the brightest stars of the era it is filled with plenty of memorable characters, and while their names might be forgettable their on screen presence is undeniable. From Shaw's Doyle Lonnegan, a ruthless New York shark addicted to gambling and an ego to match the leads, to brilliant Eileen Brennan's Billie, a savvy bar owner and Bonnie to Newman's Clyde. The movie is filled with fun supporting cast that is always memorable and filled with characters. While the movie has a serious theme filled with hired gunmen, and illegal activities it is filled with witty remarks and comedic scenes. The comedic timing of the entire cast is absolutely perfect and unintrusive. Crime focused mysteries often do well with a little bit of lighthearted humour and situational comedy and with a great cast that is only enhanced.
The Sting
With YouTube being such a prominent source for well made reviews of movies and shows, it is rather surprising to find such an amazing film scarcely covered. This comes as an even bigger surprised when noting that the film scored 7 wins at the Academy Awards, one of which being the ever prestigious Best Picture. The Sting had the misfortune of being sandwiched by two absolute goliaths - The Godfather and The Godfather II. This has lead to the movie, which already isn't set in a popular genre - the crime mystery, to be for the most part overlooked and become one of the most forgotten Best Picture winners. In spite of this The Sting stands the test of time and shows that the Academy rightfully awarded it the Best Picture award; it can definitely stand neck and neck with the cinema giant that preceded it and the one that followed it.
The Sting has easily become my all time favourite Film and it gets a (not so) rare 100/100 score. The only knock on the movie is that it's spiritual sequel The Sting II is definitely not the follow up The Godfather got.
Film Credits
Cast
Paul Newman as Henry Gondorff
Robert Redford as Johnny Hooker
Robert Shaw as Doyle Lonnegan
Eileen Brennan as Billie
Charles Durning as Lt. Wm. Snyder
Harold Gould as Kid Twist
Ray Walston as J.J. Singleton
Robert Earl Jones as Luther Coleman
Director
Writers
Composer
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