The Sting [DVD] [1977]

Some people would have you believe that The Sting did not deserve it's 1973 best picture Oscar, that maybe it should've gone to the Exorcist. They are wrong The Sting is a brilliantly made and performed movie, it is a delightful film led by it's 2 lead stars at the height of their fame who spark off each other wonderfully just as they did in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. But it is not only the stars who recommend the film the supporting cast is very strong with lots of familiar character actors such as Charles Durning in excellent supporting roles. Also Robert Shaw provides a suitably roguish villain and director George Roy Hill evokes the style of old films with cards appearing on screen to announce the next stage of the film aping silent movies, then there is the use of editing wipe cuts that again evoke an earlier type of film making and finally to enhance the atmosphere of an earlier age there is Marvin Hamlish's arrangements of Scott Joplin's ragtime music.The film is a tale of revenge, how some con men take revenge on a gangster who has killed one of their friends and the story is about how they achieve that revenge, the script creates an intricate and satisfying plot and the performances of Robert Redford and Paul Newman are the epitome of a star performance, very charismatic and enjoyable. So the film is a brilliantly constructed piece of entertainment that was well worth it's best picture Oscar and is a movie that is well worth seeing.

This is a pleasant enough film, the main attractions of which are the character actors and the nicely done period touches.On the other hand, the plot is somewhat too contrived to really convince and the ending is rather a damp squib.Some people have said that the ragtime arrangements that form much of the background to this film are intrusive, but this probably comes down to whether you like this style of music or not. A more substantial criticism is probably that it is a little too much studio bound, with the train scenes looking rather cardboardy.It's probably not a bad film to keep, but the more you play it, the more evident are the holes in the plot. And after a few re-runs, these do get a bit annoying. I don't think my DVD has been played since about 2011 and it's probably about time it went in the charity bag.

Two of the great US actors with a good plot and an excellent twist at the end. Basically it's about a couple of 'grifters' who go out to avenge the death of a friend by conning the man responsible out of a lot of cash.If you've ever watched 'The Hustle' TV series (the one with Robert Vaughn) then I would suggest that The Sting is the grandfather of it. In fact I'd be very surprised if the inspiration for the TV series hadn't come from this movie, since the style is similar and you don't really know how it's going to work out until right at the end.Interestingly, I bought this for my family who'd never seen it (along with 3 Days of the Condor and Where Eagles Dare) and afterwards my son (12 yo) remarked on how much better the plots are on these older films. My feeling is that modern films seem to rely too heavily on special effects at the expense of a good story line.

It's a classic and I'd completely forgotten how much I love this film. Bought it to renew my love and to introduce my partner to it as he'd never seen it. The classic pairing of Robert Redford and Paul Newman always brings something special to the screen. The musical score is amongst the best from Scott Joplin. By today's standards, it may not be rammed with special effects, swearing or glitzy locations but it has the most important thing of all - a great storyline brought to life by some superb actors, with a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Eat your heart out Oceans Eleven!

This is a near-perfect movie, which remains one of my all-time favourites. First and foremost it has some terrific acting performances notably from Paul Newman and Robert Shaw, both of whom are in scene stealing form. The poker game on the train is the undoubted highlight for me. Newman's pretend drunk is one of the best I've ever seen and Robert Shaw's unspoken fury is brilliant. Thanks to the script, the film, which is over over two hours long doesn't have a wasted frame.The bluray is good and for a 40+ year old film it looks as good as I've ever seen it. There were a few places where I thought they maybe could have made a bit more effort, but overall its well worth having over the DVD. Extras are not exceptional, there are some interesting interviews, but the main reason to buy this is the film itself.

"The Sting" holds a special place in my memory. My Dad told me that in 1973 it was the first film he'd ever seen at the Cinema where the entire audience applauded at the end! It's a film I've watched many times over. Great performances from the entire cast and intricate cinematography made this movies one of the all time greats.

One of the greatest con films ever made.Actors very professional and the story is excellent.Redford and Newman great actors.This film can be shown in any era and will still get 5 stars.Age of this film does not matter.The story is about Horseracing and betting cons.Similar betting cons are apparent today but not on this scale.Skullduggery is rife in racing and authorities not prepared to stamp out.In addition,There is the Sting 2 with Robert Shaw.This is based on card conning.Excellent but not as good as.Would recommend anyone who engages into reading good books and becoming part of the story to purchase this DVD.

Set in Chicago in the 1930s, this moderate comedy film features usual pairing of Paul Newman and Robert Redford previously from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid but this time as a gambling duo plus the worthy addition of Robert Shaw to the main cast. The dialogues are quite dodgy and considering the fact that the film was made in 1973, the techniques are still good together with the efforts to make Chicago seedy 1930s-like. Again, I won't give too much away. Worth buying.