Picture 46: The Sting (1973)

1973 introduces two megastars in the form of Robert Redford and Paul Newman. George Roy Hill returns to directing this leading pair four years after his 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The Sting won 7 Oscars and was a massive critical and commercial success immediately after its release. The stage is surely set for a high-ranking film.

Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) are two conmen in Depression era America. After one of Hooker’s partners is murdered by Irish mob boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), Hooker develops an elaborate revenge plot to con Lonnegan out of huge sums of money. The story then moves on at a pace through Chicago and the state of Illinois.

I felt societal pressure to enjoy this film but after a while I had to stop pretending and admit to myself that I wasn’t really enjoying it. My chuckles and face of intrigue were in fact put on to please imaginary people and I wasn’t being true to myself. Deep down I was a bit bored and watching how many minutes were left before the end credits. There are some redeeming features. Robert Shaw’s performance for example is very good. He is menacing and armed with his perpetual one liner “Do you folla (follow)?”. The luxurious 20th Century Limited train is also a great backdrop for any film sequence and is surely enough to please any trainspotters watching.

However, Robert and Paul’s performances disappear into a vat of predictable anonymity – perhaps they were complacently thinking about their next pay cheque rather than their lines and character arcs. Also, is it controversial to say conmen just aren’t that interesting? The plot is intricate but in an annoying way that is hard to follow rather than a gratifying way. The soundtrack also can begin to grate. In time, Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” becomes an irritating sensation on the ears rather than a joyful, ragtime appendage to entry 46.

Watchable but nothing spectacular, The Sting is the lowest scoring film so far in 1970s. A possible top 10 finish was anticipated but instead it finds itself competing with The Life of Emile Zola (1937) for 36th place. You would probably be better off watching these two in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and ending the evening there. Do you folla?

Rating: 6/10

Oscar Best Picture Rankings:

1. The Godfather (1972)

2. Casablanca (1943)

3. The Apartment (1960)

4. Rebecca (1940)

5. The Sound of Music (1965)

6. A Man for All Seasons (1966)

7. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

8. Ben-Hur (1959)

9. Lost Weekend (1945)

10. All About Eve (1950)

11. Hamlet (1948)

12. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

13. Gone With the Wind (1939)

14. West Side Story (1961)

15. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

16. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

17. Wings (1928)

18. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

19. You can’t take it with you (1938)

20. Patton (1970)

21. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

22. On the Waterfront (1954)

23. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

24. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

25. Marty (1955)

26. Oliver! (1968)

27. Cimarron (1931)

28. Grand Hotel (1932)

29. The French Connection (1971)

30. An American in Paris (1951)

31. From Here to Eternity (1953)

32. It Happened One Night (1934)

33. My Fair Lady (1964)

34. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

35. Cavalcade (1933)

36. The Sting (1973)

37. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

38. Going My Way (1944)

39. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

40. All the King’s Men (1949)

41. In the Heat of the Night (1967)

42. Gigi (1958)

43. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

44. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

45. The Broadway Melody (1929)

46. Tom Jones (1963)

Previous or current ranking leaders are in bold.

With credit and thanks to the patrons of the Best Picture Film Club:

Dr Sophie Bloomfield

Dr Caspar Briault

Dr Kate Diomede

Dr Fionnuala Durrant

Dr Josh Fisher

Mr Vivian Gallaher

Mrs Clare Gallaher

Dr Adam Holland

Dr Hannah Morrison

Dr Meera Radia