The art of the con

It was a treat to rediscover the joys of "The Sting" yesterday, and our group discussion of the movie yielded some interesting observations. Here's a roundup of our analysis:

WHAT MAKES THIS PICTURE SUCH A CROWD-PLEASING, ENTERTAINING AFFAIR?

·       The script is like a well-oiled machine; efficiently constructed, carefully crafted so you cannot easily guess the twists and turns to come, ever kinetic and constantly in motion to keep our attention, and loaded with fascinating characters.

·       The brilliant re-casting of Newman and Redford (earlier teamed together for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), who were both major sex symbol actor celebrities at this time and who each fit their roles perfectly.

·       The rest of the cast, featuring top-notch character actors and faces that perfectly fit their parts, including Robert Shaw, Charles Durning, Eileen Brennan, Robert Earl Jones and Ray Walston.

·       The timeless, jaunty, feel-good music of Scott Joplin, interpreted here by composer Marvin Hamlisch; “The Entertainer” is a catchy tune that bounces around in your head and is forever married to The Sting as its theme song.

o   Interestingly, this music was originally written decades prior to the 1930s setting of the story; it works, however, because of its whimsical tone and because it conjures up nostalgia for a bygone period, just as the older con artist characters are nostalgic for a bygone period; hence, this would have been the soundtrack to their lives when they were younger.

·       The setup to the “sting” of Lonnegan, referenced in the film’s title, and the payoff: the fact that Hooker and Gondorff pull it off beautifully, with no loose ends or plot holes, is enormously satisfying to viewers that pay attention throughout the movie. Those that do are rewarded, and continue to be rewarded upon repeat viewings.

o   Keep in mind that, prior to this film, con men and caper movies usually telegraphed the schemes and grifts of the main characters with careful exposition and dialogue that informed the audience about what to expect.

o   The climactic “sting” itself—referring to the instant when a con man completes his play and takes the mark’s money—and other earlier moments are a wink-wink “gotcha” to the audience that we’ve also been fooled, which elicits admiration from the audience.

THIS FILM HAS A DISTINCTIVE LOOK AND TONE EVOCATIVE OF THE PERIOD IT INVOKES. CAN YOU PROVIDE EXAMPLES?

·       It’s a loving homage to bygone gangster pictures of the 1930s.

o   It employs period-accurate sets, costumes, props and vehicles to recall this Great Depression-era time.

o   The gangsters are threatening and capable of violence, but not Godfather-like menace or murder; in an era when cinema was reflecting the dark, pessimistic themes of early 1970s America in pictures like Chinatown, The Godfather, and The French Connection, this was a more lighthearted, playful film in which the bad guys weren’t terrifying or psychologically complex.

o   Those 1930s gangster pictures also didn’t’ use a lot of extras in their scenes, so the Sting’s filmmakers also purposely chose to skip using extras in many scenes.

·       The movie is wistful in its tone for the golden age of Hollywood.

o   Consider the use of the classic Universal logo from decades earlier.

o   The filmmakers also utilize old-fashioned transitions such as iris shots and editing wipes.

o   A muted color palette dominated primarily by browns and maroons was used, as well as a throwback lighting style.

o   The Saturday Evening Post-influenced title cards that head each chapter are also reminiscent of the 1930s.

IF YOU LIKED THE STING, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE SIMILAR MOVIES:

·       The Flim Flam Man

·       Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, an earlier film featuring Newman and Redford as likeable anti-heroes who break the law

·       Paper Moon, spotlighting a father-daughter con man team, also released in 1973

·       The Grifters, a modern take on con men

·       Ocean’s Eleven, another popular caper movie starring big name sex symbol actors

·       Sleuth, another puzzle of a movie that tries to keep you guessing

·       Films based on stories written by Damon Runyon, famous for his colorful con men and gangster characters, including Guys and Dolls, The Lemon Drop Kid, The Big Street, Three Wise Guys, and Bloodhounds of Broadway

·       The Shawshank Redemption, which also has a great payoff ending where the protagonist gets the better of the villain in a setup that you don’t see coming

OTHER FILMS DIRECTED BY GEORGE ROY HILL

·       Thoroughly Modern Millie

·       Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

·       Slaughterhouse-Five

·       Slap Shot

·       The World According to Garp