The Sting

The Sting (1973) starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw, Charles Durning, Ray Walston, Eileen Brennan. Directed by George Roy Hill. In 1936, small-time con man Johnny Hooker (Redford) seeks out Henry Gondorff (Newman) so that they can team up and run the "big con" on Doyle Lonnegan (Shaw), a vicious crime boss. The catch is, Hooker's inexperienced and Gondorff is out of practice. Plus, if Lonnegan catches on, they're dead. The filmmakers pull a "sting" on the audience, too, so there's suspense right up to the end. The actors, including supporting players, are all good. The Sting won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The DVD includes subtitles in English for the hearing-impaired, but no closed captions. Grade: A