The Sting (1973)

Introduction: The Art of the Con, Dressed in Style

Few films have managed to capture the spirit of both the old-school Hollywood caper and the gritty charm of Depression-era America quite like The Sting. Released in 1973, this immaculately constructed crime comedy reunites Paul Newman and Robert Redford after their star-making turn in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). But where that film leaned into Western nostalgia and tragedy, The Sting is all razzle-dazzle—a playful, layered tale of deception wrapped in Art Deco polish and ragtime jazz.

Set in 1936 Chicago, The Sting is a love letter to the golden age of the long con. It’s a film about grifters and gangsters, about friendship and revenge, and—above all—about style over brute force. It’s also a film that trusts the intelligence of its audience, pulling the ultimate con by conning you, the viewer, right along with its marks.

Plot Summary: One Big Con, Many Small Twists

The film opens with Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford), a small-time con artist, accidentally swindling a large amount of money from a courier for powerful crime boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). When Lonnegan retaliates by having Hooker’s partner killed, Hooker goes on the run, seeking help from the legendary grifter Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman).

Gondorff, semi-retired and hiding from the FBI, agrees to help Hooker pull off "the big con" on Lonnegan as payback. The plan? A complex and elegant ruse involving a fake off-track betting parlour, rigged horse races, an entire team of grifters posing as bookies, and endless layers of bluff, double-bluff, and sleight-of-hand. Every detail is precise, every character a cog in the scheme.

The film is divided into "chapters" with stylized title cards (e.g., “The Set-Up,” “The Hook,” “The Wire”), mirroring the structure of a con itself and giving the film a storybook elegance.

Themes and Analysis

Deception and Performance

At its core, The Sting is about storytelling. Grifting, like filmmaking, is about manipulating perception, crafting illusions, and selling them with conviction. Every character is essentially acting—pretending to be someone they’re not to achieve their goals. The film becomes a meta-commentary on cinema itself, where the audience is willingly conned for the joy of the spectacle.

Friendship and Mentorship

The relationship between Hooker and Gondorff adds heart to the plot’s mechanics. Gondorff, world-weary and precise, becomes both mentor and father figure to the impulsive Hooker. Their dynamic, built on trust amidst an atmosphere of lies, gives the film emotional weight that elevates it beyond genre fare.

Revenge and Justice

Hooker’s motivation is simple: vengeance for his friend’s murder. But the film doesn’t paint him as a traditional hero. Justice here is personal, poetic, and delivered through manipulation rather than violence. In a world ruled by powerful criminals and crooked cops, the con becomes a subversive form of justice.

Performances

Robert Redford (Oscar-nominated for this role) is electric as Johnny Hooker. Wide-eyed but cunning, he plays the part with a mix of youthful bravado and growing maturity. Redford walks the tightrope between cocky and vulnerable with total confidence.

Paul Newman, ever the cool operator, gives Gondorff an undercurrent of melancholy beneath the bravado. Whether he’s faking drunkenness to cheat at poker or quietly orchestrating a multi-layered scheme, Newman commands every scene with charisma and grace.

Robert Shaw is menacing perfection as Doyle Lonnegan. A man of dangerous pride and simmering rage, Shaw plays him like a shark in a three-piece suit. The film's infamous poker scene between Lonnegan and Gondorff is a masterclass in tension and comic timing.

The supporting cast—Charles Durning as a crooked cop, Ray Walston, Eileen Brennan, and Harold Gould—are all pitch-perfect, filling out a world that feels lived-in and authentic.

Direction and Style

George Roy Hill directs with flair and confidence. The pacing is precise, the tone delicately balanced between suspense and levity, and the period detail immaculate. He doesn't just tell a story—he builds a world that feels real even when everything in it is a trick.

The editing is clever but never flashy. Hill allows suspense to simmer, particularly in the build up to the final “sting,” when multiple storylines and betrayals converge in a jaw-dropping climax. He trusts the audience to keep up—and they’re rewarded for their attention.

Music: Scott Joplin’s Ragtime Revival

One of the film’s most iconic elements is its score—particularly “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, arranged by Marvin Hamlisch. Though ragtime was more typical of the 1910s than the 1930s, the jaunty piano tunes perfectly match the film’s playful spirit and give it a timeless, nostalgic charm.

The soundtrack helped spark a ragtime revival in the 1970s, becoming one of the rare instances where a film’s music became a cultural phenomenon in its own right.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

The Sting was a massive critical and commercial success, winning 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. It’s one of the few caper films that manages to be both intellectually satisfying and emotionally resonant.

Its influence can be felt in countless heist and con films—Ocean’s Eleven, Matchstick Men, The Usual Suspects, and Catch Me If You Can all owe something to The Sting. It remains the gold standard for stylish, twisty, ensemble-driven storytelling.

Final Thoughts

The Sting is more than just a con movie—it’s a meticulously crafted celebration of ingenuity, friendship, and cinematic sleight-of-hand. Few films deliver this level of satisfaction without relying on action or spectacle. Every twist is earned, every character arc meaningful, every line delivered with flair.

It’s a film that respects the intelligence of its audience, delights in misdirection, and ends not with violence, but with a smile and a wink. And like the best cons, you’ll want to watch it again just to see how it all came together.