The Hustler

In Robert Rossen's THE HUSTLER, "Fast" Eddie Felson (Paul Newman), a self-assured upstart pool shark, frequents the local halls to get a crack at bringing down the legendary Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). Under the wing of corrupt manager Bert Gordon (George C. Scott), Eddie begins to struggle to the top. But when he starts to have real feelings for a woman (Piper Laurie), he's faced with a dilemma. This acclaimed drama was nominated for numerous Academy Awards, and Newman would go on to achieve Best Actor for the film's 1986 sequel, THE COLOR OF MONEY.