---
product_id: 2841032
title: "HUSTLER 1961"
price: "C$1253"
currency: NIO
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.ni/products/2841032-hustler-1961
store_origin: NI
region: Nicaragua
---

# HUSTLER 1961

**Price:** C$1253
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** HUSTLER 1961
- **How much does it cost?** C$1253 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ni](https://www.desertcart.ni/products/2841032-hustler-1961)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Fast Eddie Felson, an arrogant, amoral hustler who haunts backstreet pool rooms fleecing anyone who'll pick up a cue. Determined to be acclaimed as the best, Eddie seeks out the legendary Minnesota Fats, who's backed by Bert Gordon, a predatory gambler. Eddie can beat the champ, but virtually defeats himself with his low self-image. The love of a lonely woman could turn Eddie's life around, but he won't rest until he beats Minnesota Fats, no matter what price he must pay. Winner of 2 Oscars Awards for Best Cinematography and Art Direction. Includes: Starring Paul Newman, George C. Scott, Jackie3 Gleason and Piper Laurie. Includes: Audio commentary, making of, trailers, production stills and two featurettes. (1961) Running time: 135 minutes. Languages: English

Review: ONE OF THE MOST UNDERATED MASTER CLASS FILMS OF ALL TIME - Over the years I've watched eighty eight movies on the original list of the AFI Top 100 Movies of all-time and of those eighty eight movies there are about four or five films I would drop. Of the list of the AFI Tenth Year Anniversary Top 100 I've seen eighty three movies and though I was pleased to see "The Shawshank Redemption" was added to the group I was disappointed to find the AFI dropped both "Fargo" and "Rebel Without a Cause". Of that list I would drop about seven or eight of the newly listed films as well. As the original four to five films I'd drop still remained on the new list this makes a total of eleven to thirteen spots that, in my opinion could be filled by better American films. If I'm being honest most of the more intelligent movies these days do not come out of America. A lot of them come out of Europe. Take for instance recent gems "The Lives of Others", "Head On" and "Revanche" to name a few which are far superior to such embarrassing Oscar winners as "Juno", "Little Miss Sunshine" and the insipid and idiotic "Her". But back in 1961 at the start of a great boom in American cinema that would run up through the end of 1976, a timeless film came into being that any country and any generation could be proud of. It was based on Walter Tevis' first novel of the same name and it was called "The Hustler". The best description of the film I've ever come across is "A Greek Tragedy played out in pool halls". And that is precisely what it is. Shot in stark and glorious black and white the story tells a tale about the quest to be a winner and the price one must pay to achieve such a goal. The argument of the story or the premise if you will is "In order to win one must have character". The definition of both what it is to win and what denotes character is argued throughout the script. Eddie, the lead character, thinks winning equates with money and beating the best pool player around; Minnesota Fats whom he loses to in the first act and hungers to beat passionately from that point on. The villain Bert Gordon, who becomes Eddie's new manager, claims everyone has talent but not necessarily character and also believes winning equates with wealth but also that with wealth comes power. But the voice of reason in the story encompassed by Eddie's intelligent polio stricken alcoholic writer girlfriend Sarah Packard argues differently saying because Eddie possesses both a wealth of talent and an uncommon passionate love for the game he is a winner already. And with this the battle lines are drawn. The names of the characters in the story are paramount. Sarah brings this to light in an early scene where she is sitting in a bar with Eddie whom she has just met. She asks him if he wants to know what the name Sarah means and there is reason for this. The name "Sarah" means "Princess". Her last name "Packard" means "one who packs" which she finds herself having to do in order to keep Eddie. The name Burt means "Illustrious" with his last name Gordon meaning "Large Fortification". The name Eddie means "Wealthy Guard" and his surname Felson may allude to the translation "fallen son". Each name says something about the characters that may on the surface seem less than what they are as they dwell in the seedy and smoky world they inhabit. But do not be fooled. As Sarah points out Eddie is wealthy already. He's a talented winner who has already won her heart and doesn't need to beat Minnesota Fats to prove himself. But Burt, who has money but does not possess talent, passion or princess, is the devil on Eddie's shoulder urging him on to play Minnesota Fats again...and hustle some wealthy billiards players on the way as a means to use Eddie to line his pockets and feed his ego in his own twisted quest to be a winner. Eddie's drive to beat Minnesota Fats in a rematch makes him desperate and blind to Bert's manipulations. Bert's jealousy of Eddie's talent and the egotistical thrill of using him to make money are threatened by Sarah's intelligence and ability to see through his schemes and he fights to get rid of her. Sarah's insecurities about her deformity and her love for Eddie make her vulnerable despite her insightful ability to see through the haze and distinguish the truth about each of the men. This volatile combination needs amongst the three characters builds a tension that grows mesmerizingly until it reaches its explosive and unforgettable conclusion. This is an extraordinary film with standout performances all around. Jackie Gleason is perfectly cast as the cool headed pool champion Minnesota Fats. George C. Scott is excellent as a sleazy business man who as Sarah's character marvelously points out is a Roman who has to have it all. Piper Laurie plays Sarah with a convincing pitch perfect balance of brains, strength and fragility. And in one of his best if not his very best performance Paul Newman plays Fast Eddie brilliantly showing us all the power and fissures in this engaging and tragically flawed man. The directing is spot on bringing us straight into a seedy underground of early 1960's pool halls filled with desperation and the struggle for triumph. And the writing is top notch with its complex layers drawing us into its characters and its themes which keep us riveted from beginning to end. It still shocks me even now that "The Hustler" did not make the AFI Top One Hundred. The movie is a brilliant timeless testament to America's obsession with winning. Possibly the best ever. All one needs to do is turn on a television set where from sports to reality shows to awards shows we can how relevant it's premise remains to this day. Of all the great American films ever made, "The Hustler" may just be the most overlooked masterpiece of them all.
Review: Outstanding Early 1960's Classic -- Excellent Blu-ray - The Hustler is a widely acclaimed film with an all-star cast. It won 2 of its 9 Oscar nominations,with all four of its 4 principal actors, Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, George C. Scott, and Piper Laurie each receiving nominations for their acting performances. Although it was one of Newman's early roles, it wasn't his first. He had already made the A-list in 1956 playing Rocky Graziano in "Somebody Up There Likes Me," reaffirming his star power and popularity in 1958 as the male lead opposite Elizabeth Taylor in "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof." Jackie Gleason, was best known at the time as a comedian, variety show host, and creator of the "Honeymooners" TV comedy, starring in its lead role. In a completely non-comedic role, he plays Minnesota Fatst, a pool hustler widely acclaimed as the best in the country. It shows an entirely different aspect of Gleason's acting ability. Fast Eddie (Newman) has become obsessed with beating Minnesota Fats in a match. Tension among the characters steadily builds, particularly among Newman, Laurie and Scott, to the very end. Shot in B&W with which the director, Rossen, was more comfortable and accustomed to than color, it is entirely appropriate for the gritty and grimy old pool hall settings that comprise most of the film. While The Hustler may be classed by some as a "pool film" and it certainly increased the popularity of pool when originally released, it's not about pool or pool sharks. The game and its hustlers are only the vehicle for Fast Eddie attempting to find himself and salvation with Sara (Piper Laurie) who was slightly crippled by polio as a child, but she's not the only one flawed. The other three are flawed, being driven by their own character crippling demons. The film was unique and shocking in 1961 with its emotional intensity. It will seem tamer now, but maintains a compelling, gut wrenching outcome at the end, and that is the film's timeless power. Blu-ray transfer has excellent grayscale with good contrast and is clean. Grain is present but handled well without sacrificing detail. The audio is limited by its original monaural source of low fidelity monaural source of low fidelity by today's standards. It has been reworked to 5.1, but the low fidelity shows with the opening Fox theme and logo. There is a 2.0 option if desired but it does not improve the overall fidelity. There's only so much that can be done with the original soundtrack.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN  | B000063US2 |
| Actors  | George C. Scott, Jackie Gleason, Myron McCormick, Paul Newman, Piper Laurie |
| Aspect Ratio  | 2.35:1 |
| Best Sellers Rank | #63,591 in Movies & TV ( See Top 100 in Movies & TV ) #743 in Sports (Movies & TV) #10,148 in Drama DVDs |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (3,771) |
| Director  | Robert Rossen |
| Dubbed:  | French, Spanish |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer  | No |
| Item model number  | 3161903 |
| Language  | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) |
| MPAA rating  | Unrated (Not Rated) |
| Media Format  | Anamorphic, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Multiple Formats, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen |
| Number of discs  | 1 |
| Product Dimensions  | 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.72 ounces |
| Release date  | June 4, 2002 |
| Run time  | 2 hours and 14 minutes |
| Studio  | 20th Century Fox |
| Subtitles:  | English, Spanish |
| Writers  | Robert Rossen, Sidney Carroll, Walter Tevis |

## Images

![HUSTLER 1961 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81u8KyWGK8L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ONE OF THE MOST UNDERATED MASTER CLASS FILMS OF ALL TIME
*by P***S on September 6, 2014*

Over the years I've watched eighty eight movies on the original list of the AFI Top 100 Movies of all-time and of those eighty eight movies there are about four or five films I would drop. Of the list of the AFI Tenth Year Anniversary Top 100 I've seen eighty three movies and though I was pleased to see "The Shawshank Redemption" was added to the group I was disappointed to find the AFI dropped both "Fargo" and "Rebel Without a Cause". Of that list I would drop about seven or eight of the newly listed films as well. As the original four to five films I'd drop still remained on the new list this makes a total of eleven to thirteen spots that, in my opinion could be filled by better American films. If I'm being honest most of the more intelligent movies these days do not come out of America. A lot of them come out of Europe. Take for instance recent gems "The Lives of Others", "Head On" and "Revanche" to name a few which are far superior to such embarrassing Oscar winners as "Juno", "Little Miss Sunshine" and the insipid and idiotic "Her". But back in 1961 at the start of a great boom in American cinema that would run up through the end of 1976, a timeless film came into being that any country and any generation could be proud of. It was based on Walter Tevis' first novel of the same name and it was called "The Hustler". The best description of the film I've ever come across is "A Greek Tragedy played out in pool halls". And that is precisely what it is. Shot in stark and glorious black and white the story tells a tale about the quest to be a winner and the price one must pay to achieve such a goal. The argument of the story or the premise if you will is "In order to win one must have character". The definition of both what it is to win and what denotes character is argued throughout the script. Eddie, the lead character, thinks winning equates with money and beating the best pool player around; Minnesota Fats whom he loses to in the first act and hungers to beat passionately from that point on. The villain Bert Gordon, who becomes Eddie's new manager, claims everyone has talent but not necessarily character and also believes winning equates with wealth but also that with wealth comes power. But the voice of reason in the story encompassed by Eddie's intelligent polio stricken alcoholic writer girlfriend Sarah Packard argues differently saying because Eddie possesses both a wealth of talent and an uncommon passionate love for the game he is a winner already. And with this the battle lines are drawn. The names of the characters in the story are paramount. Sarah brings this to light in an early scene where she is sitting in a bar with Eddie whom she has just met. She asks him if he wants to know what the name Sarah means and there is reason for this. The name "Sarah" means "Princess". Her last name "Packard" means "one who packs" which she finds herself having to do in order to keep Eddie. The name Burt means "Illustrious" with his last name Gordon meaning "Large Fortification". The name Eddie means "Wealthy Guard" and his surname Felson may allude to the translation "fallen son". Each name says something about the characters that may on the surface seem less than what they are as they dwell in the seedy and smoky world they inhabit. But do not be fooled. As Sarah points out Eddie is wealthy already. He's a talented winner who has already won her heart and doesn't need to beat Minnesota Fats to prove himself. But Burt, who has money but does not possess talent, passion or princess, is the devil on Eddie's shoulder urging him on to play Minnesota Fats again...and hustle some wealthy billiards players on the way as a means to use Eddie to line his pockets and feed his ego in his own twisted quest to be a winner. Eddie's drive to beat Minnesota Fats in a rematch makes him desperate and blind to Bert's manipulations. Bert's jealousy of Eddie's talent and the egotistical thrill of using him to make money are threatened by Sarah's intelligence and ability to see through his schemes and he fights to get rid of her. Sarah's insecurities about her deformity and her love for Eddie make her vulnerable despite her insightful ability to see through the haze and distinguish the truth about each of the men. This volatile combination needs amongst the three characters builds a tension that grows mesmerizingly until it reaches its explosive and unforgettable conclusion. This is an extraordinary film with standout performances all around. Jackie Gleason is perfectly cast as the cool headed pool champion Minnesota Fats. George C. Scott is excellent as a sleazy business man who as Sarah's character marvelously points out is a Roman who has to have it all. Piper Laurie plays Sarah with a convincing pitch perfect balance of brains, strength and fragility. And in one of his best if not his very best performance Paul Newman plays Fast Eddie brilliantly showing us all the power and fissures in this engaging and tragically flawed man. The directing is spot on bringing us straight into a seedy underground of early 1960's pool halls filled with desperation and the struggle for triumph. And the writing is top notch with its complex layers drawing us into its characters and its themes which keep us riveted from beginning to end. It still shocks me even now that "The Hustler" did not make the AFI Top One Hundred. The movie is a brilliant timeless testament to America's obsession with winning. Possibly the best ever. All one needs to do is turn on a television set where from sports to reality shows to awards shows we can how relevant it's premise remains to this day. Of all the great American films ever made, "The Hustler" may just be the most overlooked masterpiece of them all.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding Early 1960's Classic -- Excellent Blu-ray
*by J***N on September 16, 2013*

The Hustler is a widely acclaimed film with an all-star cast. It won 2 of its 9 Oscar nominations,with all four of its 4 principal actors, Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, George C. Scott, and Piper Laurie each receiving nominations for their acting performances. Although it was one of Newman's early roles, it wasn't his first. He had already made the A-list in 1956 playing Rocky Graziano in "Somebody Up There Likes Me," reaffirming his star power and popularity in 1958 as the male lead opposite Elizabeth Taylor in "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof." Jackie Gleason, was best known at the time as a comedian, variety show host, and creator of the "Honeymooners" TV comedy, starring in its lead role. In a completely non-comedic role, he plays Minnesota Fatst, a pool hustler widely acclaimed as the best in the country. It shows an entirely different aspect of Gleason's acting ability. Fast Eddie (Newman) has become obsessed with beating Minnesota Fats in a match. Tension among the characters steadily builds, particularly among Newman, Laurie and Scott, to the very end. Shot in B&W with which the director, Rossen, was more comfortable and accustomed to than color, it is entirely appropriate for the gritty and grimy old pool hall settings that comprise most of the film. While The Hustler may be classed by some as a "pool film" and it certainly increased the popularity of pool when originally released, it's not about pool or pool sharks. The game and its hustlers are only the vehicle for Fast Eddie attempting to find himself and salvation with Sara (Piper Laurie) who was slightly crippled by polio as a child, but she's not the only one flawed. The other three are flawed, being driven by their own character crippling demons. The film was unique and shocking in 1961 with its emotional intensity. It will seem tamer now, but maintains a compelling, gut wrenching outcome at the end, and that is the film's timeless power. Blu-ray transfer has excellent grayscale with good contrast and is clean. Grain is present but handled well without sacrificing detail. The audio is limited by its original monaural source of low fidelity monaural source of low fidelity by today's standards. It has been reworked to 5.1, but the low fidelity shows with the opening Fox theme and logo. There is a 2.0 option if desired but it does not improve the overall fidelity. There's only so much that can be done with the original soundtrack.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the greatest Films ever made
*by G***B on December 19, 2025*

As a Child of 10, when this treasure was made. I was struck by the Game of Pool I practiced every day, until I started to go down the path of Fast Eddie. A hard lesson learned, in time to save my self destruction. This is one of those Life changing Films By far, the acting, writing, and filming are a rare joy. Paul Newman's Best performance This movie changed my Life. The color of Money was a gift to Newman, as prize for not giving him the Oscar that year. Now at 74, I look back in awe of his Powerful Character Presence. Wish I could still hold a Cue. Thank You Mr. Newman R.I.P.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Hustler
- The Color Of Money [DVD]
- Cool Hand Luke [Deluxe Edition] [DVD] [1967]

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ni/products/2841032-hustler-1961](https://www.desertcart.ni/products/2841032-hustler-1961)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Nicaragua*
*Store origin: NI*
*Last updated: 2026-02-22*