Sting-100th Anniversary Collectors Series Blu Ray/ (1973)

Editor's Note Hoping that box-office lighting might strike twice, George Roy Hill again joined forces with Paul Newman and Robert Redford, who star as con men Henry Gondorff and Johnny Hooker in THE STING. In the Chicago of the 1930s, Johnny's partner, Luther (Robert Earl Jones), is fatally wounded by a victim of one of their scams who turns out to be powerful syndicate boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). Eager for revenge, Johnny takes a tip from his dying partner and seeks out mutual friend Gondorff, a consummate master of the long con. Gondorff rouses himself from his alcoholic inertia and agrees to help Johnny take down the despicable Lonnegan, conscripting an army of grifters ready to avenge their friend's death. The labyrinthine plot, which is stuffed with false leads, red herrings, and a double-cross-a-minute, involves a fake bookie joint, a very persistent FBI agent, a bunch of corrupt cops, and one shifty dame. An extremely entertaining film, the Oscar-winning film transcends the genre through the superb acting of the three leads, the keen attention to the re-creation of period detail, and a fiendishly intricate script that cons audiences completely. The wonderful score, which became immensely popular, featured Marvin Hamlisch's orchestral transcriptions of Scott Joplin's piano rags; the film led to a revival of interest in the composer. The film is one of the most entertaining films of the 1970s and lives up to its hype on repeat viewings.

	Charles Durning
	Brad Sullivan
	Eileen Brennan
	James Sloyan
	Charles Dierkop
	Arch Johnson
	Ray Walston
	Larry D. Mann
	Robert Shaw
	Ed Bakey
	Joe Tornatore
	Paul Newman
	Avon Long
	Robert Redford
	Robert Earl Jones
	Dimitra Arliss
	Jack Kehoe
	Sally Kirkland
	Harold Gould
	Dana Elcar
	John Quade
	David S. Ward - Screenwriter
	Julia Phillips - Producer
	Tony Bill - Producer
	David Brown - Executive Producer
	Robert Surtees - Director of Photography
	Edith Head - Costume Designer
	Marvin Hamlisch - Composer
	Michael Phillips - Producer
	George Roy Hill - Director

This lighthearted caper tells the story of two con men who attempt to swindle a powerful racketeer in 1930s Chicago. Johnny Hooker is a young confidence man whose mentor is murdered when they run afoul of syndicate head Doyle Lonnegan. Seeking revenge as well as a career boost, Hooker joins forces with old pro Henry Gondorff. Together the two scam artists cook up a complicated gambling sting that could net them the big score they are looking for.