The Sting [DVD] [1977]

Some people would have you believe that The Sting did not deserve it's 1973 best picture Oscar, that maybe it should've gone to the Exorcist. They are wrong The Sting is a brilliantly made and performed movie, it is a delightful film led by it's 2 lead stars at the height of their fame who spark off each other wonderfully just as they did in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. But it is not only the stars who recommend the film the supporting cast is very strong with lots of familiar character actors such as Charles Durning in excellent supporting roles. Also Robert Shaw provides a suitably roguish villain and director George Roy Hill evokes the style of old films with cards appearing on screen to announce the next stage of the film aping silent movies, then there is the use of editing wipe cuts that again evoke an earlier type of film making and finally to enhance the atmosphere of an earlier age there is Marvin Hamlish's arrangements of Scott Joplin's ragtime music.The film is a tale of revenge, how some con men take revenge on a gangster who has killed one of their friends and the story is about how they achieve that revenge, the script creates an intricate and satisfying plot and the performances of Robert Redford and Paul Newman are the epitome of a star performance, very charismatic and enjoyable. So the film is a brilliantly constructed piece of entertainment that was well worth it's best picture Oscar and is a movie that is well worth seeing.

Film entertainment doesn't come much better. Newman, Redford, Shaw and a stellar supporting cast keeps you thoroughly entertained for the duration. Haven't got a 4K-player yet (it's on the wish list) but the Blu-ray appears to look better than the previous releases and the extras; incl. a very fine book about the film is well worth considering getting this version of the release of "The Sting." Almost more important is; it is one of those films you can watch with the whole family without having to worry too much about people feeling uncomfortable due to excessive violence or sex scenes (not that I have any problems with those), and there ain't too many films around like that these days. Enjoy!

5stars for this film in every aspect. The feel, the story, the characters, the music , the sets, everything. Redford and Newman are awesome as they try and pull off the big con. Two of the biggest names in Hollywood and they make great acting look effortless. Their on screen chemistry is fantastic.Robert Shaw is superb as the vicious crime lord who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. His subtle hints as to what will happen if his 'customers' don't obey his word are legend, do you follow!This film is 35 years old now and the beauty of it is it will never fade, its a timeless piece and a must for any fan of the silver screen, young or old. When they say 'they don't make them like this anymore' its never more true for this classic.

It's one of those films you have seen before but forget exactly what happens and are continmuously surprised. The acting is brilliant of course and there is a good, proper ending!.

This is a near-perfect movie, which remains one of my all-time favourites. First and foremost it has some terrific acting performances notably from Paul Newman and Robert Shaw, both of whom are in scene stealing form. The poker game on the train is the undoubted highlight for me. Newman's pretend drunk is one of the best I've ever seen and Robert Shaw's unspoken fury is brilliant. Thanks to the script, the film, which is over over two hours long doesn't have a wasted frame.The bluray is good and for a 40+ year old film it looks as good as I've ever seen it. There were a few places where I thought they maybe could have made a bit more effort, but overall its well worth having over the DVD. Extras are not exceptional, there are some interesting interviews, but the main reason to buy this is the film itself.

Great film! Great music by Marvin Hamlisch and Scott Joplin. Such charismatic stars in Paul Newman and Robert Redford. What support from Robert Shaw, Eileen Brennan, Charles Durning and others! It didn't win seven Oscars for nothing and is one of those films that is so entertaining that you really can watch it again and again - probably why I bought it! The 1920s depression setting is wonderfully brought to the screen. As someone described the film to me before I'd seen it is encapsulated by my heading above.

The Sting is a must see for everyone; the cinematic screen at its ultimate best with superb performances from Redford and Newman. A superbly written script could not have achieved so much without Newman and Redford as this is probably their best acting performance ever. Sit back and just enjoy - if you've not seen this before you are in for a treat.

This is a pleasant enough film, the main attractions of which are the character actors and the nicely done period touches.On the other hand, the plot is somewhat too contrived to really convince and the ending is rather a damp squib.Some people have said that the ragtime arrangements that form much of the background to this film are intrusive, but this probably comes down to whether you like this style of music or not. A more substantial criticism is probably that it is a little too much studio bound, with the train scenes looking rather cardboardy.It's probably not a bad film to keep, but the more you play it, the more evident are the holes in the plot. And after a few re-runs, these do get a bit annoying. I don't think my DVD has been played since about 2011 and it's probably about time it went in the charity bag.