Ryan ChartrandThe audience quiets down as the lights dim in the historic Fremont Theatre. Everyone settles in, eager for the next installment of the Fremont Theatre’s Screening Room Classics series film – a 1970s classic sure to conjure up a few smiles, a few laughs and a few memories as well – “The Sting” in its original 35-millimeter format.
This is Hollywood in its glory days, raw and real; a pleasant flashback to days long gone by, never to be seen again.
“The Sting” stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford, and features an all-star cast of prominent actors. The film made its 1973 debut premiering simultaneously in New York and Los Angeles. The film continued to garner rave reviews worldwide as well as generate box office gold for the studio.
Current film-making trends, such as computerized images, green screen special effects and a digitized editing process, stand in stark contrast to the film-making days of yesteryear. The screening choice of 35 millimeter leaves the viewing audience with the impression they are seeing the film as it was originally meant to be seen.
The distinctive sound effects are crisp and clean. Hard-soled shoes click-clack neatly off hard packed surfaces, engine motors grumble as cars sail smoothly over surface streets and torrential rain plummets down upon corrugated steel rooftops. The pops, scratches and glitches of the voice track are there for the distinguishing ear to define. A welcome and refreshing sight to witness comes from the film’s actors performing their own stunts, while interacting with actual props.
Set in the 1930s Depression era of Chicago, the film is a throwback to the days of hard-hitting mobsters and slick-talking con men, tough-talking dames and gun-toting lawmen.
Semi-experienced con man Johnny Hooker (Redford) botches a simple scam, and ends up fleeing from crime boss Doyle Lonnegan (played brilliantly by Robert Shaw).
What follows are a series of events involving crooked cops, promiscuous prostitutes and gregarious gangsters, that nearly cost Hooker his life on more than one occasion.
While being pursued by Lonnegan and not knowing where to turn, Hooker enlists the aid of longtime con man Henry Gondorff (Newman). Together, they hatch a scheme so brilliant, so detailed, and so complex, it will surely go down in history as the con to rival all others. They want to pull off the big con.
Hooker and Gondorff team up with a host of other eager players out for revenge. The list includes such characters as the “Erie Kid” and “Kid Twist” as well as others. They concoct the ultimate scam, enabling them to pull off the ultimate score against Lonnegan.
The film twists and turns its way to a genius climax, where, in the end, nothing is as it seems, and no one is who they appear to be.
Not since “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” have Redford and Newman been so on track. The duo play off each other like yin and yang, with the backing of an excellent supporting cast.
With a great film score, including “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, the film went on to win several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Music.
“The Sting” was, is and will always remain a classic in American filmmaking.
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