The Sting (1973)
★★★★½ — The Sting (1973)
George Roy Hill reunited Paul Newman and Robert Redford here, following their enormous success on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), and Universal Pictures were understandably keen to get the band back together. Written by David S. Ward, the script is an original story set in Depression-era Chicago, drawing on the real history of "big con" operators documented in David Maurer's 1940 nonfiction book The Big Con (though the film is not a direct adaptation). Produced by Richard Zanuck and David Brown, it was released during a particularly fertile period for character-driven Hollywood films, arriving just as the New Hollywood wave was at full height. The film went on to gross over $159 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest hits of the decade, and it won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
The Sting (1973) is pure cinematic magic. A flawless, perfectly crafted con that doesn’t just entertain, it enthralls. From the opening frame, with its nostalgic ragtime score and vintage title cards, you’re drawn into a world of 1930s Chicago gangsters, backroom deals, and high-stakes deception. Paul Newman and Robert Redford reunite with electric chemistry (Newman as the seasoned grifter Henry Gondorff, Redford as the sharp, vengeful Johnny Hooker) and their partnership crackles with wit, charm, and quiet intensity. The screenplay is nothing short of masterful. Every line, every step, every twist is laid down with precision, building an elaborate scam so intricate you don’t see the trap until you’re already caught in it. And when the final act unfolds, you don’t feel cheated, you feel delighted. The film plays you like a mark, and you walk out smiling, knowing you were conned but not caring one bit. George Roy Hill directs with elegance and restraint, letting the story breathe while keeping tension coiled tight beneath the surface. The period detail is impeccable, the supporting cast (including Robert Shaw as the cold-blooded crime boss Doyle Lonnegan) is pitch-perfect, and Marvin Hamlisch’s reworking of Scott Joplin’s music gives it a soulful, timeless rhythm. There’s no higher praise. The Sting isn’t just one of the best con films ever made. It’s one of the best films, period. A perfect blend of storytelling, performance, and style. A classic in every sense. If cinema is illusion, this is the greatest trick of all.
Rating: ★★★★½ | Year: 1973 | Watched: 2025-11-15
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from George Roy Hill: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
More with Paul Newman: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) · Cars (2006)
More from the 1970s: Fantastic Planet (1973) · Here and Elsewhere (1976) · Italianamerican (1974) · Punishment Park (1971)
More comedy: The Eagle (1925) · The General (1926) · Americana (2023) · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
More crime: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Angst (1983) · Stolen Face (1952) · Cairo Station (1958)
