The Sting (1973): The con within the con

ByFabian Bullitt

1973 • George Roy Hill • 1.85:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓

Following their collaboration on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting reunites director George Roy Hill with Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The film follows two con men who devise an elaborate scheme to swindle a powerful crime figure after one of their associates is murdered. The plan involves the construction and execution of an extended con, requiring coordination across multiple participants and staged scenarios.

Set in the 1930s, the film adopts a polished, period-specific aesthetic. The production design, costumes, and set dressing create a consistent historical environment that supports the story’s focus on creating illusions. The film’s structure is organised around layers of deception. Rather than presenting a straightforward progression of events, the plot repeatedly recontextualises earlier actions, revealing that seemingly random occurrences were actually part of a larger, premeditated plan. Information is withheld and then disclosed at pivotal moments, aligning our understanding with the unfolding con.

It is an exercise in controlled revelation, managed through misdirection and timing. The celebrated effectiveness of The Sting comes from the way form aligns with the subject. It’s a story about deception, told through a cinematic structure that operates using concealment and delayed disclosure.

Technical Specs:

  • The Story: In 1930s Chicago, small-time grifter Johnny Hooker teams up with seasoned con artist Henry Gondorff to execute an elaborate sting on a powerful crime boss in revenge for the murder of their mutual friend.
  • Actors: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw, Charles Durning, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston.
  • Director: George Roy Hill
  • Year: 1973
  • Cinematographer: Robert Surtees
  • Origin: American Cinema
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Genre: Crime & Mystery
The-Sting-1973-stills-03
The-Sting-1973-stills-04
The-Sting-1973-stills-05
The-Sting-1973-stills-06
The-Sting-1973-stills-07
The-Sting-1973-stills-08
The-Sting-1973-stills-09
The-Sting-1973-stills-10
The-Sting-1973-stills-11
The-Sting-1973-stills-12
The-Sting-1973-stills-13
The-Sting-1973-stills-14
The-Sting-1973-stills-15
The-Sting-1973-stills-16
The-Sting-1973-stills-17
The-Sting-1973-stills-18
The-Sting-1973-stills-19
The-Sting-1973-stills-20
The-Sting-1973-stills-21
The-Sting-1973-stills-22
The-Sting-1973-stills-23
The-Sting-1973-stills-24
The-Sting-1973-stills-25
The-Sting-1973-stills-26
The-Sting-1973-stills-27
The-Sting-1973-stills-28
The-Sting-1973-stills-29
The-Sting-1973-stills-30
The-Sting-1973-stills-31
The-Sting-1973-stills-32
The-Sting-1973-stills-33
The-Sting-1973-stills-34
The-Sting-1973-stills-35
The-Sting-1973-stills-36
The-Sting-1973-stills-37
The-Sting-1973-stills-38
The-Sting-1973-stills-39
The-Sting-1973-stills-40
The-Sting-1973-stills-41
The-Sting-1973-stills-42
The-Sting-1973-stills-43
The-Sting-1973-stills-44
The-Sting-1973-stills-45
The-Sting-1973-stills-46
The-Sting-1973-stills-47
The-Sting-1973-stills-48
The-Sting-1973-stills-49
The-Sting-1973-stills-50
The-Sting-1973-stills-51
The-Sting-1973-stills-52
The-Sting-1973-stills-53
The-Sting-1973-stills-54
The-Sting-1973-stills-55
The-Sting-1973-stills-56
The-Sting-1973-stills-57

More Galleries