The story is set in motion when a young grifter, (Robert Redford), accidentally steals money belonging to a powerful racketeer, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). After Lonnegan murders Hooker's mentor as revenge, Hooker seeks out a legendary, "on-the-skids" con man named Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to help him execute the "long con"—a complex, psychological hustle designed to bankrupt Lonnegan without him ever realizing he was robbed. 🏆 Critical & Commercial Success
: Robert Shaw’s character, Doyle Lonnegan, has a distinct limp. This wasn't originally in the script; Shaw had injured his knee playing handball just before filming, and the director chose to work it into the character. The Sting (1973)
: The film popularized Scott Joplin's Ragtime music , specifically "The Entertainer." Ironically, this music was popular in the early 1900s, making it technically "out of date" for the film's 1930s setting. The story is set in motion when a
: This was the second collaboration between director George Roy Hill and stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford following 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid . This wasn't originally in the script; Shaw had