# The Sting

> 1973 film by George Roy Hill

**Wikidata**: [Q62665](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62665)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sting)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-sting

## Summary
The Sting is a 1973 American crime comedy-drama film directed by George Roy Hill, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and is celebrated for its intricate plot, memorable performances, and iconic soundtrack featuring Scott Joplin's ragtime music. The film revitalized the careers of its leads and became a cultural touchstone of 1970s cinema.

## Key Facts
- **Release Date**: December 25, 1973 (United States)
- **Director**: George Roy Hill
- **Starring**: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Earl Jones, and Charles Durning
- **Awards**: 7 Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Writing, Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design)
- **Genre**: Crime, Comedy-Drama, Heist
- **Box Office**: $160 million (worldwide)
- **Music**: Scott Joplin's ragtime compositions, notably "The Entertainer"
- **Screenplay**: David S. Ward
- **Production Company**: Universal Pictures
- **Running Time**: 129 minutes
- **Language**: English
- **Country**: United States
- **Budget**: $5 million
- **Preceded By**: *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid* (1969)
- **Followed By**: *The Sting II* (1983)
- **Preservation**: Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry (1990)
- **Ratings**: 8.3/10 (IMDb), 93% (Rotten Tomatoes), 83/100 (Metacritic)
- **Wikipedia Sitelinks**: 53 language editions
- **Wikidata ID**: Q11424

## FAQs
**What makes The Sting historically significant?**  
The Sting is notable for its critical and commercial success, winning seven Oscars and becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 1973. Its use of period-specific music and meticulous production design set new standards for historical dramas.

**Who composed the iconic soundtrack?**  
The film's soundtrack features Scott Joplin's ragtime compositions, arranged by Marvin Hamlisch. "The Entertainer" became a chart-topping single, popularizing Joplin's work decades after his death.

**How did The Sting influence cinema?**  
The film's success demonstrated the viability of adult-oriented, dialogue-driven narratives in mainstream cinema. Its non-linear storytelling and emphasis on character dynamics influenced subsequent heist films and period dramas.

**What awards did George Roy Hill win for directing The Sting?**  
Hill won the Academy Award for Best Director and the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing. The film also earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Direction.

**Is The Sting part of any film preservation programs?**  
Yes, The Sting was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1990, deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

## Why It Matters
The Sting matters as a landmark film that exemplifies 1970s American cinema's creative peak. Its blend of witty dialogue, strong performances, and nostalgic charm resonated with audiences, while its technical achievements raised industry standards. The film's exploration of themes like deception, redemption, and camaraderie added depth to the heist genre. Economically, it demonstrated the profitability of well-crafted, adult-oriented films, encouraging studios to invest in similar projects. Culturally, it reintroduced ragtime music to the public and solidified the on-screen partnership of Newman and Redford, cementing their status as Hollywood legends.

## Notable For
- **Academy Award Sweep**: Won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
- **Cultural Revival of Ragtime**: Popularized Scott Joplin's music, leading to a resurgence in ragtime's popularity.
- **Newman-Redford Partnership**: Solidified the iconic on-screen duo following *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid*.
- **Box Office Success**: Grossed $160 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 1973.
- **Preservation in National Film Registry**: Recognized for its cultural and historical significance by the Library of Congress.
- **Influence on Heist Films**: Set a template for intricate, character-driven heist narratives in cinema.
- **Technical Achievements**: Praised for its cinematography, editing, and production design, which authentically recreated the 1930s setting.

## Body

### Production and Release
The Sting was directed by George Roy Hill and produced by Universal Pictures. With a budget of $5 million, the film premiered on December 25, 1973, in the United States. It was later released in the United Kingdom on April 11, 1974, and in Sweden on April 19, 1974. The film's success spawned a sequel, *The Sting II*, directed by Jeremy Kagan in 1983.

### Cast and Crew
The film stars Paul Newman as Henry Gondorff and Robert Redford as Johnny Hooker, with supporting performances by Robert Earl Jones, Charles Durning, and Dana Elcar. The screenplay was written by David S. Ward, and the music was adapted by Marvin Hamlisch from Scott Joplin's ragtime compositions. The film's production design, costume design, and editing were all recognized with Academy Awards.

### Awards and Recognition
The Sting won seven Academy Awards at the 46th Academy Awards in 1974, including Best Picture (Tony Bill, William T. Orr, and Stephen Glickman), Best Director (George Roy Hill), Best Film Editing (William Reynolds), Best Original Screenplay (David S. Ward), Best Costume Design (Edith Head), and Best Production Design (George G. Davis, Dan Striepeke). It also received the National Board of Review Award for Best Film and was nominated for five BAFTA Awards.

### Cultural Impact
The film's soundtrack, featuring Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer," reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, introducing ragtime to a new generation. The Sting's success also revitalized the careers of Newman and Redford, establishing them as leading actors of the 1970s. The film's dialogue and scenes, such as the iconic train sequence, have been parodied and referenced in popular culture, including in *The Simpsons* and *Family Guy*.

### Preservation and Legacy
In 1990, The Sting was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, recognizing its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. The film continues to be celebrated in retrospectives and rankings, including the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Movies" list. Its influence can be seen in later heist films like *Ocean's Eleven* (2001) and *The Prestige* (2006), which borrow elements of its complex plotting and period settings.

### Technical Specifications
- **Runtime**: 129 minutes
- **Aspect Ratio**: 1.85:1
- **Sound Mix**: Mono
- **Film Gauge**: 35 mm
- **Color**: Color (Technicolor)
- **Budget**: $5 million
- **Box Office**: $160 million (worldwide)

### Related Entities
- **Preceded By**: *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid* (1969), also starring Newman and Redford
- **Followed By**: *The Sting II* (1983), a made-for-TV sequel
- **Director's Filmography**: George Roy Hill also directed *Slaughterhouse-Five* (1972) and *The World According to Garp* (1982)
- **Awards**: Academy Award for Best Picture, Academy Award for Best Director, National Board of Review Award for Best Film

### Academic and Critical Analysis
The Sting is frequently analyzed in film studies for its narrative structure, character development, and use of music. Scholars highlight its exploration of themes such as trust, deception, and redemption, as well as its portrayal of the Great Depression era. The film's balance of humor and drama, coupled with its technical craftsmanship, is often cited as a model for successful mainstream cinema.

## References

1. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
2. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070735/fullcredits/)
3. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1974)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. The Movie Database
6. [Source](https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/)
7. MusicBrainz
8. The Sting. Rotten Tomatoes
9. IMDb
10. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070735/releaseinfo/)
11. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070735/releaseinfo)
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24. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/7AE6-C861-1BCB-71A0-76B0-J)
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