Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) is an ambitious young pool player, and a very good one at that.  He's hungry to beat Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason), the best pool player around in a high stakes, smoke filled, dingy pool hall match.  Eddie is arrogant.  Fats is smooth.  Eddie's arrogance is his self-destructive tragic flaw in this black and white filmed classic with an exceptional cast.  On his second attempt, Eddie does defeat Fats.  Then it's a planned trip down to Louisville to play.

The Hustler