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The Sting
- 693 statements
- 136 feature instances
- 92 referencing feature instances
The Sting | type |
TVTItem | |
The Sting | label |
The Sting | |
The Sting | page |
TheSting | |
The Sting | comment |
The Sting is an iconic con film released in 1973. It reunites Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid director George Roy Hill with stars Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The supporting cast includes Robert Shaw, Charles Durning, Ray Walston, Eileen Brennan, Harold Gould, and Dana Elcar.September, 1936: In Joliet, Illinois, novice con man Johnny Hooker (Redford) pulls off a classic "pigeon drop" scam, along with his partner Joe Erie (Jack Kehoe) and their mentor Luther Coleman (Robert Earl Jones). Unfortunately, they've bitten off more than they can chew this time; it seems their victim was a courier for ruthess Big Bad racketeer Doyle Lonnegan (Shaw). After Lonnegan's goons rub out Luther and take a hit out on Hooker's head, he goes to Chicago, where he seeks out his late mentor's friend Henry Gondorff (Newman), a master of the "big con". Assembling their team, Hooker and Gondorff prepare to avenge Luther by scamming the big one out of Lonnegan.Just to complicate matters, Hooker is being chased both by Lonnegan's shadowy hit man Salino and by corrupt Joliet policeman Snyder (Durning), who demands a cut of the money taken from Lonnegan. And all the while, the team has to make sure Lonnegan never finds out he's being conned, otherwise he'll put hits on all of them.The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning seven (including Best Picture). It is also one of the biggest box office hits of all time; when adjusted for inflation, it currently sits as the 19th-best domestic earner of all time according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. It is also a film best gone into blind, so it's best to watch it before reading this page! | |
The Sting | fetched |
2024-04-20T20:31:34Z | |
The Sting | parsed |
2024-04-20T20:31:34Z | |
The Sting | processingComment |
Dropped link to CounterfeitCash: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
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Dropped link to InNameOnly: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
The Sting | processingComment |
Dropped link to Mentor: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN | |
The Sting | processingComment |
Dropped link to TheCon: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
The Sting | processingUnknown |
Mentor | |
The Sting | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
The Sting / int_130f112c | type |
Confiscated Phone | |
The Sting / int_130f112c | comment |
Confiscated Phone: Hooker pulls a woman making out of a call out of a pay phone booth in order to try to call Luther before he's murdered, then runs off to try and reach him. Hooker's friend is left behind, being swatted by the woman and her purse because she lost her nickel and wants it back. | |
The Sting / int_130f112c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_130f112c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_130f112c | |
The Sting / int_13e1c444 | type |
Plot-Triggering Death | |
The Sting / int_13e1c444 | comment |
Plot-Triggering Death: Small con artist Luther is killed on Lonnegan's orders in the first arc of the movie. This triggers the big con against the murderer. | |
The Sting / int_13e1c444 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_13e1c444 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_13e1c444 | |
The Sting / int_19102429 | type |
Twist Ending | |
The Sting / int_19102429 | comment |
Twist Ending: First, Lonnegan hires Salino to kill Hooker, and when Hooker is walking through an alley, smiles, seeing his girlfriend, a man behind Hooker pulls out a gun, points it, and shoots her. Turns out he's a body guard Gondorff hired to protect Hooker, and Hooker's girlfriend was actually Salino, the assassin who would have killed him. Second, the FBI guys bust into the gambling den to arrest Gondorff, and per their promise, let Hooker go. At this point, Gondorff shoots Hooker, and the FBI guy shoots Gondorff. The FBI guy has the cop rush Lonnegan out of the place. After they leave, Gondorff and Hooker get up, with blood stains like they've been shot. We then find out it was a scam to make both the cop and Lonnegan think they're both dead. Rather famously, promotions for this film included requests that those leaving the cinema not spoil the ending for those waiting in line for the next showing. | |
The Sting / int_19102429 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_19102429 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_19102429 | |
The Sting / int_1f250372 | type |
I Need a Freaking Drink | |
The Sting / int_1f250372 | comment |
I Need a Freaking Drink: After almost getting ambushed by two hitmen waiting at his apartment, Hooker goes directly to the betting parlour and pours himself a drink. | |
The Sting / int_1f250372 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_1f250372 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_1f250372 | |
The Sting / int_1fb9a341 | type |
Revenge Is Sweet | |
The Sting / int_1fb9a341 | comment |
Revenge Is Sweet: After The Con the film revolves around has left Doyle Lonnegan out of a really big sum of money and with a lot of egg on his face (including thinking that he may be wanted by the police for a dual murder he did not do), Johnny Hooker is asked by Henry Gondorff how he feels. Johnny (who started the con because he wanted to get revenge on Lonnegan for killing his friend Luther but knowing he wasn't any good at trying to kill the guy) says that it feels great and laughs with Gondorff for a while. | |
The Sting / int_1fb9a341 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_1fb9a341 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_1fb9a341 | |
The Sting / int_20d88961 | type |
Burlesque | |
The Sting / int_20d88961 | comment |
Burlesque: Hooker's girlfriend is shown performing in a Burlesque show. Yes, she's a stripper. | |
The Sting / int_20d88961 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_20d88961 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_20d88961 | |
The Sting / int_225527db | type |
Cult Soundtrack | |
The Sting / int_225527db | comment |
Cult Soundtrack: The soundtrack did a lot to make Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" popular among people unfamiliar with ragtime. Unknown to many viewers, the music was anachronistic for the time period portrayed; ragtime's heyday was circa 1900 and was pretty much completely forgotten in the 1930s. | |
The Sting / int_225527db | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_225527db | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_225527db | |
The Sting / int_22cf536c | type |
Chekhov's Gun | |
The Sting / int_22cf536c | comment |
Chekhov's Gun: A very quick one. When Hooker and Gondorff get ready for the Sting, you can see them place their fake blood packs. If you look while he's getting ready, you can see Gondorff's blood pack, as well. | |
The Sting / int_22cf536c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_22cf536c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_22cf536c | |
The Sting / int_231e8193 | type |
Mistaken Identity | |
The Sting / int_231e8193 | comment |
Mistaken Identity: Lonnegan spends the entire movie sending people to kill Luther's partner Hooker (who he's never seen). Meanwhile, he's heavily involved with "Shaw's" turncoat "Kelly" (who the goons trying to kill Hooker have never seen). He never realizes that Hooker and "Kelly" are the same person. | |
The Sting / int_231e8193 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_231e8193 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_231e8193 | |
The Sting / int_2504772e | type |
Walking Spoiler | |
The Sting / int_2504772e | comment |
Walking Spoiler: The Dreaded assassin Salino and the waitress Loretta are one and the same. | |
The Sting / int_2504772e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_2504772e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_2504772e | |
The Sting / int_26d1f65f | type |
Verbal Tic | |
The Sting / int_26d1f65f | comment |
Verbal Tic: Ya folla? | |
The Sting / int_26d1f65f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_26d1f65f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_26d1f65f | |
The Sting / int_2ae29c0d | type |
The Dreaded | |
The Sting / int_2ae29c0d | comment |
The Dreaded: Lonnegan, the mark, to the point one fellow con man prefers money in advance over a cut of the winnings and another points out if the thing blows up, the Feds will be the least of our problems. | |
The Sting / int_2ae29c0d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_2ae29c0d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_2ae29c0d | |
The Sting / int_2cac8d77 | type |
Rooting for the Empire | |
The Sting / int_2cac8d77 | comment |
Rooting for the Empire: In-universe example, Luther's wife is displeased about their kids rooting for the police against Machine Gun Kelly in a radio serial. | |
The Sting / int_2cac8d77 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_2cac8d77 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_2cac8d77 | |
The Sting / int_2dd590cb | type |
Title Drop Chapter | |
The Sting / int_2dd590cb | comment |
Title Drop Chapter: Each section of the film is introduced with a title card. The last section, in which the gang performs the climactic con, is titled "The Sting". | |
The Sting / int_2dd590cb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_2dd590cb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_2dd590cb | |
The Sting / int_2fcd835a | type |
Handbag of Hurt | |
The Sting / int_2fcd835a | comment |
Handbag of Hurt: After Hooker yanks a woman out of a phone booth, the woman hits both Hooker and his partner with her purse. | |
The Sting / int_2fcd835a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_2fcd835a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_2fcd835a | |
The Sting / int_30cffab7 | type |
Illegal Gambling Den | |
The Sting / int_30cffab7 | comment |
Illegal Gambling Den: The initial "pigeon drop" scam nets the week's take from one of Lonnegan's illegal gambling dens. Later, Hooker and Gondorff set up their own illegal gambling den for the big con. | |
The Sting / int_30cffab7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_30cffab7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_30cffab7 | |
The Sting / int_3174384e | type |
Shameful Source of Knowledge | |
The Sting / int_3174384e | comment |
Shameful Source of Knowledge: Doyle Lonnegan tries to cheat Henry Gondorff with a stacked deck during a poker game, but Gondorff outsmarts him by switching out the cards he was given for better ones. | |
The Sting / int_3174384e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_3174384e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_3174384e | |
The Sting / int_356af72f | type |
Searching the Stalls | |
The Sting / int_356af72f | comment |
Searching the Stalls: Johnny Hooker is trying to escape a hitman trying to kill him. He goes into a restroom to hide. The hit man enters and starts opening doors to find him. He gets to the last stall and realizes there's a woman inside. He figures Hooker went out the window and does the same. It turns out Hooker was inside the stall with the woman — she was helping him. | |
The Sting / int_356af72f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_356af72f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_356af72f | |
The Sting / int_38d02d44 | type |
Batman Gambit | |
The Sting / int_38d02d44 | comment |
Batman Gambit: All of the cons rely on the mark behaving in a manner they're expected to. Hooker and Luther expected Mottola to stick around to offer aid to Luther so that he could get conned into handing over his cash. Lonnegan could have backed out at any time or done something the con artists didn't expect to see through the charade. | |
The Sting / int_38d02d44 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_38d02d44 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_38d02d44 | |
The Sting / int_39afa76b | type |
"Awkward Silence" Entrance | |
The Sting / int_39afa76b | comment |
"Awkward Silence" Entrance: When police lieutenant Snyder walks into the Chicago bar where the local Con Artists hang out, all of the bar patrons fall silent because they don't recognize him and believe he may be a cop. | |
The Sting / int_39afa76b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_39afa76b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_39afa76b | |
The Sting / int_3ad4462 | type |
Reverse Relationship Reveal | |
The Sting / int_3ad4462 | comment |
Reverse Relationship Reveal: We see the gloved hand of a man stalking Johnny Hooker, then later that hand raising a gun and firing... at Hooker's new girlfriend (who later is shown about to kill Hooker). Then the man comes out of hiding, explains the situation, and tells Johnny he (the man) was hired by Gondorff to protect Johnny. | |
The Sting / int_3ad4462 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_3ad4462 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_3ad4462 | |
The Sting / int_40a94897 | type |
The Irish Mob | |
The Sting / int_40a94897 | comment |
The Irish Mob: Strangely, in post-Capone Chicago. | |
The Sting / int_40a94897 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_40a94897 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_40a94897 | |
The Sting / int_4159744 | type |
The Magic Poker Equation | |
The Sting / int_4159744 | comment |
The Magic Poker Equation: Justified in this case because both players are cheating. | |
The Sting / int_4159744 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_4159744 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_4159744 | |
The Sting / int_44db43ce | type |
Staged Shooting | |
The Sting / int_44db43ce | comment |
Staged Shooting: Hooker and Gondorff, as part of their Big Con. | |
The Sting / int_44db43ce | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_44db43ce | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_44db43ce | |
The Sting / int_4655ec83 | type |
Important Haircut | |
The Sting / int_4655ec83 | comment |
Important Haircut: Hooker has one (along with new clothes and a manicure) when he puts himself under the tutelage of Gondorff at the beginning the long con. | |
The Sting / int_4655ec83 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_4655ec83 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_4655ec83 | |
The Sting / int_4bfcfa7c | type |
Kansas City Shuffle | |
The Sting / int_4bfcfa7c | comment |
Kansas City Shuffle: We know we're watching a con, then the movie cons the audience into thinking (1) Hooker had agreed to turn Gondorff in to the FBI; (2) Hooker and Gondorff were killed until we see that it was all a setup. | |
The Sting / int_4bfcfa7c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_4bfcfa7c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_4bfcfa7c | |
The Sting / int_4f84cdef | type |
Smug Snake | |
The Sting / int_4f84cdef | comment |
Smug Snake: Lonnegan, who is outconned at every turn. | |
The Sting / int_4f84cdef | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_4f84cdef | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_4f84cdef | |
The Sting / int_502b147b | type |
Playing Drunk | |
The Sting / int_502b147b | comment |
Playing Drunk: Gondorff pretends to be drunk to justify acting offensively toward Doyle Lonnegan. To enhance his act he gargles with gin to get alcohol-laden breath and brings along a gin bottle cut with water to drink from. | |
The Sting / int_502b147b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_502b147b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_502b147b | |
The Sting / int_50b05d30 | type |
Disproportionate Retribution | |
The Sting / int_50b05d30 | comment |
Disproportionate Retribution: Lonnegan is not the kind of man who accepts being fooled, in any way, shape or form. He makes clear to Floyd that he would kill a man who he considers a very personal friend if that man beat him at a golf game by cheating and he orders the manhunt of the con artists who took just one of his number racket envelopes (and the dude who let himself be robbed). | |
The Sting / int_50b05d30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_50b05d30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_50b05d30 | |
The Sting / int_529362a3 | type |
Obsessive-Compulsive Barkeeping | |
The Sting / int_529362a3 | comment |
Obsessive-Compulsive Barkeeping: The bartender in Billie's whorehouse can be seen drying a glass with a cloth. | |
The Sting / int_529362a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_529362a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_529362a3 | |
The Sting / int_53f5119f | type |
The Dragon | |
The Sting / int_53f5119f | comment |
The Dragon: Floyd to his boss, The Big Bad Doyle Lonnegan. He's unafraid to disagree with Lonnegan, and even mildly argues with him. | |
The Sting / int_53f5119f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_53f5119f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_53f5119f | |
The Sting / int_5473668f | type |
Logo Joke | |
The Sting / int_5473668f | comment |
Logo Joke: The film opens with a sepia-tinted version of the 1936-46 Art Deco Universal logo. | |
The Sting / int_5473668f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_5473668f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_5473668f | |
The Sting / int_54cc6b24 | type |
Le Parkour | |
The Sting / int_54cc6b24 | comment |
Le Parkour: The chase/evasion scene at the elevated train stop. | |
The Sting / int_54cc6b24 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_54cc6b24 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_54cc6b24 | |
The Sting / int_55ca8aa | type |
The Mob Boss Is Scarier | |
The Sting / int_55ca8aa | comment |
The Mob Boss Is Scarier: Flat-out said with the line that provides the page quote: Lonnegan is such a homicidal brute that if he catches wind that he's the victim of the con, every single conman will need to fear his retaliation for the rest of their lives (which will be very short, if Lonnegan has any say in it). | |
The Sting / int_55ca8aa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_55ca8aa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_55ca8aa | |
The Sting / int_572249f0 | type |
Straight Edge Evil | |
The Sting / int_572249f0 | comment |
Straight Edge Evil: Doyle Lonnegan is a sober country-club-member banking gentleman with no apparent interest in women and whose only vice is poker ... and he cheats. He's good at it too. His real money comes from his numbers racket, and he won't hesitate to murder anyone who cons him out of a single payment from a single runner on a single day of it. | |
The Sting / int_572249f0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_572249f0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_572249f0 | |
The Sting / int_583ec33e | type |
Snark-to-Snark Combat | |
The Sting / int_583ec33e | comment |
Snark-to-Snark Combat: Gondorff and Hooker when they first meet (Hooker finds Gondorff passed out next to his bed, and gives him a shower with his clothes on to sober him up): | |
The Sting / int_583ec33e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_583ec33e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_583ec33e | |
The Sting / int_5a8f3057 | type |
Hand Signals | |
The Sting / int_5a8f3057 | comment |
Hand Signals: The Con Artist recognition signal and Dukie's "stop" sign. | |
The Sting / int_5a8f3057 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_5a8f3057 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_5a8f3057 | |
The Sting / int_5aa4ec8a | type |
Ambiguous Syntax | |
The Sting / int_5aa4ec8a | comment |
Ambiguous Syntax: The final con hinges on the fact that you can place a bet for a horse to place (i.e., come in 2nd). | |
The Sting / int_5aa4ec8a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_5aa4ec8a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_5aa4ec8a | |
The Sting / int_5b88d4c4 | type |
A Fool and His New Money Are Soon Parted | |
The Sting / int_5b88d4c4 | comment |
A Fool and His New Money Are Soon Parted: Hooker is a con artist, but his wits do not apply beyond his profession and he engages in ruinous Suspicious Spending, losing his share in an afternoon. He becomes aware of it so in the end he forfeits his share. | |
The Sting / int_5b88d4c4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_5b88d4c4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_5b88d4c4 | |
The Sting / int_5cd4cebb | type |
No Badass to His Valet | |
The Sting / int_5cd4cebb | comment |
No Badass to His Valet: Floyd has this kind of relationship to his boss Doyle Lonnegan. He's unafraid to disagree with Lonnegan, and even mildly argue with him, even though he knows that Lonnegan is not reluctant to have people killed. | |
The Sting / int_5cd4cebb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_5cd4cebb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_5cd4cebb | |
The Sting / int_5ce2c9c6 | type |
Suddenly Shouting | |
The Sting / int_5ce2c9c6 | comment |
Suddenly Shouting: Doyle Lonnegan is none to pleased with Floyd for telling him what he already knows. That "Mr. Shaw" pulled a switch from quad threes to quad Jacks during the rigged hand, which Lonnegan then lost. | |
The Sting / int_5ce2c9c6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_5ce2c9c6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_5ce2c9c6 | |
The Sting / int_60f567f1 | type |
Lonely Piano Piece | |
The Sting / int_60f567f1 | comment |
Lonely Piano Piece: The film features a piece called "Solace," done both as a piano solo only and as well as an orchestral version. And yes, it's played during the rain. | |
The Sting / int_60f567f1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_60f567f1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_60f567f1 | |
The Sting / int_627264e0 | type |
Death Glare | |
The Sting / int_627264e0 | comment |
Death Glare: Lonnegan's common stance, prominent example towards the train attendant who vouched for Shaw (Gondorff), when Shaw shows up and is revealed to be a drunkard. | |
The Sting / int_627264e0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_627264e0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_627264e0 | |
The Sting / int_65d658f | type |
Putting the Band Back Together | |
The Sting / int_65d658f | comment |
Putting the Band Back Together: Henry Gondorff contacting his old crew. Kid Twist checks who else is available for the big con: | |
The Sting / int_65d658f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_65d658f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_65d658f | |
The Sting / int_6635b91e | type |
Restrained Revenge | |
The Sting / int_6635b91e | comment |
Restrained Revenge: In revenge for the murder of Luther, Hooker settles for cheating Lonnegan out of a fortune rather than seeking to kill him. | |
The Sting / int_6635b91e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_6635b91e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_6635b91e | |
The Sting / int_66cdb21b | type |
Gag Penis | |
The Sting / int_66cdb21b | comment |
Gag Penis: An old burlesque joke told by burlesque comic Leonard Barr. The punchline is, "Yeah, but this one's eating my popcorn!". | |
The Sting / int_66cdb21b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_66cdb21b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_66cdb21b | |
The Sting / int_6acb79b2 | type |
Episode Title Card | |
The Sting / int_6acb79b2 | comment |
Episode Title Card: Each named act is introduced by a hand-drawn title card. | |
The Sting / int_6acb79b2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_6acb79b2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_6acb79b2 | |
The Sting / int_6b6556ee | type |
Mentor Occupational Hazard | |
The Sting / int_6b6556ee | comment |
Mentor Occupational Hazard: Luther's death combines this trope with Retirony. | |
The Sting / int_6b6556ee | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_6b6556ee | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_6b6556ee | |
The Sting / int_6bd9e644 | type |
Meaningful Look | |
The Sting / int_6bd9e644 | comment |
Meaningful Look: Each con man arriving in Chicago casually flicks his nose with his right index finger to signal that he's "in" on the plan to fleece Doyle Lonnegan. | |
The Sting / int_6bd9e644 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_6bd9e644 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_6bd9e644 | |
The Sting / int_6bda9a30 | type |
Meaningful Name | |
The Sting / int_6bda9a30 | comment |
Meaningful Name: Hooker is a snarer. It seems to be his real surname and not an In-Universe Nickname. Lampshaded in one of the chapter headings on the DVD: Hooker Hooked by the Feds. | |
The Sting / int_6bda9a30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_6bda9a30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_6bda9a30 | |
The Sting / int_6d7fb55 | type |
Fake Brit | |
The Sting / int_6d7fb55 | comment |
Fake Brit: In-universe. Curly Jackson, a grifter from Baltimore who joins the con, specializes in masquerading as an Englishman. | |
The Sting / int_6d7fb55 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_6d7fb55 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_6d7fb55 | |
The Sting / int_7464705c | type |
Arc Words | |
The Sting / int_7464705c | comment |
Arc Words: "The big con", referring both to the nested plots of the ever-more-complex scheme, and the supreme moment of revenge over Lonegan. | |
The Sting / int_7464705c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_7464705c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_7464705c | |
The Sting / int_74e2ef76 | type |
Orphaned Punchline | |
The Sting / int_74e2ef76 | comment |
Orphaned Punchline: During the burlesque scene, the first part of a background joke is not heard because Hooker is talking. | |
The Sting / int_74e2ef76 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_74e2ef76 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_74e2ef76 | |
The Sting / int_75b3422b | type |
An Insert | |
The Sting / int_75b3422b | comment |
An Insert: When Henry Gondorff is doing card tricks before the poker game, the hands doing the tricks are actually those of John Scarne, famous magician and expert on gambling and card manipulation. | |
The Sting / int_75b3422b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_75b3422b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_75b3422b | |
The Sting / int_77063cd7 | type |
Hooker with a Heart of Gold | |
The Sting / int_77063cd7 | comment |
Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Billie, the madam who runs a whorehouse and carousel is Gondorff's girlfriend, who apparently loves him. | |
The Sting / int_77063cd7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_77063cd7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_77063cd7 | |
The Sting / int_7842867 | type |
Vengeance Feels Empty | |
The Sting / int_7842867 | comment |
Vengeance Feels Empty: In the final scene Hooker, proving Gondorff right, feels this way after beating Lonnegan and remarks vengeance is not enough. He still cracks a joke: "but it's close!" | |
The Sting / int_7842867 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_7842867 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_7842867 | |
The Sting / int_7d163c9c | type |
Dating Catwoman | |
The Sting / int_7d163c9c | comment |
Dating Catwoman: Loretta, the waitress, who saves Hooker's life and with whom he then spends the night, turns out to be the feared hired killer Loretta Salino, who all along intended to kill him herself. | |
The Sting / int_7d163c9c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_7d163c9c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_7d163c9c | |
The Sting / int_7d53bc0b | type |
Hollywood Silencer | |
The Sting / int_7d53bc0b | comment |
Hollywood Silencer: A silenced revolver appears at one point. | |
The Sting / int_7d53bc0b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_7d53bc0b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_7d53bc0b | |
The Sting / int_7eebe99c | type |
The Alcoholic | |
The Sting / int_7eebe99c | comment |
The Alcoholic: Subverted, Gondorff is introduced in the story during a heavy hangover but it's a one-time instance and he is a Consummate Professional, despite Hooker's first impression. He later pretends to be one while gambling with Lonnegan as "Mr Shaw," using gin that's mostly water so that he doesn't actually get drunk. | |
The Sting / int_7eebe99c | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The Sting / int_7eebe99c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_7eebe99c | |
The Sting / int_7fe66c69 | type |
Hand of Death | |
The Sting / int_7fe66c69 | comment |
Hand of Death: Subverted; it's revealed that the hit man hired to rub out Hooker is named Salino. However, the ominous black-gloved hands that show up every so often are those of the bodyguard Gondorff hired for Hooker. The bodyguard shoots Salino. | |
The Sting / int_7fe66c69 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The Sting / int_7fe66c69 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_7fe66c69 | |
The Sting / int_7febc23b | type |
Establishing Character Moment | |
The Sting / int_7febc23b | comment |
Establishing Character Moment: Subverted with the main duo and with other characters; as befits a con film, few things are what they seem to be at first: Hooker is in the middle of a short con, so he deliberately projects the image of a random bystander. Some clues about his deception may be picked up in hindsight. Gondorff appears to be an alcoholic washout in his first appearance, but he is a Consummate Professional and one of the best con artists out there. Played very straight with Lonnegan, who casually talks to his Dragon while playing golf in an upstate New York club that he will kill anybody who tries to dupe, mock, or steal from him in any way whatsoever (even the long-time friend that he's playing golf with) and to put more effort into finding the men who stole from him to Make an Example of Them; showcasing that his sophistication and straight-edgedness are just a mask for a Hair-Trigger Temper, Disproportionate Retribution, kill-happy brute (and, quite justifiably, The Dreaded). | |
The Sting / int_7febc23b | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The Sting / int_7febc23b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_7febc23b | |
The Sting / int_8077793f | type |
Open Secret | |
The Sting / int_8077793f | comment |
Open Secret: Mundane example with Hooker's big hit. | |
The Sting / int_8077793f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_8077793f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_8077793f | |
The Sting / int_82ab88c5 | type |
Percussive Pickpocket | |
The Sting / int_82ab88c5 | comment |
Percussive Pickpocket: While Doyle Lonnegan is walking through the train to the poker game, Billie (Gondorff's girlfriend) bumps into him and steals his wallet. He doesn't notice until after he loses big at the poker game and tries to take it out to pay off his debt. | |
The Sting / int_82ab88c5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_82ab88c5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_82ab88c5 | |
The Sting / int_87504252 | type |
The Big Board | |
The Sting / int_87504252 | comment |
The Big Board: With horse racing odds and results. | |
The Sting / int_87504252 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_87504252 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_87504252 | |
The Sting / int_8767b1f3 | type |
Black-and-Gray Morality | |
The Sting / int_8767b1f3 | comment |
Black-and-Gray Morality: The protagonists are con men who swindle people for a living, but their antagonists are worse; a scummy courier, a corrupt brutal cop and a ruthless gangster. | |
The Sting / int_8767b1f3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_8767b1f3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_8767b1f3 | |
The Sting / int_87bb6874 | type |
Villain with Good Publicity | |
The Sting / int_87bb6874 | comment |
Villain with Good Publicity: Is mentioned offhandedly that Lonnegan is a Knight of Columbus and is primarily known as a banker. | |
The Sting / int_87bb6874 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_87bb6874 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_87bb6874 | |
The Sting / int_88dbce75 | type |
Card Sharp | |
The Sting / int_88dbce75 | comment |
Card Sharp: Gondorff demonstrates his skill against Lonnegan as the setup for the big con. (The card manipulations in the film are actually performed by John Scarne.) | |
The Sting / int_88dbce75 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_88dbce75 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_88dbce75 | |
The Sting / int_8984e5d1 | type |
Commonality Connection | |
The Sting / int_8984e5d1 | comment |
Commonality Connection: While the con men are planning to pull a scam on Doyle Lonnegan, J.J. Singleton mentions that Lonnegan came from a place called Five Points. Later on, when Lonnegan asks Hooker where he's from, he says that he came from Five Points in the hope that it will cause Lonnegan to trust him. | |
The Sting / int_8984e5d1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_8984e5d1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_8984e5d1 | |
The Sting / int_8a7e27b5 | type |
Stab the Scorpion | |
The Sting / int_8a7e27b5 | comment |
Stab the Scorpion: The black-gloved gunman steps around the corner into an alley and fires a silenced gun, apparently at Hooker. He kills Loretta, then reveals that she's actually the assassin Loretta Salino, who's been assigned the hit on Hooker and was about to kill him. | |
The Sting / int_8a7e27b5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_8a7e27b5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_8a7e27b5 | |
The Sting / int_8a986cc7 | type |
The Great Depression | |
The Sting / int_8a986cc7 | comment |
The Great Depression: Chicago 1936; why the Universal Studios logo of that time was used. | |
The Sting / int_8a986cc7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_8a986cc7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_8a986cc7 | |
The Sting / int_8b9d9672 | type |
Underdressed for the Occasion | |
The Sting / int_8b9d9672 | comment |
Underdressed for the Occasion: Gondorff deliberately dresses like a drunken slob at a big poker game with Lonnegan on a train. | |
The Sting / int_8b9d9672 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_8b9d9672 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_8b9d9672 | |
The Sting / int_8ed5c6e4 | type |
Asshole Victim | |
The Sting / int_8ed5c6e4 | comment |
Asshole Victim: Mottola, the mob courier that Hooker and Luther con in the opening of the film. It's hard to feel sorry for his getting scammed out of $10,000 considering he thought he was taking Luther for 5 grand. And laughing about it. | |
The Sting / int_8ed5c6e4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_8ed5c6e4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_8ed5c6e4 | |
The Sting / int_90ff49cb | type |
Robbing the Mob Bank | |
The Sting / int_90ff49cb | comment |
Robbing the Mob Bank: The opening con; a team of con artists (Johnny Hooker, Luther Coleman and Joe Erie) inadvertently swindle a numbers runner for crime boss Doyle Lonnegan. Lonnegan assigns hitmen to find and kill each of them, and the hitmen appear and carry out attacks throughout the movie. | |
The Sting / int_90ff49cb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_90ff49cb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_90ff49cb | |
The Sting / int_91b740a6 | type |
Karmic Thief | |
The Sting / int_91b740a6 | comment |
Karmic Thief: The Con Men scam a mobster who murdered one of their fellow con artists. | |
The Sting / int_91b740a6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_91b740a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_91b740a6 | |
The Sting / int_92dfffae | type |
Retraux | |
The Sting / int_92dfffae | comment |
Retraux: The film opens with a sepia-tinted version of the 1936-46 Universal logo. The different "chapters" of the story are introduced with old-fashioned title cards, done in the style of Norman Rockwell's vintage Saturday Evening Post illustrations and bearing titles like "The Tale", "The Set-Up", etc. Scene transitions are done with old-fashioned wipe effects. And the film ends with a classic Iris Out. | |
The Sting / int_92dfffae | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_92dfffae | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_92dfffae | |
The Sting / int_92f674e5 | type |
Revenge | |
The Sting / int_92f674e5 | comment |
Revenge: Hooker's driving force against Lonnegan. Also the reason for Gondorff and his band, but more toned down to avoid unprofessionalism. | |
The Sting / int_92f674e5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_92f674e5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_92f674e5 | |
The Sting / int_95713538 | type |
Outside Ride | |
The Sting / int_95713538 | comment |
Outside Ride: Hooker grabs on to the outside of a street-cleaning vehicle in order to escape from two of Lonnegan's thugs. | |
The Sting / int_95713538 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_95713538 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_95713538 | |
The Sting / int_95d67d24 | type |
Get Thee to a Nunnery | |
The Sting / int_95d67d24 | comment |
Get Thee to a Nunnery: The title. In old parlance, it was the final part of a con — the bit where the con men took the mark's money — and could be used metonymically for the whole con itself. Today, people tend to think of police sting operations. (Which is rather circular- the original Operation Sting was named for this movie.) | |
The Sting / int_95d67d24 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_95d67d24 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_95d67d24 | |
The Sting / int_970c790a | type |
Big Bad | |
The Sting / int_970c790a | comment |
Big Bad: Doyle Lonnegan. | |
The Sting / int_970c790a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_970c790a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_970c790a | |
The Sting / int_9788e2b1 | type |
Black Dude Dies First | |
The Sting / int_9788e2b1 | comment |
Black Dude Dies First: Luther Coleman, unfortunately runs afoul of this trope. | |
The Sting / int_9788e2b1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_9788e2b1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_9788e2b1 | |
The Sting / int_9919369d | type |
Con Man | |
The Sting / int_9919369d | comment |
Con Man: Many of the main characters. Erie and Hooker start in a lower, Hustler territory since they lack experience in the con. | |
The Sting / int_9919369d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_9919369d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_9919369d | |
The Sting / int_9ae8eea9 | type |
Character Tics | |
The Sting / int_9ae8eea9 | comment |
Character Tics: Johnny Hooker has many tics, including the way he holds a cup of coffee and the way he throws one shoulder back. | |
The Sting / int_9ae8eea9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_9ae8eea9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_9ae8eea9 | |
The Sting / int_9d12bbc1 | type |
Foreshadowing | |
The Sting / int_9d12bbc1 | comment |
Foreshadowing: Albeit brief. J.J. Singleton warns Gondorff before the poker game that Lonnegan likes to rig four-of-a-kind hands with low cards for his opponent versus "eights or nines." During the actual game, that information obviously sets the alarm bells going for Gondorff when he's dealt four threes, and allows him to settle on the higher four of a kind in Jacks, since he knows the highest hand Lonnegan rigs for himself is nines. Also, After Gondorff hears that Lt. Snyder is stalking Hooker, Gondorff says Snyder is a problem that they'll need to deal with....Then we never actually see him do anything. However, shortly after that scene, "Agent Polk" and his "FBI team" show up and recruit Snyder, which may tip off first-time viewers who are paying close attention that there's more to "Agent Polk" than meets the eye. | |
The Sting / int_9d12bbc1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_9d12bbc1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_9d12bbc1 | |
The Sting / int_a18d407b | type |
Samus Is a Girl | |
The Sting / int_a18d407b | comment |
Samus Is a Girl: Salino's first name is Loretta. | |
The Sting / int_a18d407b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_a18d407b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_a18d407b | |
The Sting / int_a3f1531b | type |
Standard Snippet | |
The Sting / int_a3f1531b | comment |
Standard Snippet: "The Entertainer," by Scott Joplin, is the film's main theme. | |
The Sting / int_a3f1531b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_a3f1531b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_a3f1531b | |
The Sting / int_a632f7fa | type |
Cool Train | |
The Sting / int_a632f7fa | comment |
Cool Train: Gondorff takes Lonnegan in a high-stakes poker game aboard the 20th Century Limited. | |
The Sting / int_a632f7fa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_a632f7fa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_a632f7fa | |
The Sting / int_a8476736 | type |
Keep the Reward | |
The Sting / int_a8476736 | comment |
Keep the Reward: A variation in the end, Hooker forfeits his share because he wasn't in it for the money and he reckons he would blow it anyway. | |
The Sting / int_a8476736 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_a8476736 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_a8476736 | |
The Sting / int_a8556a04 | type |
Video Credits | |
The Sting / int_a8556a04 | comment |
Video Credits: The opening credits show the main cast with actor and character names. | |
The Sting / int_a8556a04 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_a8556a04 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_a8556a04 | |
The Sting / int_a8e6393d | type |
Nose Tapping | |
The Sting / int_a8e6393d | comment |
Nose Tapping: A signal between the con men. | |
The Sting / int_a8e6393d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_a8e6393d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_a8e6393d | |
The Sting / int_acd599b6 | type |
Con Men Hate Guns | |
The Sting / int_acd599b6 | comment |
Con Men Hate Guns: Averted, Hooker would happily kill the villain in revenge for the murder of his friend Luther, but realizes that he doesn't know enough about killing people to successfully pull it off and opts for cheating him out of a fortune instead. | |
The Sting / int_acd599b6 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
The Sting / int_acd599b6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_acd599b6 | |
The Sting / int_ad1db87c | type |
Oh, Crap! | |
The Sting / int_ad1db87c | comment |
Oh, Crap!: Subverted, the con men quietly panic when Lonnegan approaches the inexperienced Joe Erie, but Erie delivers a magnificent performance. When Harmon tells Lonnegan—who bet $500,000 on Lucky Dan to win—that Lucky Dan is going to run second. | |
The Sting / int_ad1db87c | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The Sting / int_ad1db87c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ad1db87c | |
The Sting / int_ad3e13c5 | type |
The Loins Sleep Tonight | |
The Sting / int_ad3e13c5 | comment |
The Loins Sleep Tonight: The weary Gondorff the night before the big con. Used as counterpoint to the up-and-coming Hooker, who scores a one night stand. | |
The Sting / int_ad3e13c5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ad3e13c5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ad3e13c5 | |
The Sting / int_ad43ba7f | type |
Non-Nude Bathing | |
The Sting / int_ad43ba7f | comment |
Non-Nude Bathing: When Hooker arrives at Gondorff's home, he finds him sleeping off his drunkenness. He puts Gondorff in a shower fully clothed to sober him up. | |
The Sting / int_ad43ba7f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ad43ba7f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ad43ba7f | |
The Sting / int_ae3d6438 | type |
Deadpan Snarker | |
The Sting / int_ae3d6438 | comment |
Deadpan Snarker: Hooker. Erie occasionally. Snyder is the regular target of their sarcastic quips. Lonnegan, of all people, has his moments too; when he rubs Erie's nose in it regarding a losing tip and when he makes a jab about insulating his bodyguard from smart guys, lest he starts thinking for himself. | |
The Sting / int_ae3d6438 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ae3d6438 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ae3d6438 | |
The Sting / int_b01abe4f | type |
Catchphrase | |
The Sting / int_b01abe4f | comment |
Catchphrase: Doyle Lonnegan's "Ya folla?" (You follow?), used habitually enough to be something of a Verbal Tic. | |
The Sting / int_b01abe4f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_b01abe4f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_b01abe4f | |
The Sting / int_b4de919d | type |
Make an Example of Them | |
The Sting / int_b4de919d | comment |
Played very straight with Lonnegan, who casually talks to his Dragon while playing golf in an upstate New York club that he will kill anybody who tries to dupe, mock, or steal from him in any way whatsoever (even the long-time friend that he's playing golf with) and to put more effort into finding the men who stole from him to Make an Example of Them; showcasing that his sophistication and straight-edgedness are just a mask for a Hair-Trigger Temper, Disproportionate Retribution, kill-happy brute (and, quite justifiably, The Dreaded). | |
The Sting / int_b4de919d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_b4de919d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_b4de919d | |
The Sting / int_b8dbe475 | type |
Blood from the Mouth | |
The Sting / int_b8dbe475 | comment |
Blood from the Mouth: Hooker fakes this at the end as part of the big con. | |
The Sting / int_b8dbe475 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_b8dbe475 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_b8dbe475 | |
The Sting / int_ba44639 | type |
Killed Offscreen | |
The Sting / int_ba44639 | comment |
Killed Offscreen: Mottola (the money runner Hooker's crew steals the $11,000 from in the first scene) was found in a quarry with a knife in his eye. | |
The Sting / int_ba44639 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ba44639 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ba44639 | |
The Sting / int_bc00493f | type |
Precision F-Strike | |
The Sting / int_bc00493f | comment |
Precision F-Strike: After Hooker puts the drunken Gondorff fully-clothed into a cold shower. | |
The Sting / int_bc00493f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_bc00493f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_bc00493f | |
The Sting / int_bc74ef27 | type |
Berserk Button | |
The Sting / int_bc74ef27 | comment |
Berserk Button: Doyle Lonnegan gets angry if you mispronounce his name (though he has the self-control to hold back for at least a little while). | |
The Sting / int_bc74ef27 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_bc74ef27 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_bc74ef27 | |
The Sting / int_bda018c5 | type |
Money to Burn | |
The Sting / int_bda018c5 | comment |
Money to Burn: The print ad shows Henry Gondorff lighting his cigar with legal tender. | |
The Sting / int_bda018c5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_bda018c5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_bda018c5 | |
The Sting / int_bdc0a18e | type |
Idiosyncratic Wipes | |
The Sting / int_bdc0a18e | comment |
Idiosyncratic Wipes: The film occasionally uses an artsy wipe, such as a side-to-side wipe in which the transition follows a merry-go-round horse. | |
The Sting / int_bdc0a18e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_bdc0a18e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_bdc0a18e | |
The Sting / int_c3c7d2e5 | type |
Criminal Procedural | |
The Sting / int_c3c7d2e5 | comment |
Criminal Procedural: A team of con artists setting up shop to scam a racketeer. | |
The Sting / int_c3c7d2e5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_c3c7d2e5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_c3c7d2e5 | |
The Sting / int_c6b2fdd1 | type |
Fixing the Game | |
The Sting / int_c6b2fdd1 | comment |
Fixing the Game: Henry Gondorff joins Doyle Lonnegan's poker game aboard a Chicago-bound train, and he's on a run. Donegan tries to use a loaded deck after a break, and when hands are called, he has four nines. Initially, Gondorff was dealt four threes, but when he shows his hand, he has four Jacks. Hooker loses $3,000 on a fixed roulette spin. | |
The Sting / int_c6b2fdd1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_c6b2fdd1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_c6b2fdd1 | |
The Sting / int_c75df49a | type |
Shout-Out | |
The Sting / int_c75df49a | comment |
Shout-Out: Hooker loses a bundle at a rigged roulette wheel that comes up 22 — the same number that comes up on the rigged roulette wheel in Casablanca. | |
The Sting / int_c75df49a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_c75df49a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_c75df49a | |
The Sting / int_c82e751f | type |
Unspoken Plan Guarantee | |
The Sting / int_c82e751f | comment |
Unspoken Plan Guarantee: The audience is aware of most of the setup, but there are several details that remain hidden until the very end. | |
The Sting / int_c82e751f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_c82e751f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_c82e751f | |
The Sting / int_c8a8c595 | type |
Retirony | |
The Sting / int_c8a8c595 | comment |
Retirony: Luther is killed shortly after he tells Hooker how he'll use his share to go straight and support his family. | |
The Sting / int_c8a8c595 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_c8a8c595 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_c8a8c595 | |
The Sting / int_ca87e3ec | type |
No Name Given | |
The Sting / int_ca87e3ec | comment |
No Name Given: The black-gloved gunman who Gondorff hired to guard Hooker, and who rescues him from getting killed by Loretta Salino. | |
The Sting / int_ca87e3ec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ca87e3ec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ca87e3ec | |
The Sting / int_cc5c18b6 | type |
Iris Out | |
The Sting / int_cc5c18b6 | comment |
Iris Out: The movie ends with one. | |
The Sting / int_cc5c18b6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_cc5c18b6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_cc5c18b6 | |
The Sting / int_cde96a62 | type |
Booked Full of Mooks | |
The Sting / int_cde96a62 | comment |
Booked Full of Mooks: Master con man Henry Gondorff engineers a plan to fleece thuggish racketeer Doyle Lonnegan in revenge for the slaying of Luther Coleman. The con involves an underground betting parlor where the race results are held up while the odds are shifted. The whole place is staffed with almost every grifter in the midwest, essential to control all of Lonnegan's perceptions. Even the federal marshals that arrive to shut down Gondorff's parlor are actually fellow con men armed with blanks. | |
The Sting / int_cde96a62 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_cde96a62 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_cde96a62 | |
The Sting / int_ce730b71 | type |
Death by Recognition | |
The Sting / int_ce730b71 | comment |
Death by Recognition: A variant where the victim actually mentions the name. After a mook chases Johnny and loses him in a back alley, he turns around and notices Salino who is positioned offscreen behind the camera. Then shots ring out and the mook goes down dead. | |
The Sting / int_ce730b71 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ce730b71 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ce730b71 | |
The Sting / int_cf3966e6 | type |
Suspicious Spending | |
The Sting / int_cf3966e6 | comment |
Suspicious Spending: Hooker blows through his entire stake of a large con job in a single afternoon, which alerts the villain to his identity. | |
The Sting / int_cf3966e6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_cf3966e6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_cf3966e6 | |
The Sting / int_d39e327f | type |
What the Hell, Hero? | |
The Sting / int_d39e327f | comment |
What the Hell, Hero?: Luther calls Hooker out on his Suspicious Spending. It's most unwise for a con man to be flashing his money. | |
The Sting / int_d39e327f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_d39e327f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_d39e327f | |
The Sting / int_d6519b1b | type |
Rabid Cop | |
The Sting / int_d6519b1b | comment |
Rabid Cop: Lieutenant Snyder. His Establishing Character Moment is pulling a borderline-Car Fu Dynamic Entry on Hooker in order to muscle all of Hooker's share of the runner's money out of him, he intimidates and beats up his way through the Chicago underworld to find Hooker, pulls a second Dynamic Entry-slash-*Click* Hello on Hooker by smashing his pistol-packing hand through a phone booth's glass... there is also the fact that Snyder is a cop from Joliet, Illinois and probably doesn't have jurisdiction in Chicago, yet he continues to act like he has full authority. | |
The Sting / int_d6519b1b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_d6519b1b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_d6519b1b | |
The Sting / int_db99b292 | type |
Mondegreen Gag | |
The Sting / int_db99b292 | comment |
Mondegreen Gag: Invoked in the final bet with the horse Lucky Dan. "I said place! Place it on Lucky... That horse is gonna run second!" | |
The Sting / int_db99b292 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_db99b292 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_db99b292 | |
The Sting / int_df410b77 | type |
Decoy Protagonist | |
The Sting / int_df410b77 | comment |
Decoy Protagonist: One of the first characters seen on screen, Mottola. | |
The Sting / int_df410b77 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_df410b77 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_df410b77 | |
The Sting / int_e4b69188 | type |
Very Loosely Based on a True Story | |
The Sting / int_e4b69188 | comment |
Very Loosely Based on a True Story: The story was inspired by real-life con games perpetrated by the brothers Fred and Charley Gondorff and documented by David Maurer in his book The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man. | |
The Sting / int_e4b69188 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_e4b69188 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_e4b69188 | |
The Sting / int_e73f6217 | type |
Feet-First Introduction | |
The Sting / int_e73f6217 | comment |
Feet-First Introduction: Lonnegan's courier/Hooker and Luther's mark, in the opening. | |
The Sting / int_e73f6217 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_e73f6217 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_e73f6217 | |
The Sting / int_e7ae07f5 | type |
Briefcase Full of Money | |
The Sting / int_e7ae07f5 | comment |
Briefcase Full of Money: Lonnegan takes one of these to bet at the con. | |
The Sting / int_e7ae07f5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_e7ae07f5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_e7ae07f5 | |
The Sting / int_e8428d18 | type |
Screw the Rules, They Broke Them First! | |
The Sting / int_e8428d18 | comment |
Screw the Rules, They Broke Them First!: Henry Gondorff joins banker Doyle Lonnegan's crooked poker game in order to earn Lonnegan's ire. Once Gondorff is dealt a hand of four Treys, he knows a stacked deck play is in effect. At the climax of the hand, Lonnegan plays four Nines ... and Gondorff lays down four Jacks. When his adjutant wonders why Lonnegan suffered the loss, Lonnegan growls at him: "What was I supposed to do? Call him for cheating better than me in front of the others?" | |
The Sting / int_e8428d18 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_e8428d18 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_e8428d18 | |
The Sting / int_e9e35e8f | type |
Exact Words | |
The Sting / int_e9e35e8f | comment |
Exact Words: One of the key ways they make sure Lonnegan doesn't figure out he's been conned, along with the fake feds busting in and the real cop hustling him away. Kid Twist tells Lonnegan he said to bet on Lucky Dan to place - that is, come in second or better - rather than win, but by then it's too late to change the bet. Subverted in that his actual exact words were "place it on Lucky Dan." . Some dubbed version get around this by playing with the ambiguity of the phrase "second Riverside Park race" vs "second [pause], Riverside Park race". | |
The Sting / int_e9e35e8f | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The Sting / int_e9e35e8f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_e9e35e8f | |
The Sting / int_eb251937 | type |
Dirty Cop | |
The Sting / int_eb251937 | comment |
Dirty Cop: Lt. Snyder... Counterfeit Cash notwithstanding. | |
The Sting / int_eb251937 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_eb251937 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_eb251937 | |
The Sting / int_eb8f64a6 | type |
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished | |
The Sting / int_eb8f64a6 | comment |
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Mottola the cash runner doesn't volunteer to take down the pickpocket, but he rushes over to see if Luther is OK and hand back his envelope, which is what allows the con artists to tempt him with a huge payday and get his own cash stolen. However, he turns into an Asshole Victim when he decides to steal what he believes is a free payday. | |
The Sting / int_eb8f64a6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_eb8f64a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_eb8f64a6 | |
The Sting / int_ed84457a | type |
Consummate Professional | |
The Sting / int_ed84457a | comment |
Gondorff appears to be an alcoholic washout in his first appearance, but he is a Consummate Professional and one of the best con artists out there. | |
The Sting / int_ed84457a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ed84457a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ed84457a | |
The Sting / int_edeafb2e | type |
Malicious Misnaming | |
The Sting / int_edeafb2e | comment |
Malicious Misnaming: Gondorff repeatedly and deliberately gets Lonnegan's surname wrong to get under his skin. | |
The Sting / int_edeafb2e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_edeafb2e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_edeafb2e | |
The Sting / int_ee481121 | type |
Bringing in the Expert | |
The Sting / int_ee481121 | comment |
Bringing in the Expert: After Hooker and his partners con one of Lonnegan's numbers runners out of the money he was carrying, Lonnegan puts out a hit on them. When two of his underlings fail to kill Hooker, Lonnegan has the assassin Salino assigned to get rid of him. | |
The Sting / int_ee481121 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_ee481121 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_ee481121 | |
The Sting / int_f005700f | type |
Conspicuous Consumption | |
The Sting / int_f005700f | comment |
Conspicuous Consumption: Subverted. After Hooker pulls off a big con at the start of the film, he takes out a woman with a promise of showering her with luxuries during the evening (Specifically, that he will spend $50 on her). However, he blows the entire take on a single (rigged) roulette spin, and she leaves in disgust at the wasted evening. | |
The Sting / int_f005700f | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The Sting / int_f005700f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_f005700f | |
The Sting / int_f4d8ac92 | type |
The Assimilator | |
The Sting / int_f4d8ac92 | comment |
The Assimilator: Conventional example in Lonnegan's modus operandi, he expands his criminal empire by learning the trades and insights of an illegal business to eventually take it over. | |
The Sting / int_f4d8ac92 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_f4d8ac92 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_f4d8ac92 | |
The Sting / int_f6667222 | type |
Inexplicable Cornered Escape | |
The Sting / int_f6667222 | comment |
Inexplicable Cornered Escape: Johnny flees from an armed thug sent by the vengeful Big Bad, running into an alley behind a diner, which presents him with a dead end. The gunman is only moments away from cornering and killing Johnny then and there. Apparently, adrenaline gave Johnny enough strength to lift a steel manhole cover, and escape into the sewer below. | |
The Sting / int_f6667222 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_f6667222 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_f6667222 | |
The Sting / int_f6b30338 | type |
Murder Is the Best Solution | |
The Sting / int_f6b30338 | comment |
Murder Is the Best Solution: When Lonnegan is informed by Kelly that Shaw played him like a fiddle, his first intention is to kill them both right there on the train and get rid of the bodies. Floyd tries to talk some sense into him, because they are about to reach the station and there were other players on the table who could get suspicious. | |
The Sting / int_f6b30338 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_f6b30338 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_f6b30338 | |
The Sting / int_f6b698ac | type |
Complexity Addiction | |
The Sting / int_f6b698ac | comment |
Complexity Addiction: Salino's plan to become a Love Interest to Hooker so she (and only she) can kill him. She starts it by posing as a waitress and could have killed him several times throughout the film, even while Hooker was sleeping, or allowed Lonnegan's goons to capture him at one point, and sure enough when she finally tries she is identified and shot, on an open street, by the bodyguard Gondorff secretly hired for Hooker. Partially justified though in that there were other witnesses to Hooker staying at her place, rendering assassination at that moment risky. | |
The Sting / int_f6b698ac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_f6b698ac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_f6b698ac | |
The Sting / int_f9876f7e | type |
Faking the Dead | |
The Sting / int_f9876f7e | comment |
Faking the Dead: Both Hooker and Gondorff during the sting. | |
The Sting / int_f9876f7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_f9876f7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_f9876f7e | |
The Sting / int_fc75f1cb | type |
Detective Mole | |
The Sting / int_fc75f1cb | comment |
Detective Mole: The "FBI agents" who assist Lieutenant Snyder are an integral part of the con. | |
The Sting / int_fc75f1cb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_fc75f1cb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_fc75f1cb | |
The Sting / int_fe5dda42 | type |
Talent Double | |
The Sting / int_fe5dda42 | comment |
Talent Double: Gondorff's hands doing card tricks before the poker game are actually those of technical adviser and professional magician John Scarne. | |
The Sting / int_fe5dda42 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_fe5dda42 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_fe5dda42 | |
The Sting / int_febb58e2 | type |
Not Cheating Unless You Get Caught | |
The Sting / int_febb58e2 | comment |
Not Cheating Unless You Get Caught: Part of the con involves Gondorff out-cheating Lonnegan. | |
The Sting / int_febb58e2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_febb58e2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_febb58e2 | |
The Sting / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
The Sting / int_name | comment |
||
The Sting / int_name | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Sting / int_name | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Sting | hasFeature |
The Sting / int_name | |
The Sting / int_name | itemName |
The Sting |
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