The Sting

The Sting is a 1973 film about two confidence tricksters working in 1930s Chicago who team up to pull the ultimate con on a millionaire mob boss.
 * ''Directed by George Roy Hill. Written by David S. Ward.

...all it takes is a little Confidence.

Henry Gondorff

 * No sense being a grifter if its the same as bein' a citizen.
 * Sorry I'm late, guys, I was takin' a crap.

Doyle Lonnegan

 * [to Gondorff] Not only are you a cheat, you're a gutless cheat as well.


 * You see that fella in the red sweater over there? His name's Donnie McCoy. Works a few of the protection rackets for Cunnaro when he's waiting for something better to happen. Donnie and I have known each other since we were six. Take a good look at that face, Floyd. Because if he ever finds out I can be beat by one lousy grifter, I'll have to kill him and every other hood who wants to muscle in on my Chicago operation.


 * [Repeated line] You follow?

FBI Agent Polk

 * [to Snyder] Sit down and shut up, will ya? Try not to live up to all my expectations.

Dialogue

 * Luther: How much did you lose?
 * Hooker: [winces] All of it.
 * Luther: In one damn night? What are you spraying money around like that for? You could've been nailed.
 * Hooker: I checked the place first. There were no dicks in there.
 * Luther: But you're a con man! And you blew it like a pimp!


 * Henry: [drunk] Glad to meet you, kid - you're a real horse's ass.
 * Hooker: Luther said I could learn from you. I already know how to drink.


 * Hooker: Listen, Gondorff! Am I gonna learn the big con or not?
 * Henry: What's your hurry?
 * Hooker: I want to play for Lonnegan.
 * Henry: You know anything about the guy?
 * Hooker: Yeah! He croaked Luther! Anything else I gotta know? [after he calms down] All right. He runs a numbers racket on the south side. He owns a packing house. A few banks.
 * Henry: Yeah, and half the politicians in New York and Chicago. Not a fix in this world is gonna cool him out if he blows on you.
 * Hooker: I'll get him anyway.
 * Henry: Why?
 * Hooker: 'Cause I don't know enough about killin' to kill him.
 * Henry: You can't do it alone, you know. It takes a mob of guys like you and enough money to make them look good.
 * Hooker: I know plenty of guys.
 * Henry: It's not like playing winos in the street. You can't outrun Lonnegan.
 * Hooker: I never played for no winos.
 * Henry: You gotta keep his con even after you take his money. He can't know you took him.
 * Hooker: You're scared of him.
 * Henry: Right down to my socks, buster! You're talkin' about a guy who'd kill a grifter over a chunk of money that wouldn't support him for two days!


 * Hooker: What're you doin'?!
 * Henry: Always drink gin with the mark, son. He can't tell if y' cut it!


 * Henry: Tough luck, Lonnehan. But that's what you get for playing with your head up your ass!
 * Doyle: The name's Lonnegan, DOYLE Lonnegan! You're gonna remember that, Mr. Shaw, or you're gonna get yourself another game.


 * Floyd: Doyle, I KNOW I gave him four THREES. He had to make a SWITCH. We can't let him get away with that.
 * Doyle: What was I supposed to do - call him for cheating better than me, in front of the others?


 * Hooker: Hey, where's June?
 * Loretta: She quit. I'm filling in for a couple of days, till I can get a train outta here.
 * Hooker: Yeah? Where ya going?
 * Loretta: I don't know. Depends on which train I get on.


 * Hooker: Can you get a mob together?
 * Henry: After what happened to Luther, I don't think I can get more than two, three hundred guys.


 * Kid Twist: Now how do you want to work this? Flat rate or percentage?
 * Benny Garfield: Who's the mark?
 * Kid: Doyle Lonnegan.
 * Benny: [short pause] Flat rate.


 * Hooker: I gave him the breakdown, just like you said.
 * Henry: And?
 * Hooker: It's good. He threatened to kill me.
 * Henry: Hell, kid, they don't do that, you know you're not getting to 'em.


 * Billie: Who told you this guy was in here?
 * Lt. Snyder: Nobody, I just know what kind of woman he likes. Going to check all the joy houses till I find him.
 * Billie: Oh, well maybe I could help you, if you tell me his name.
 * Lt. Snyder: I doubt it. Which way are the rooms?
 * Billie: Right through there. But I wouldn't go in there if I were you.
 * Lt. Snyder: What you are going to do, call the cops?
 * Billie: I don't have to. You'd be busting in on the Chief of Police just up the hall.


 * Hooker: [watching Lonnegan] He's not as tough as he thinks.
 * Henry: Neither are we.


 * Henry: Is Lonnegan after you too?
 * Hooker: I don't know. I ain't seen anybody.
 * Henry: You never do, kid.


 * Hooker: I, ah...thought you might wanna come out for a while. Maybe have a drink or somethin'.
 * Loretta: You move right along, don't ya.
 * Hooker: I don't mean nothin' by it. I just don't know many regular girls, that's all.
 * Loretta: And you expect me to come out, just like that.
 * Hooker: If I expected somethin', I wouldn't be still standin' out here in the hall.
 * Loretta: I don't even know you.
 * Hooker: You know me. I'm just like you. It's two in the morning and I don't know nobody.


 * Doyle: I put it all on Lucky Dan- half a million dollars to win.
 * Kid: To win? I said place! "Place it on Lucky D-" That horse is gonna run second!
 * Doyle: [runs horrified to the betting booth] There's been a mistake! I want my money back!


 * Henry: You beat him, kid.
 * Hooker: You were right, Henry. It's not enough... But it's close.
 * Henry: You're not gonna stick around for your share?
 * Hooker: Nah, I'd only blow it.

Cast

 * Robert Redford — Johnny "Kelly" Hooker
 * Paul Newman — Henry "Shaw" Gondorff
 * Robert Shaw — Doyle Lonnegan
 * Charles Durning — Lieutenant William Snyder
 * Ray Walston — J.J. Singleton
 * Eileen Brennan — Billie
 * Harold Gould — Kid Twist
 * John Heffernan — Eddie Niles
 * Dana Elcar — FBI Agent Polk
 * Jack Kehoe — Erie Kid
 * Dimitra Arliss — Loretta Salino
 * Robert Earl Jones — Luther Coleman
 * Charles Dierkop — Floyd
 * James J. Sloyan — Mottola