This Sporting Life and The Hustler

Zachary C.J.H Chiu
Sep 9, 2018 · 5 min read

This Sporting Life and The Hustler are movies based on professional sportsmen, one who plays Pool in America and the other who plays Rugby in Yorkshire. While their sports differed significantly, their personal lives shared similar consequences which were caused by the pride, greed and selfishness which encompassed them

While there was a focus on their success and exceptional skills, the lives of both sportsmen were the main aspect of the film. From analyzing these movies, pride was a major downfall for both protagonists. Using the Hustler as an example of this consequence, Fast Eddie travels across the United States to play against the legendary pool player Minnesota Fats. After being beaten by Fats, he meets a young troubled woman named Sarah who he is immediately drawn to. Despite her caring attitude towards him throughout the film, he brushes her off violently when she encourages him to stop betting during a game. After being sexually assaulted by Eddie’s professional gambler later that day, she ultimately commits suicide, writing the words “perverted, twisted and crippled” on the mirror of the bathroom; the three words she used to describe the gamblers earlier that day. Eddie soon realizes his mistake, wins a match against Fats, but is forced to give up pool by the professional gambler. He reluctantly agrees, sadly leaving the pool room he had arrived in weeks before to verse Fats.

Whilst Eddie had a strong love for Sarah, his pride took priority in winning bets and proving himself to successful pool players. Although many would argue that this fictional character did care for Sarah, as seen in the photo to the left, he lacked the loyalty to her when she was of “no use” to them at that moment and focused on impressing those who were of “higher regard”. Whilst Sarah cared for Eddie when his thumbs were broken, proving to the gamblers that he was worthy of dignity was of utmost importance at the time, thus he abruptly rejected Sarah’s propositions to return home and end the game, causing her vulnerability which ultimately resulted in her death. In addition to losing Sarah, he is forced to never return to a pool room after an argument with the gambler. Not only had he lost his love, he loses his hobby and profession; all due to his pride. Therefore, this explicitly displays how excessive pride had a strong negative impact on his life.

Selfishness was another significant aspect of the films, especially in This Sporting Life. Frank Machin is a miner in Wakefield Yorkshire. Since his job provides ends meet, he tries out for the city rugby team and gets accepted. Meanwhile, his landlady Margaret Hammond had just lost her husband in a mining accident which was ruled as suicide, resulting in her not receiving any compensation for herself or her two children. After demanding for a $1000 contract from the rugby league, Machin helps purchase the grieving widow and her children items, as well as a Bentley for himself. However, despite Margaret’s depression, Frank forces her into a relationship, but her deep sorrow prevents her from expressing any appreciation to his efforts. He begins physically abusing her, and she begs him to leave and never come back. After leaving for a few days, he returns to reconcile with Margaret, but the neighbor reveals that she has had a brain hemorrhage. She never wakes up from her coma for him to reconcile and he storms out of the hospital, leaving her two children alone with the neighbor.

Despite Frank hoping to make Margaret happier, his sole focus was on himself. Margaret’s sullen behaviors would be expected from someone who has recently lost a loved one. However, Frank takes her attitude as an insult to himself, as he feels that she is not appreciative of what he has done and achieved. He begins verbally and physically abusing her, consequently turning her against him and making her depression deepen. Even after she dies, rather than supporting her two young children who have lost both parents, he storms out, presumably never seeing the children again. This shows how ridiculously selfish Frank was, as although he would have accepted that he mistreated Margaret, he did not learn his lesson and repeats the mistake with her children. This therefore shows how Frank’s selfishness ruined the lives of Margaret, her two children as him.

The Hustler and This Sporting Life has many similar aspects. In both movies, the protagonists are selfish and proud. However, Fast Eddie admits that he loved Sarah and that he made the mistake of not caring for her and focused on winning instead, quoting to the gambler “I loved her, Bert. I traded her in on a pool game. That wouldn’t mean anything to you, because who did you ever care about?”Frank Machin does not fix his mistake and instead abandons Margaret’s children in anger. This shows how foolish Machin is, repeating his mistake over again. Although the movies ended without identifying their future success, it is quite obvious as to who would have ultimately succeeded.

These two films have certainly posed many topical issues which have remained in society since the they were produced. The main reasons as to why these sportsmen failed were due to their selfishness and pride. However, the endings of these movies determined whether they addressed their downfall, which would have ultimately proved their future success going forward.