MovieChat Forums > The Hustler (1961) Discussion > The thumb breaking scene?

The thumb breaking scene?


Okay, I just saw this movie and LOVED it. However there was a part that made me wonder about what was implied to have happened. I am totally serious about this inquiry, but be warned the topic is a little disturbing.
Remember the part of the movie where he goes to the little dive bar and tries to hustle those guys? Once they figure him out they tell him to go ahead and take the money, but when he goes for it they grab him and rough him up. They take him into the bathroom. Later when he returns to Sarah he had his thumbs broken, but during the scene it seemed like something else was happening.
I think they had a pool cue when they went into the bathroom and after a bit of scuffling, Fast Eddie is pinned against the hazy bathroom window face first. I thought they must have sodomized him with the pool cue, did anyone else pick up on this?

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It was prison shower-like rape. Plain and simple.

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