MovieChat Forums > The Hustler (1961) Discussion > Left-handed pool shots

Left-handed pool shots

posted 12 years ago by AlWilliams-2
6 replies | jump to latest

Paul Newman was left-handed, a la "The Left-Handed Gun", "Hombre", etc. But in this movie he appeared to take all of a hundred shots right-handed, which would be the weaker of his hands and arms. He made power shots accurate enough to sink the balls, well enough for the filming although set up by pro Willie Mosconi. Shooting pool is as difficult to do with your off-hand as it is for an amateur to bat a baseball off-handed.

I wonder if the director used a reverse camera-angle for those scenes so it would appear Newman was right-handed? They did so for Gary Cooper when he swung the bat in the Lou Gehrig Story to make him appear to be taking left-handed swings.

[–] Mark-Dziamski 12 years ago

Or it could just be that he shot pool with his right hand. I am right handed with everything I do except batting. I'm a left handed batter but can't even do something as simple as write my name with my left hand.

[–] jejozi 12 years ago

Me too. The only other thing I do left handed is play hockey. Oh, and swing a sledge hammer and axe. But I golf right handed.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

[–] CineramaMama 12 years ago

According to legend, Newman never picked up a stick before this movie. He was likely taught by a right-hander so that's the way he practiced, and there would also be continuity with Mosconi's stand-in shots.

I am right-handed but my kindergarten teacher was left-handed. Guess which way I tie my shoes. Later as a kid, I had a bad accident with my right hand and I learned how to write with my left. Just for fun, I also trained myself to throw and kick a football with my left side. Although it was difficult, I got quite good with practice.

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

In sports my son is always a leftie, whether with foot or hand; however, he always wanted to copy me when he was learning to write and I am hopelessly right handed... can't even hold the pencil correctly with my left hand - so he's right handed. Actually, because he's had coaches who didn't always pay attention, he is rather ambidextrous in sports.

[–] horsenbuggy 9 years ago

Handedness is fairly arbitrary. I say I am left-handed, but the only things I really do left-handed are: write, eat, brush my teeth and play pool. Everything else, I pretty much do right-handed. But there are some things I do equally as well with which ever hand is most convenient.

Regardless, I am very impressed that Newman had never played pool before. It appeared that he played better than Gleason by the few sits we got of them actually shooting.

[–] stevielanding 9 years ago

You know those really awkward shots that make you stretch and contort your body?

Most are fairly simple if you can switch hands.

Mairzy doats and dozy doats, but liddle lamzi nothing.