MovieChat Forums > The Sting (1973) Discussion > ***SPOILER ALERT*** Just before the ...

SPOILER ALERT Just before the ...

posted 8 years ago by Ironman54
5 replies | jump to latest

Just before the 2 phony FBI agents bring Hooker and Snyder from the phony FBI car through the pouring rain into the phony makeshift FBI office, phony F.B.I. Agent Polk hands another phony FBI agent a note and says: "Chuck, get this off right away' (or words close to that). Since the agents were all part of a 'con' and the 2 the phony FBI wanted to con were Hooker and Snyder, who hadn't as yet walked through the door, why did Polk go through the ruse of sending out this message before Hooker and Snyder had even entered the phony 'office' ?

Well obviously it was to 'con' us, the audience - but it made no sense in terms of the story. These were the days when they didn't have to concern themselves with moviegoers seeing the movie a second, third (or one hundred) time which would thereby make it much more likely that the incontinuity (?)would be noticed. You're sitting in the movie theatre with a friend or two and notice the incontinuity but you couldn't spend much time thinking about it, not if you wanted to keep up with the story. So usually, one just let it go. At most, you elbowed the friend next to you and whispered your observation to them, which in turn could bring about the infamous 'SHHHhhhhhh...quiet pal !!' from others sitting somewhere around you in the dark. I've watched this movie at least once a year since its came on cable. Everytime I see this scene it bugs the hell out of me. If you've bothered to read this far, no doubt I've just passed it on to you ... you're welcome !

[–] Thirdover4 8 years ago

Maybe it was part of their improvisational acting method as con men to get warmed up and into the characters. Or maybe they weren't sure when they would walk through the door.

[–] DracTarashV 8 years ago

Yeah, it's quite possible they REALLY took their roles seriously and never broke character when they were in the office. Haha. But yeah, I wondered the same thing.

You want something corny? You got it!

[–] jwalsh67 8 years ago

I'm thinking they needed "momentum" to ensure that the act was never suspected. I'm sure they heard the car pull up or were given some sort of a signal that the "marks" were on their way into the building.

He who conquers himself is mightier than he who conquers a city.

[–] belacane 8 years ago

Same reason Henry got all the folks in the shop in character when Twist pressed the bell. They still had about 1-2 minutes before Lonnegan walked in; Twist always pressed the bell when Lonnegan left the drugstore, but Gondorff wanted everyone to be in place, be in character, so Lonnegan wouldn't guess anything. Polk doesn't know how close Snyder may be with Hooker, so they get into character a little early. This way if Snyder busts in quickly, he won't surprise them.

[–] strntz (10808) 6 years ago

Well obviously it was to 'con' us, the audience - but it made no sense in terms of the story.

You answered your own question - well, the first part anyway. The audience is indeed conned, and for that final shootout scene to be believed, we must be totally convinced that Agent Polk and the FBI agents are real. By showing us the "FBI" agents before Snyder and Hooker get there discussing a memo, we are totally conned. If we had any inkling that they were in on the con, that scene would dismiss that for anyone, well, anyone who's not an idiot savant that is...

As for not making sense in the story; sure it does. By starting their FBI act early, the con men playing Agent Polk and the other agent could be sure that no matter when Snyder walks into the office, they'd be in mid-conversation and not have to suddenly jump into their act.