In this film, "Fast Eddie" Felson (Paul Newman) set out to beat Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) at pool. In the beginning, he failed miserably. That's when professional gambler Bert Gordon (George C. Scott) took him under his wing and turned him into a ruthless pool hustler. At the same time, Eddie fell in love with Sarah (Piper Laurie), who comes to a tragic end because of Eddie's obsession with the game and his corruption by the evil Gordon.
Eddie has returned to the pool hall in this final scene and challenged Fats to a final match, while Gordon watched. Eddie has just won another round.
Fats looks at Eddie with a beaten expression.
FATS
I quit, Eddie. I can't beat you. (to pool hall owner)Willie, give him the stake.
As Eddie puts on his jacket in silence, Willie hands him a wad of cash.
FATS
(to Gordon)You got yourself a pool player.
Gordon watches Eddie pack up.
GORDON
Where do you think you're going? Eddie? You owe me MONEY!!
EDDIE
Well, just how do you figure that, Burt? How much you figure I owe you?
BERT
Half.
EDDIE
In Louisville it was seventy-five percent.
BERT
Well, here it's half.
Eddie turns slowly and faces Gordon.
EDDIE
What if I don't pay you, Bert?
BERT
Don't pay me? (He slowly stands and approaches Eddie) You're gonna get your thumbs broken again. Then your fingers. If I want them to, they're gonna break your right arm in three or four places.
FATS
Better pay him, Eddie.
Eddie starts packing up his cue stick.
EDDIE
Figure you're still my manager?
BERT
I'm a business man, kid.
EDDIE
You got alot of games lined up for me?
BERT
We're gonna make alot of money from now on.
EDDIE
Fifty percent?
BERT
Nah, it won't be fifty. It'll be thirty, twenty-five.
Eddie stops packing up his cue and gets a far-away look in his eyes.
EDDIE
We really stuck the knife in her, didn't we, Bert?
BERT
Aahh...
EDDIE
We really gave it to her good.
BERT
If it didn't happen in Louisville, it'd happen someplace else. If it didn't happen now, it'd happen six months from now. That's the kinda dame she was.
EDDIE
And we twisted it. Didn't we Bert? But maybe that doesn't stick in your throat 'cause you spit it out just like you spit out everything else... But it sticks in mine. I loved her, Bert. I traded her in on a pool game.
Bert can't face Eddie.
EDDIE
But that wouldn't mean anything to you. Because who did you ever care about? Win, you said. Just win. That's the important thing. But you don't know what winning is, Bert, you're a loser. You're dead inside, and you can't live unless you make everything else dead around you. Too high, Bert. The price is too high. Because if I take it, she never lived. She never died. And we both know that's not true. She lived, she died.
Eddie starts to walk away, then stops and turns.
EDDIE
You better tell your boys, they better kill me, Bert. They better go all the way. 'Cause if they just bust me up, and they put all those pieces back together again, so help me, I'm gonna come back here and I'm gonna kill you.
His words have obviously made an impact. Bert raises his hand to his goons.
BERT
All right. All right.
Eddie walks over to his cue stick and picks it up, but Bert paces over to stand in front of him.
BERT
Only, uh, don't ever walk into a big time pool hall again.
Eddie looks devastated, but it's all over for him now. He has just one last thing to do. He looks down at Fats, who's been sitting quietly this whole time.
EDDIE
Fat man...
Fats looks up at Eddie
EDDIE
You shoot a great game of pool.
Fats lifts his glass in a toast and smiles.
FATS
So do you, Fast Eddie.
Eddie takes one last look around, and leaves.
THE END
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