"Color of Money" question

M

maximillion

justa strokin!
Silver Member
My freinds and I seem to be at a difference of opinion every time we watch 'The Color of Money' After Fast Eddie loses to Ames, Ames looks at him and says:
"I want you to be real honest with me, do you think I need to lose some weight"
now some of us think he is talking about weight as in a handicap or giving up a spot, and others think he is talking about his physical size type weight just to push eddies buttons.

We have a small bet going on this and AZ forums is going to be the deciding factor.
 
Keith McCready

Keith McCready

Pro Player
Amos was sarcastic in his statement to Eddie, and I believe that he was really just needling him. It seems to me that Amos was acting as if he had Eddie in his hip pocket. I wish guys would have hustled pool like that back in the '70s because anybody who plays pool would have taken care of Amos, which generates good action.

I was sort of lucky to be able to get the part of Grady Seasons in "The Color of Money." It wasn't very hard for me to play that part. As for the other actors, it was harder for them to play their parts than it was for me to play mine. When you can visualize the character and believe it is actually him, the actor's portrayal is successful. And as we know, "The Color of Money" was successful.

A story line is always open to the viewer's perception, like you and your friend perceiving Amos' actions differently.

Keith "Earthquake" McCready a/k/a Grady Seasons
 
azhousepro

azhousepro

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Moderator
I am with Rick on this one. I think he was talking about his physical weight.

Mike
 
1

1-P

Guest
It definitely had a double meaning and it was definitely referring to the spot that Eddie had given Amos. Otherwise it would make no sense at all.

If you took a non-player to see the movie, the question they most likely asked was what did Amos mean when he said that. Because it makes no sense in the normal context. But they are in a pool room in a money game, where weight only has one meaning--Amos wasn't asking if he should enroll at WeightWatchers.

It was the double meaning that makes it such a great line, but IMHO there is not question as to how it was meant.

1-P
 
R

Rich R.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I agree with Razor Rog.

The line has a double meaning.

To some it is about his physical weight, but to others, it is about giving up some weight on the table.

Whether intentional or not, it was some very clever writing.

Rich R.
 
Chucklez65

Chucklez65

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
We can agree that depending on your interpretation of the line, there could be a dual meaning to this statement...but there was never any mention of a spot to Amos in the movie at all. They did not appear to be racing to any number so that he was giving a number of games and he did not appear to be giving him any early balls because he was making only the 9 ball in the game.

While I understand there is a possibility of a handicap in the game, I did not see any reference to a spot it in the movie, or the book, for that matter.

JMHO

Chuck
 
1

1-P

Guest
There doesn't have to be any mention of a spot because the scene opens with Amos apologizing for sinking the 9 off of the 8 and explaining that he can never make that shot. That is the "hustle". In a heads-up match, there is no need for Amos' remarks or for the whole conversation regarding whether Amos is a hustler. In the end, Eddie is not upset because Amos beat him but that he was hustled.

IMHO, there is a clear implication of weight without ever having to say it.

1-P
 
Chucklez65

Chucklez65

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
My take on this is that he got hustled because his game was not what it used to be and he was not able to spot another 'hustler' who played better than he did. He was too rapped up in winning from the other games that he played that he let himself get taken by a better player that did not appear to be better. He was upset that his judgment was so clouded by his belief that he was one of the best hustlers around that he could not spot another hustler.

However,

But in your explanation, I can see how your theory is entirely possible. Thank you for explaining the other side of the discussion so clearly. I had not considered it from this point of view...if it is what they meant to portray, then they veiled it pretty well. If not, then they clearly got more out of the dialogue than they meant to and made it a scene to think about after you watch it.

Chuck
 
B

Battleready

Guest
double meaning all day.....

and a good damn good one at that...lol
 
M

maximillion

justa strokin!
Silver Member
Ok looks like the over all opinion from az is that it was a double meaning, but that doesnt win me any beer, does anyone know the actors name or even the writer? We just raised the bet.
 
Keith McCready

Keith McCready

Pro Player
Forest Whitaker, in a cameo appearance, played the character of Amos.

Walter Tevis is the author of "The Color of Money."

Hey, where is Grady Mathews? I would like to hear what his opinions are.

Keith "Earthquake" McCready
 
W

weelie

Registered
To me it was the physical weight for sure. I love the line.

It's like when you go to a pool hall, you look at guys, their cue action.. I can beat him, I can beat hime, he plays a mean a game, not sure, ... etc. Fast Eddie thought the stupid looking fatso was an easy score... and that's what Amos wanted look like all along. That's why the classic one liner.
 
dennis

dennis

Living To Learn!
Thats exactly the point he was asking him about his hustle ,did eddie even think for a second he was going to lose to that fat chump?later,dennis
 
R

RAZOR ROG

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It was one of my favorite lines in the movie. Only a pool player would get it. If the movie had been about any other subject, the statement would have been "weight watchers " all the way.
 
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