Pocket rattle in the movies

S

Sweatin'

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I'm watching "The Hustler" last night for the umpteenth time and two minutes in there it is. First pool shot of the movie. Newman lines up on an OB frozen on the rail about 6-8 inches away from the corner pocket. He hits the CB about medium hard and there it is: the OB rattles in the jaws of the corner pocket which promptly spits it out.

This is 1961 and the table looks 30 years old so it sure isn't an Olhausen! Pocket looks to be 5 inches or more wide. So question is, under the right circumstances will most any table rattle a ball?
 
What? Are you asking if it's possible to miss on any table? Um yes.
 
It's pretty easy to get a ball to rattle, just have the object ball touch the rail that it is running along.

You can set the cue ball and object ball along the short rail, actually just off the rail. If you shoot the object ball clean from not hitting the rail, it will fall again and again. However, slightly touching the rail with the object ball, and you have that surprise rattler on your hands if you shot is a little more aggressive.
For your game, if you need to get to the other end of the table with the cue ball, shoot a object ball clean to the pocket.
 
Sweatin' said:
So I'm watching "The Hustler" last night for the umpteenth time and two minutes in there it is. First pool shot of the movie. Newman lines up on an OB frozen on the rail about 6-8 inches away from the corner pocket. He hits the CB about medium hard and there it is: the OB rattles in the jaws of the corner pocket which promptly spits it out.

This is 1961 and the table looks 30 years old so it sure isn't an Olhausen! Pocket looks to be 5 inches or more wide. So question is, under the right circumstances will most any table rattle a ball?
Click to expand...

Remember Newman (Fast Eddie) was stalling there, laying down a hustle to trap someone. That may have been the best scene of the entire movie!
 
jay helfert said:
Remember Newman (Fast Eddie) was stalling there, laying down a hustle to trap someone. That may have been the best scene of the entire movie!
Click to expand...

I agree!

While I've always loved the movie (like most here) for obvious reasons, I think it appeals to the non-pool playing masses because it's such a great character study.

Gleason individually as well as his masterful portrayal in this movie are truly things of beauty!
 
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