Fast Eddie Fans. How did Eddie use Vincent in Color of Money. WOW, no paul newman fans?

[PlatinumGold]

I just saw this again tonite, and i still can't figure out how eddie used vincent?? is it because eddie used vincent to get his game back and beat him in atlantic city?? i don't think that's it, cause i'm pretty sure vincent dumped on purpose, so how was vincent used by eddie?

 

[PlatinumGold]

man, i must be getting old.

 

[js1973]

I don't know. I thought there was a mutual understanding between them that Eddie was going to supply the cash and Vincent the game. I don't see how Eddie used him other than that.

 

[PlatinumGold]

send it back to the top once more. man, no one knows the hustler??

 

[Tallgeese]

I think it's much more subtle...and insidious.
This movie is a fairly adept psychological drama (at least at the beginning), which would make it more akin to the original "The Hustler."

What's the key lesson Felson tries to get Vincent to learn?
That winning isn't in the stick...it's in the head.

I think Felson uses Vincent purely as a pigeon, to check out the potential competition before making a comeback WITHOUT arousing anyone's suspicion.
Frontmen are considered scum (don't forget what a lowlife George C. Scott was in "The Hustler").
So no one would suspect Eddie would ever make any kind of comeback.
But if anyone did, then they might come 'round tryin to play a psych job on him, because Eddie does house some self-doubt--which is his only weakness--about his remaining ability.

I think Eddie figures that Vincent is too much of a flake to ever really figure it it out. While everyone focuses on Vincent, Eddie can catalog the potential opponents.
I think Eddie lets himself get hustled as a complete ruse. He's too sharp to get taken by anybody. But it makes for the PERFECT excuse to ditch Eddie and the girl WITHOUT raising their suspicions about his motives. They just see him as some disgraced, washed-up old fool, and that is EXACTLY what Eddie wants them to think.
As far as Vincent himself as a threat...Eddie has him psyched out from the beginning.

But I think the interesting part is...that Vincent DOES learn the importance of the mental game, once Eddie ditches him and his girlfriend, and they have to hustle without a backer on the road.
The jibe about ditching the game is the best psych job to lay on Eddie, to try to drive a wedge into Eddie's only beloved patriot, that bit of self-doubt.

This flick reminds me a LOT of "The Grifters," as far as the tension of the 3-way dynamic between the characters.

 

[PlatinumGold]

interesting tall geese

so, vincent is pissed because he was set up to play the front man. the jerk as he called himself about midway in the movie?

anyway, was a pretty good movie.

 

[Desslok]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
interesting tall geese so, vincent is pissed because he was set up to play the front man. the jerk as he called himself about midway in the movie? anyway, was a pretty good movie.

I agree with Tall, I couldn't have put it better. I love that movie! You think it is going one way then it shoots off in another direction.

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold
I just saw this again tonite, and i still can't figure out how eddie used vincent?? is it because eddie used vincent to get his game back and beat him in atlantic city?? i don't think that's it, cause i'm pretty sure vincent dumped on purpose, so how was vincent used by eddie?

Fast Eddie was trying to relive his youth through Vincent.

 

[PlatinumGold]

The jibe about ditching the game is the best psych job to lay on Eddie, to try to drive a wedge into Eddie's only beloved patriot, that bit of self-doubt.

ya, but did he really dump? or was he just saying it to throw off eddie's game. I thought he really did dump.