MovieChat Forums > The Hustler (1961) Discussion > I made enough off you last night to pay ...

I made enough off you last night to pay for it twice over

posted 12 years ago by lmdave
5 replies | jump to latest

During the scene between Burt and Eddie at the bar discussing the first pool match with Fats. Burt tells Eddie about how he gets a new car each year, and he made enough off Eddie to pay for it twice over.

During the game, Eddie was up $18000 before he went on his slide, now we all know Charlie gave the money back to Eddie to play minus Charlie's cut, but in order for Burt to "make money" especially enough to pay the car off twice, Eddie would have had to dip into about $10000 of their own funds after the $18000 was given back.

The fact that Charlie wouldn't give back his cut of the profit, how could Eddie have dipped into their money?

[–] kag2-1 12 years ago

I believe Charlie admits to Eddie that he held out his 25% - $1,500. That would mean that Eddie lost $4,500 to Fats, and maybe Fats gave half of those winnings ($2,250) to Burt. With that $2,250 Burt could buy a brand new full-sized car in 1960, but not two of them. So Burt was probably exxagerating.

[–] PillowRock 12 years ago

With that $2,250 Burt could buy a brand new full-sized car in 1960, but not two of them. So Burt was probably exagerating.

But remember that cars are not things that you just throw out after that year of use. With the trade-in of the previous year's car, he could probably go through two annual cycles of buying a new car.

[–] kag2-1 12 years ago

Thanks PillowRock. I should have thought of it that way.

[–] notorious918 10 years ago

But was a loan shark and had money out on the street.

[–] Kimo46 12 years ago

Burt was most likely referring to side bets (i.e., bets made by persons other than the two players). Burt could have made more money betting with the spectators than was being made in the "official" betting.