MovieChat Forums > The Sting (1973) Discussion > Paul Newman's card tricks

Paul Newman's card tricks

posted 9 years ago by MyDarkStar
7 replies | jump to latest

I know the card tricks were really being done by a "stunt" double Joe Scarne - but how did they pull that off ? The camera pans right from the hands up to Newman's face. I've looked closely to see if there is a spot where they may have frozen the camera and replaced Scarne with Newman but I don't see a place where it may have been edited.

Does anybody know how they pulled that off ?

[–] arthurab 9 years ago

Look again-there's a cut in there.

[–] MfromtheWood 9 years ago

Just watched it again on TCM and just after he spreads the cards, he takes both hands out of sight before he scoops the cards back up. It's a split second but you can see the switch before the camera pans up to Newman's face.

[–] scrabbler1 9 years ago

Watch the fingernails. Scarne's are a little different from Newman's.

[–] jthemanjj 9 years ago

It's easy to see on a big screen tv.....you can see the edit point just before Newman's hands come into view to scoop up cards and camera pans up to show him.

[–] heelmaster2000 9 years ago

It was darn good camera work, and a wonderful scene.

[–] gottaluvafriend 8 years ago

There's only one card trick which pans from the hands to Newman's face and it's not a difficult trick.

[–] MyDarkStar 8 years ago

And I have no doubt you could do it very easily.