Johnny Hooker News Today

Latest show continues a long history of staging plays with lawyers, judges and clerks

The Sting: Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The Sting airs on ITV4 at 1:45 PM, Monday 6 May. Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman

The Sting: Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The Sting airs on ITV4 at 2:20 PM, Saturday 4 May. Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman

ALISON BOSHOFF: They are surely the most famous names in musical theatre - and it can be revealed that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber are writing songs together again.

The Sting: Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The Sting airs on ITV4 at 5:20 PM, Sunday 28 January. Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman

The Sting: Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The Sting airs on ITV4 at 11:45 AM, Saturday 27 January. Depression-era comedy drama, with Robert Redford and Paul Newman

'The Sting' won best picture, director and five other categories 50 years ago.

Released 50 years ago, the star’s last team-up with Robert Redford was a masterful crime thriller. But the con nearly didn’t come off

Even though The Sting became the highest-grossing film of 1974 – and claimed seven Academy Awards – it took co-star Robert Redford more than three decades to finally watch his celebrated crime caper, one of only two movies he made with Paul Newman.

The Sting was a smash when it came out 50 years ago, but its starry leads and enjoyable affect belie a technical marvel and studio gamble.