When a mutual friend gets victimized by ruthless racketeer Doyle Lonnergan (Shaw), con-men Henry Gondorff (Newman) and Johnny Hooker (Redford) join with some other pros to hit Lonnergan where he lives: in his wallet. The "big con" they perpetrate is highly intricate, but the need to avenge their fallen friend keeps them all at the top of their games.

George Roy Hill's reprise with Newman and Redford (after "Butch Cassidy") once again comes up a winner. Vivid 1930s period detail and a sublime Scott Joplin ragtime score add flavor to a wildly entertaining, twisty yarn that plays out like a perfect sleight-of-hand trick — and even the movie-watching audience isn't in on the whole picture. Newman and Redford recapture the chemistry of their earlier outing, and Shaw makes an ideal villain/victim. Charles Durning also stands out as a sleazy, crooked cop. Grade A entertainment, suitable for older kids.