“The Sting” / 「スティング」, Original Japanese Double-Sided Nakazuri Train Poster 1974, Academy Award Campaign, B3 Size (36 × 52 cm) J274

This is an original Japanese double-sided B3 nakazuri poster printed for the 1974 Japanese theatrical campaign of The Sting / 「スティング」, George Roy Hill’s classic confidence-game comedy starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Robert Shaw.

Designed to hang from the ceiling inside Japanese railway carriages, the poster combines a vivid colour advertisement on the front with an exceptionally detailed black-and-white press sheet on the reverse.

The front celebrates the film’s remarkable success at the 46th Academy Awards, where it won seven Oscars, while the reverse gives commuters an extended introduction to the story, cast, production, and specialised language of professional con artists.

Film background

Set in 1936, the film follows Johnny Hooker, a young street grifter who unknowingly steals money belonging to the powerful criminal boss Doyle Lonnegan.

After Hooker’s veteran partner is murdered in retaliation, he travels to Chicago and seeks the help of experienced confidence man Henry Gondorff.

Together, Hooker and Gondorff assemble a team of specialists and construct an elaborate false gambling operation designed to deceive Lonnegan. Every location, employee, betting result, and apparent mistake forms part of a carefully controlled performance intended to separate him from a substantial fortune.

The film was directed by George Roy Hill, reuniting Newman and Redford after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

The principal creative credits include:

Director: George Roy Hill
Screenplay: David S. Ward
Music: Marvin Hamlisch
Original Poster Artwork: Richard Amsel

The principal cast includes:

Paul Newman
Robert Redford
Robert Shaw
Charles Durning
Ray Walston
Eileen Brennan
Harold Gould

Marvin Hamlisch’s adaptation of Scott Joplin’s ragtime music—most famously “The Entertainer”—became inseparable from the film and helped renew international interest in Joplin’s work.

Front design

The front uses Richard Amsel’s celebrated illustrated key art, framed by a brilliant red background and an elegant black-and-white Art Deco border.

Paul Newman and Robert Redford appear as Gondorff and Hooker, relaxed beside a card table while playing cards scatter through the composition.

Newman wears a fedora, braces, and pale shirt, leaning casually against the chair with a cigar and playing card. Redford stands beside him in a red suit and matching cap, capturing the film’s mixture of period style, charm, and criminal confidence.

The upper-left tagline reads:

「いっちょカモろうぜ！」

Translated:

“Let’s fleece a sucker!”

The large green Japanese title:

「スティング」

fills the lower-left section, accompanied by the names of Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Robert Shaw.

At right, a dedicated red panel announces:

「本年度アカデミー賞7部門受賞」

Translated:

“Winner of seven Academy Awards this year.”

The seven winning categories are represented by Oscar statuettes and listed as:

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay
Best Art Direction
Best Film Editing
Best Costume Design
Best Scoring: Original Song Score and/or Adaptation

Small black-and-white images above the award panel evoke the film’s Chicago streets, gambling establishments, and underworld atmosphere.

Reverse design

The reverse functions as a full Japanese informational programme, densely printed with articles, photographs, biographies, and production notes.

A central black-and-white montage shows Newman and Redford in character, surrounded by circular portraits of:

Paul Newman
Robert Redford
Robert Shaw
George Roy Hill
Marvin Hamlisch
Scott Joplin

The large heading again reads:

「スティング」

A dedicated section titled:

「コンマンとは……」

Translated:

“What is a con man?”

explains the film’s specialised confidence-game terminology, including:

Hooker – the operative who draws in the victim
Big Con – a large, carefully staged confidence scheme
Set-Up – preparing the victim and circumstances
Street Worker – a street-level confidence operator
Runners – assistants who direct or manipulate the mark
Wire – the elaborate fake betting operation used in the film

Further sections provide the complete story synopsis, character introductions, cast backgrounds, the film’s seven Academy Award wins, and production information concerning the filmmakers and Hamlisch’s use of Scott Joplin’s music.

The unusually extensive reverse makes this poster both an advertisement and a compact period press document.

Format and rarity

This is a Japanese B3 nakazuri poster, measuring approximately:

36.4 × 51.5 cm / 14.3 × 20.3 inches

Nakazuri posters were suspended from the ceilings of commuter trains for short promotional periods. They were supplied for railway display rather than public sale and were generally discarded after use.

Double-sided examples are particularly desirable, as both surfaces had to survive display, removal, and storage without significant damage.

This example combines Amsel’s iconic colour artwork, the film’s seven-Oscar campaign, and an unusually detailed reverse press sheet, making it an exceptional piece for collectors of The Sting, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Richard Amsel, Academy Award memorabilia, and Japanese railway advertising.

Condition

Very Good+ condition. The front retains vivid red, green, cream, and black colour, sharp illustrated detail, clear typography, and very strong overall display impact.

There are visible fold and handling lines, light creasing, minor surface wear, and small edge imperfections consistent with an original double-sided nakazuri poster from this period. The reverse remains clear and readable, with corresponding folds and light age-related handling.

Reference: J274.

Please review both photographs carefully, as they show the exact front and reverse of the poster for sale.

This is an original Japanese double-sided B3 nakazuri poster from the film’s 1974 Japanese campaign, not a reproduction or reprint.

It is now over 50 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.