If American Hustle does, however, live up to the hype, it will complete a trifecta of successful movies, and will propel O Russell to another level of respect; a separate pantheon of directors.

He Saved My Life

“I was very fortunate to get The Fighter. And that became the first chapter in all the work I’m doing right now… Silver Linings, to me, was another chapter of a similar world. Of people, and a family, and a community, and a home, who speak a certain way and who are very emotional and very intense, in ways that I find fascinating,” he explained to ET in a video interview. “The new movie, American Hustle, is a third chapter of that, to me. It’s the biggest world in a way.”

With such a skilled director at the helm and a group of incredible actors, who have all forged a working relationship with their auteur, American Hustle is looking like it’ll be one of the success stories of 2013. But it’ll have plenty of work on its hands prying an Oscar out of Gravity, Captain Phillips and 12 Years a Slave’s hands come March 2014 when the Academy dole out their gongs.

The final clip: Thank God For Me