Best Newman Performance?
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cjr3559 — 19 years ago(January 22, 2007 08:55 PM)
I haven't seen all of his movies, but his portrayal of Fast Eddie in the Hustler is his best in my opinion. In quite a few of his other movies, it sometimes feels like your watching Paul Newman play a character, but in the Hustler and the Color of Money, he trancends himself remarkably and sheds his own persona. I thought the pairing of Newman with Tom Cruise in the Color of Money was somewhat ironic due to their similarities, though I cannot think of another film (other than the Color of Money, coincidentally) in which Cruise is able to raise a character higher than himself.
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John-Sigl — 19 years ago(February 07, 2007 09:56 AM)
I have seen just about every Paul Newman movie more than once and I find his last-chance-at-redemption lawyer Frank Glavin in "The Verdict" to be the best. Raw emotion and stellar acting. If you're looking for a "sleeper" Paul Newman oerforamance.check him out in an older film called "The Young Philadelphians". It came out in 1959 and really is quite good.
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nusumareta — 19 years ago(February 13, 2007 11:01 PM)
As much as I love THE HUSTLER, I don't think it is Newman's best role. Piper Laurie completely steals the show (astounding considering the male talent gathered for this cast) the dynamic with Bert (George C. Scott) is stunning to watch, even now (and this was released in 1961). Newman's role in THE COLOR OF MONEY is considerably more nuanced and more difficult to play, in my humble opinion. Perhaps not his best role, but a more interesting one playing a young punk can only go so far ("ah, ya' lucky punk, I quit ya'").
W.r.t. Tom Cruise, I would probably side with the old Siskel & Ebert critique of RAIN MAN: even though Dustin Hoffman got all of the acclaim, Tom Cruise had the more difficult role in the sense that his is the only character that has to change throughout the course of the movie (and the audience has to buy into it). The evolution (I would say "journey", but it is a road picture) of his character (Charlie) is the entire plot of the movie after all, Raymond (Hoffman's character) is incapable of change and, once again, playing a young punk (as in COLOR OF MONEY) can only go so far. -
Levane — 19 years ago(February 18, 2007 02:03 PM)
I think this one is best,its not only Paul Newmans best but its also one of the best perfomance of all time,it can easily make top 20
I am part of the power that would always wish evil,and always works the good- Goethe
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buzzkill1999 — 18 years ago(April 02, 2008 03:01 PM)
I gotta go with The Verdict, although Hustler and Cool Hand Luke rank right up there. Among more recent roles, my favorite is Nobody's Fool, although it's a bit too much Paul Newman playing Paul Newman.
I don't rattle, kid. But just for that I'm gonna beat you flat. -
filmprincess — 17 years ago(May 23, 2008 11:29 PM)
Hud, The Hustler, or Cool Hand Luke?
Well, I'd pretty much say I adore Paul Newman in almost every film; however, if I had to choose from these three, I'd say
The Hustler
! I've seen this movie too many times to count. For me, personally, it just continues to remain a classic. And the cast and acting, oh my gawd, out of this world fantastic! Oh, and the script! The entire film is a
thing of beauty
!
By the way, for a long while this movie has not been available on DVD or VHS. Is this still the case? If anyone knows, please let me know. By the way,
Cool Hand Luke
is indeed a classic as well. Adore that film, too. But again, if I
had
to choose from these three, I'm going with
The Hustler
! fp
"Save me, Sabrina fair. You're the only one who can." -
kag2-1 — 17 years ago(June 11, 2008 08:36 PM)
He was also very good in COOL HAND LUKE, and nearly as good in HUD and THE VERDICT. Ironically, his oscar-winning performance in COLOR OF MONEY was not equal to any of these. I liked him best in THE HUSTLER, but I also liked the movie better than the others.
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