Over the weekend, on September 26th, American icon and rebel Paul Newman died at his home in Connecticut. He was 83.
Newman established that rebel persona through the 1967 film "Cool Hand Luke". In what I think may be one of his defying roles. He also scored big with a pair of films he made with Robert Redford; "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969) and the Oscar winner, "The Sting" (1973).
He was nominated 9 times for best actor/supporting actor including roles in such films as "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Cool Hand Luke", and his last nomination in 2003 for the film "Road to Perdition". At the time I felt he should have won the award that year for "best supporting actor".
Of those 9 nominations Newman won once for his role as Fast Eddie Felson, which he originated in the 1961 film "The Hustler". When he did win it was for Martin Scorsese's sequel "The Color of Money".
Besides his work as an actor Newman switched to directing. He directed 6 films, only one of which I have seen. His 1968 film "Rachel, Rachel" which starred his wife Joanne Woodward. She was nominated for "best actress" that year and the film was up for "best picture". Two very deserving nominations.
Newman may also be known for his political activities. He was a self-proclaimed liberal, who was even put on President Nixon's "enemy list" (he placed number 19). Newman jokingly considered that one of his great achievements. And some may know him for his humanitarian work. His salad dressing and sauces, which all profits went to donate money to charities.
As with Sydney Pollack, who also died earlier this year, I can't pretend that Newman might a lot to me now that he has died (despite being Hungarian). Of course I respect him as an actor and was sad to hear of his passing, but, honestly, when have I mentioned Paul Newman before? Still Newman was a great actor, who retired in 2007. Nearly all of his films are considered classics or should be. He was without question in the same league as Marlon Brandon, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman. It has been said also that he was a very humble man. He had a good sense of humor. That was evident in his cameo role in the 1976 Mel Brooks comedy "Silent Movie", where he played a wheel-chair bound race car driver, who races Brooks. In real life Newman was also an avid racer.
Here now are some of my rating for films with Paul Newman.
"Buffalo Bill & the Indians" **** (out of ****)
"Cat on the Hot Tin Roof" **** (out of ****)
"The Color of Money" *** (out of ****)
"Cool Hand Luke" *** (out of ****)
"Rachel, Rachel" (director) *** 1\2 (out of ****)
"Road to Perdition" *** (out of ****)
"The Sting" *** 1\2 (out of ****)
"The Verdict" **** (out of ****)
"What A Way To Go" ** 1\2 (out of ****)
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