The Hustler (1961)

Paul Newman is utterly terrific in this drama about a wildly talented pool player, “Fast” Eddie Felson, who lacks the wise judgement to capitalise on his gifts. Jackie Gleason plays his rival, Minnesota Fats. Piper Laurie is his troubled, heavy-drinking girlfriend Sarah. And George C. Scott is the manipulative, controlling Bert. 

Adapted from the novel by Walter Tevis, it feels closer to a play at times. There’s a gritty, low-key quality to the scenes, which are built around character and dialogue. Newman is wonderful, oozing an easy charm even when things start to go wrong for him.

Martin Scorsese filmed a sequel in 1986 called The Color of Money. Paul Newman reprised the role of Fast Eddie, but unfortunately his young protégé was played by Tom Cruise. 

Trivia: Bob Dylan borrowed these lines spoken by Piper Laurie for his 1985 song “Seeing the Real You at Last”

: “I've got troubles, and I think maybe you've got troubles. Maybe it'd be better if we just leave each other alone.”

 

The Sting (1973)

Classic caper set in Chicago in 1936. 

Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) is a petty criminal whose conman partner is murdered by Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), a much more powerful criminal. Hooker seeks his revenge and teams up with Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to trick Lonnegan out of his money. 

The twists and turns of the plot are complex, so you really need to pay attention. In a couple of places I found it too far-fetched, but wasn’t going to let that spoil it.

The chemistry of the two leads is clearly evident, with Redford in particular exuding magnetism, but I still preferred seeing their interplay in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).

Robert Shaw is brilliant as the brooding villain who walks with a slight limp.

Scott Joplin’s ragtime piano music adds a playful, colourful quality to the action, neatly framing this somewhere between crime film and comedy-drama.

Cool Hand Luke (1967)

Extremely enjoyable and ultimately very moving prison drama starring Paul Newman as the ridiculously charismatic lead. Rarely will you see an actor with such presence on screen.

Locked up for a petty offence, war veteran Lucas “Luke” Jackson joins a road chain gang. He refuses to behave like the other men (including Harry Dean Stanton as Tramp), but slowly earns their respect with his liberated, nonconformist outlook. There’s a painful and emblematic scene in which he boxes against the leader of the men (George Kennedy as “Dragline”) and is repeatedly knocked down. But such is his strength of mind that he gets up again and again. Another remarkable interlude features the prisoners betting on whether Luke can eat 50 eggs in an hour and Luke then carrying out the challenge. It’s surreal and hilarious.

The second half of the film introduces a more serious tone. Luke tries to escape and the prison guards try to break his spirit. The narrative becomes richer and sadder as the essence of his personality – and even his humanity – is steadily eroded.

A remarkable soundtrack by Lalo Schifrin adds further depth to an extremely affecting story.

The Towering Inferno (1974)

A big Hollywood blockbuster disaster film about a fire breaking out in a state-of-the-art skyscraper. Paul Newman (the architect) and Steve McQueen (the chief fireman) lead an all-star cast that includes Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn and Robert Wagner.

At 165 minutes it’s long indeed, but surprisingly it doesn’t feel slow or laboured. I last saw it as a child and I enjoyed it then, which wouldn’t have been the case if it was a stodgy, ponderous epic.

In places it’s trashy, and there were a few unintentionally funny moments. But there was also real drama and tension. At times it was truly horrifying – such as when Jennifer Jones falls out of the exterior lift and then bounces off the sides on the building on her way down.

The cast is strong. Paul Newman makes for a very likeable hero and manages to rise above the material he’s given. Faye Dunaway does the same, with a cool, restrained intelligence. Richard Chamberlain is just right as the edgy, selfish electrical engineer and son-in-law of the builder. You know it’s not going to end well for him and sure enough he comes to a sticky end.

Only Fred Astaire – playing a doddery old conman who unexpectedly falls in love – seems wrong for his role.  He loses the woman but inherits her cat, which O.J. Simpson has kindly rescued.

I’m not sure this film could have been made now, post-9/11 and post-Grenfell Tower. Intriguingly, it’s adapted from two novels (with both plots and climaxes woven together), but although it’s a work of fiction there’s a dedication at the beginning to all the real-life firemen who died in the course of their duties.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman are both superb in this adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play. As you’d expect, there’s real dynamism in the script and these exceptional lead actors make the most of it.

Burl Ives plays “Big Daddy”, the father who never showed Brick enough love.

It’s moving and ultimately uplifting, with a strong thread of comedy and satire running through it as the various family relationships are examined and explored.

Road to Perdition (2002)

Crime thriller set in 1931. Tom Hanks plays a mobster out to kill the man (Daniel Craig) who murdered his wife and youngest son. Paul Newman is the father and don who places Mafia loyalties before all else.

Told from the perspective of the mobster’s elder son (played sensitively by Tyler Hoechlin), the film examines both the boy’s relationship with his father and also his immersion into a world of gangland corruption and cold-blooded killing.

Sam Mendes’ direction is a little too stylised – there’s lots of “enigmatic” rain – but the storytelling is nevertheless powerful.

Jude Law is a little unconvincing as the murderous photographer. The character isn’t developed enough to explain why he has a thing about dead bodies. Maybe it makes more sense in the graphic novel from which this is derived.

“Cuddly” Tom Hanks isn’t quite right as Michael Sullivan, but the film cleverly has it both ways: he’s a heartless killer who truly loves his family and therefore comes across as a reasonably nice guy.

These points aside, it’s fairly atmospheric and engrossing.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

The script is wonderful, as is the strangely suitable Burt Bacharach music. There’s no sentimentality, but there’s plenty of wit and emotion in their relationship. A masterpiece, pretty much. I love the long pursuit scene. Paul Newman and Robert Redford are almost supernaturally charming. I also love Katharine Ross.

The ending is so sad – they know they’re doomed (and we know they’re doomed, too), but they carry on through the pain, talking about starting again in Australia. Poignant indeed.