We'll miss Paul Newman

Today's Tusk piece:

We’ll miss Paul Newman
By Ben Flanagan
Ben Around
October 3, 2008

Was there ever a tougher film presence than Paul Newman? Fire away with your John Waynes, Lee Marvins, Charles Bronsons, James Cagneys and such. But give me Butch Cassidy, “Fast” Eddie Felson and Reggie Dunlop anywhere, anytime. On second thought, “tough” doesn’t quite express Newman’s on-screen persona. Where his characters emitted a seemingly tough physical bravado, the image was often deceptive. The “lover, not a fighter” tag suited him better. His brains and talk did the dirty work his fists didn’t need to. But his sucker-punches never seemed unfair. That he’d already outsmarted you made you forget you’d been punched in the mouth or kicked in the groin in the first place. You still liked him after the fight. That was Paul Newman, and there wasn’t or isn’t a more likable figure in entertainment.

Last Saturday, the icon passed away at 83 after a quiet bout with cancer at his home in Westport, Conn. Sadly, we as film lovers lost a giant who rarely let us down while he filled the screen. His last live-action theatrical role, “Road to Perdition,” earned him his final Oscar nomination and further confirmed that the aging actor still had plenty of the pluck, grit and know-how of which we’d grown incredibly fond.

Personally, I thought he’d left the game a few years early. I still felt like he had one or two great ones left in him, which I’m sure he did. But Newman always called his own shots, and he’d decided he was done with acting. His rebels on film were ones we often believed in to lead the way. Into what, who knows, but we would follow. Off screen, Newman enjoyed a considerably quiet life with his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, where they served as notable philanthropists (his salad dressing franchise Newman’s Own resulted in excess of $200 million in donations to various charities).

Dating all the way back to the mid-1950s (“Somebody Up There Likes Me,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”), Newman has energized every film he was in, perhaps never better than when he teamed up with his old buddy Robert Redford. Along with director George Roy Hill, Newman and Redford collaborated on two of American cinema’s most purely entertaining offerings in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969) and “The Sting” (1973). Later on, Newman (sans Redford) would reteam with Hill to release an unsung sports masterpiece, which I’ll touch upon in a few lines.

In no particular order, I want to remember my favorite Paul Newman movies. While I have yet to see what some, including my father, deem the actor’s finest film to date, “Hud” (1963), today I feel an obligation to rush out and soak it in. Just a few months ago, I finally caught his pitifully wonderful courtroom drama “The Verdict” (1982) where he plays a lawyer who takes on medical malpractice. Why it took up until his reprisal of Eddie Felson in Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money” (1986) for him to nab his first and only Oscar, we’ll never know. Excluding a few silly ventures in the last decade or so, Newman usually picked his projects carefully and wisely. Without delving too far into his catalogue –it’d take too long – let’s look at some of the great ones.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) – For years, I regarded this hilarious western adventure as my favorite film, and nearly every time I watch it I feel the same way. As a child, I always wanted to side with Redford’s brooding, hot-shot gunslinger the Sundance Kid. But as you march on through the years, you develop a greater appreciation for Newman’s Butch, a genius ahead of his time who just knew there were things to steal in Bolivia. He put it best, “I have vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals.”

The Sting (1973) – An Oscar-winner for best picture among others, this predated Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s Eleven” series as a slick heist yarn that continues to age well. Newman’s interplay with Robert Shaw during a poker game on a train might serve as the late actor’s slyest work to date.

Slap Shot (1977) – Rounding out his impressive trilogy with director Hill is this aforementioned highly profane sports gem. If there's any movie I'll reach for that'll help me remember Newman most fondly, it will definitely be this whack-job about a pathetic minor league hockey team that finds success using fighting and violence during games. If you haven't seen it, make it a top priority.

Cool Hand Luke (1967) – Stuart Rosenberg’s subtle prison dramedy boasts a beautifully heartbreaking moment where Newman, plucking a banjo, woefully sings “Plastic Jesus” after the passing of a beloved family member. Tragic, but awfully poetic.

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) – Speaking of unsung masterpieces, this Coen Brothers gem often flies under the radar, thanks partially to what many consider to be an dreadful title (not me). Newman’s supporting work as the vicious, conniving, greedy corporate man Sidney J. Mussburger stands as some of the actor’s funniest and most menacing work ever.

Nobody’s Fool (1994) – That same year, Newman turned in what may have been his swansong in Robert Benton’s poignant drama about a failed father who does his best to make things right, even if he’s no good at that either. Another Oscar-nominated role in another highly underrated addition to the great actor’s stellar repertoire .



P.S. - What's YOUR favorite Paul Newman movie???


HAPPENING IN TUSCALOOSA, AL
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DJ Logic tonight at the Mellow Mushroom: Another special occasion at the Mellow Mushroom will boast a nationally renowned turntable maestro along with several Tuscaloosa bands for what ought to be a memorable night downtown. Widely credited for helping to bring jazz into hip-hop's sphere of influence, DJ Logic (yes, that one) hails from the Bronx in New York and has toured all over this country with other talented folks (like Medeski, Martin and Wood), and usually makes an annual pit stop at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee. Featuring the likes The Great Big No, Fractalnaut, Glove Box Heat and Mobscene Mike, this is just the Mushroom at it again, taking another big step in the right direction. Keep 'em coming! Show starts pretty early at 7 p.m.

Moundville Native American Festival: Today and tomorrow, you head head down south on highway 69 where one of Alabama's top 20 tourism events and a Cultural Olympiad Event will taking place at University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park. There, Native American performing artists, craftspeople, and musicians will fill your heads with entertainment and knowledge about the rich culture and heritage of Southeastern Native Americans. Stay ready for some southern Indian choral music, traditional Cherokee daning and Muscogee stories all within the beautiful landscape of Moundville. Quite a sight to see, especially for those of us who haven't been back since our fifth grade field trip.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist at the Cobb Hollywood 16: Another spirited attempt at giving this generation its own "Sixteen Candles," or perhaps the more appropriate "Before Sunrise," this romantic comedy about an all-night first date between to high schoolers should make a strong case for early cult status, thanks in large part to Michael Cera's presence. Cera, who's already proved his worth in hits like "Arrested Develpment," "Juno" and "Superbad," keeps increasing his stock with every project he's a part of. So far, he and his agent are making plenty of good decisions, something lots of young actors his age rarely do. This cast also features Kat Dennings (Catherine Keener's daughter in "The 40 Year-Old Virgin"), Jay Baruchel and Andy Samberg.