Time to watch a Paul Newman movie
Posted: Friday, October 10, 2008 6:30 AM by Paige Newman
Filed Under:
Movies
It’s been two weeks since Paul Newman died, and if you’re still feeling the loss, you’re not alone. Thankfully, my favorite cable channel, Turner Classic Movies, has prepared a fitting tribute to this great man by devoting Sunday, Oct. 12 to his movies (really, they could have done a whole weekend). Since there are only 24 hours, every great movie won’t be shown, but TCM has compiled an eclectic mix.
Here’s what they’re showing (times are EST):
6:00 a.m “The Rack”
8:00 a.m. “Until They Sail”
10:00 a.m. “Torn Curtain”
12:15 p.m. “Exodus”
3:45 p.m. “Sweet Bird of Youth”
6:00 p.m. “Hud”
8:00 p.m. “Somebody Up There Likes Me”
10:00 p.m. “Cool Hand Luke”
12:15 a.m. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”
2:15 a.m. “Rachel, Rachel”
4:00 a.m. “The Outrage”
Courtesy Everett Collection |
Paul Newman's character Luke prepares to eat 50 eggs in "Cool Hand Luke."
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The must-sees on this list are the films from 3:45 to 12:15 (not a bad one in that bunch). If you haven’t seen “Cool Hand Luke” or “Hud,” and only have time to watch two movies on this list, pick these. In both, Newman plays iconic anti-heroes, and he radiates charm. In “Hud,” especially, his ungrateful son character is supposed to be the guy we’re rooting against, but you won’t be able to.
“Sweet Bird” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” are Newman’s foray into Tennessee Williams plays, with Richard Brooks writing and directing. “Cat” is especially interesting considering that the taboos of the time meant that Newman’s character Brick couldn’t be overtly homosexual -- everything had to be subtle and implied. “Somebody Up There Likes Me” was Newman’s first big-screen role playing Rocky Graziano and he made this first impression count.
As for the rest, I have to admit that I’ve never seen “The Rack,” “Until They Sail,” “Rachel, Rachel” (in which he doesn’t appear, but directs wife Joanne Woodward) or “The Outrage,” so I’m curious. “Torn Curtain” and “Exodus” are lesser efforts for Newman and their directors, Alfred Hitchcock and Otto Preminger.
If I worked at TCM, I would add the movie that is not only my favorite Newman flick, but my favorite all-time movie, “The Hustler.” In this nearly perfect film, Newman seems to inspire everyone around him -- including Piper Laurie and Jackie Gleason -- to give the best performances of their careers.
I would also add “Mr. & Mrs. Bridge,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Sting,” “Paris Blues,” “The Long Hot Summer,” “Slap Shot,” “The Verdict,” “The Hudsucker Proxy” and msnbc.com college basketball editor Mike Miller’s favorite, “Nobody’s Fool.”
Take this opportunity to see some Paul Newman movies. The man had more great films than bad -- and luckily for us we get to enjoy this legacy forever.
If you haven’t read or seen all the various Newman tributes yet, allow me to suggest Robert Redford’s in Time magazine, the video of David Letterman’s tribute, Maureen Dowd’s in the New York Times, New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis, New York magazine’s tributes from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Mendes and author Richard Russo.
