Paul Newman Dies at 83

Though I don't frequently comment on entertainment news, I feel compelled to do so after learning about the death of one of my favorite actors: Paul Newman. At 83-years old today, Newman -- a truly gifted actor, director, athlete, entrepreneur and philanthropist -- lost his ongoing battle with lung cancer and died peacefully in his home near Westport, Connecticut. His acting skills were often used to portray the rebellious, often-conflicted persona that defined much of the generation he acted during. His entrepreneurial endeavors later in life proved to be skillful as well, as Newman -- in his own words -- exploited his fame to sell consumer products for greater causes. His company, Newman's Own, has developed into a multi-million dollar company selling excellent food products while donating all its after-tax profits to causes like the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a summer camp for seriously ill children. As we look back on the remarkable career and life of Paul Newman, I'd like to share with you my top 5 favorite Paul Newman films:

1. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, this Southern prison drama is a true American masterpiece and a testament to Newman's acting abilities. Portraying an unshakable young rebel in the prison system, Newman's character became an icon of 1960s non-conformity; and he defined the generational gap of that generation when, nearing the climax of the film, he mockiningly repeated the famous line uttered earlier by the unyielding prison Captain: "What we've got here is a failure to communicate."

2. Road to Perdition (2002)
I put this film so high because it is all-around one of my favorite films and I have a strong emotional attachment to it -- not to mention, Newman does an incredible job as crime boss John Rooney. This film evocatively explores the nature of the father-son relationship in many facets and is sure to drive any grown man to tears. Newman's crime boss character is conflicted throughout the film over whether or not to protect his depraved son Connor (Daniel Craig) or his surrogate son, hitman Michael Sullivan, Sr. (Tom Hanks) after a series of violent transgressions on the part of Connor reveal his betrayals to his own father. Newman, Hanks, Craig, and Tyler Hoechlin (who plays Michael, Jr.) all powerfully play in to the theme of the father-son relationship.



3. The Hustler (1961)
This dark, morally complex American classic sees Newman as "Fast Eddie" Felson, a small-time pool hustler who seeks to prove himself as the best player in the country by defeating the notorious Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). Newman's solid performance earned him much critical praise and several major award nominations, as he demonstrated -- early in his career here -- his ability to portray morally-conflicted rebellious characters. In the end, the story of Fast Eddie's discovery of his own humanity through triumph and tragedy remains, as Roger Ebert described it, "one of the few American movies in which the hero wins by surrendering, by accepting reality instead of his dreams."



4. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
This legendary American Western films sees both Paul Newman and Robert Redford starring in quite possibly their most iconic roles. Newman, as bank robber Butch Cassidy, continued to demonstrate his strength in portraying the conflicted rebel, seen here as a notorious historical outlaw in his final days of life. Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is named directly after the gang in this film. Comically elegiac and visually stunning, this film remains one of the best of Western films as well as one of Newman's best roles.



5. The Color of Money (1986)
In this slick Martin Scorsese-directed film, Newman reprises his role as an older "Fast Eddie" Felson who misses the action of hustling and returns to the circuit while mentoring a skilled but undisciplined protégé Vincent (Tom Cruise). Ultimately Vincent's cockiness leads to a falling-out which sends Eddie to tour on his own, eventually leading him to head-to-head match against the now-successful yet still undisciplined Vincent. Newman won an Oscar for Best Actor here as he looked quite at ease while working with the legendary Scorsese. Though this film is undoubtedly inferior to its predecessor, its clever cinematography and brilliant, energetic acting on the part of Newman and Cruise make it quite a worthwhile film.