Sunday, September 28, 2008

Paul Newman R.I.P. (1925-2008)

One of the most solid actors to walk the planet in the last century has just left us. I suspect many of my fellow film bloggers out there are too young to truly know the depths of his work so I would suggest filling NetFlix queues with Newmans finest. Undisputed classics such as THE HUSTLER, HUD, COOL HAND LUKE, and Sydney Lumets THE VERDICT are highly recommended. As are his fun period piece buddy films with Robert Redford - BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and THE STING. Extracurricular work would include Sydney Pollacks ABSENCE OF MALICE, NOBODY'S FOOL, and MR. AND MRS. BRIDGE. Honestly you can't go wrong with a Paul Newman movie - even BLAZE and THE TOWERING INFERNO have their merits. He worked with many of the great directors - Alfred Hitchcock on TORN CURTAIN, Robert Altman on BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS, Martin Scorsese on THE COLOR OF MONEY (which Newman won the Best Actor Oscar for) and even the Coen Brothers on the unjustly underrated THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (pictured at the top of this post). His comical side has been overlooked in many of the obits Ive read the last day or so but his appearances on Letterman over the years have been hilarious self-effacing affairs - check out this clip on youtube. Its fitting that his last role was the voice of a 1951 Hudson Hornet Automobile named Doc Hudson in Pixars CARS. Nice that the wee ones will get an intro to Mr. Newman there. So put some Newmans Own popcorn in the microwave, fire up the DVD player and pay proper tribute to the man. More Later...

4 comments:

ratatouille's archives said...

"So put some Newman’s Own popcorn in the microwave, fire up the DVD player and pay proper tribute to the man."
Right you are! Daniel,
I plan to do just that!
and here goes a couple that I plan to watch!
Hitchcock's Torn Curtain
Hud
The Verdict
Mr.and Mrs.Bridges with his lovely wife actress Joanne Woodward.
Absence of Malice
Hudsucker Proxy...If I can get my hands on a copy...because as you know I am watching the Coen's in reverse...Daniel, I bet you are thinking ...Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!...enough with the Coen's Joke!
We get it already!...I agree, with you "no" more mentioning watching the Coen's films in reverse jokes!

Btw, For some unknown reason I alway thought that actor Paul Newman, resembled one of my favorite baseball player the New York Yankee's own Lou Gehrig.(I think that both shared the same "mischievous" smile and the "twinkle" in the eyes!...I wished he would have portrayed him in a modern version of the 1942 film The Pride of the Yankees.)

Tks,

Unknown said...

One more comic role that Newman fans (and film fans generally) should not miss - his turn opposite Joanne Woodward and Joan Collins in Leo McCarey's Rally Round the Flag Boys.

ratatouille's archives said...

Hi! Daniel,

Two more from the team of Newman and Woodward, that I just recently purchased and watched for the first time...2 films called "A New Kind of Love" and "From the Terrace." Btw, one is a comedy and the other is a drama.

Tks,

Anonymous said...

it's hard not to admire Paul Newman for putting his money to work in such productive ways, such as his Newman's Own line--high quality stuff and the proceeds go to good causes... very smart.