Top 10 films by which to remember Paul Newman

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[Above: Robert Redford, left, and Paul Newman in 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Photos courtesy IMDB.com.]

Paul Newman, who died over the weekend at 83, left behind a historic career with more than 60 films to his credit as a writer, director, producer and actor. Below is a selection of 10 films we'll remember him by, in chronological order. Please include yours in the comments.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
In a film version of Tennessee Williams’s play sanitized by the Hayes code, it was up to Newman to channel the deep secrets and sorrows of Brick Pollitt (alongside Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie the Cat) without the benefit of the play’s full dramatic thrust. His quiet, restrained intensity earned him his first Oscar nomination.


The Hustler (1961) & The Color of Money (1986)
Newman was Oscar-nominated for both performances—winning his first Academy Award for the 1986 Scorsese incarnation of the hustler-movie convention Fast Eddie—but the world-wearied Color of Money character showcased a differently focused version of the veteran actor's talents.



Hud (1963)
Newman plays the coarse titular character, an underhandedly sinister scion of a principled father trying to overcome his influence. Newman has said he set out to play Hud as a villain, but, in a testament to the power the young star held even then, he became a youth icon and the sole element the film is remembered for today.


Cool Hand Luke (1967)
In his role as the irrepressible convict-- the modern-day poolhall boy's most cherished anti-hero-- Newman gets to play the whole spectrum, from emotional, dramatic scenes to combat and comedy. We love Luke, because he's crafty and resilient, sure—but most of all, because he’s cool.
Newman’s directorial debut earned him a best-picture nomination and a best-actress nomination for his leading lady, Joanne Woodward (Newman’s 50-year spouse). The beautifully candid and tightly shot character study may be dated, but it still has the Newman mark.