Legendary actor Paul Newman passed away over the weekend. Although best known as a movie star, he was also renowned as an entrepreneur/philanthropist thanks to his Newman’s Own brand of food products, which began as a line of salad dressing and grew to encompass everything from popcorn to lemonade to spaghetti sauce. All profits from this enterprise were donated to various charities, allowing him to harness his global fame for the common good. Not incidentally, he was also a racecar driver and even a restaurateur (Dressing Room in Westport, CT).
Ultimately, his legacy lies in his movies. As a tribute to his wide-ranging body of work, here is a list of 20 notable Newman films, rated and reviewed by our voters. It is excerpted from the 2009 Zagat Movie Guide.
Absence of Malice
1981 | Directed by Sydney Pollack | With Paul Newman, Sally Field, Bob Balaban | 116 minutes | Rated PG
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 21 |
25 |
21 |
20 |
"Newman and Field ignite the screen" in this "textured" "hard-hitting" courtroom drama demonstrating how "guilt by association" causes a "newspaper to ruin a man's career"; most say that the "irresponsible press" is a topic made for the movies, but some feel this "slight" effort "should have been better" – starting with the "not-believable ending."
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
1969 | Directed by George Roy Hill | With Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross | 110 minutes | Rated PG
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 26 |
26 |
25 |
25 |
"Compulsive charmers" Newman and Redford play a pair of wisecracking, "magnetic" "antiheroes" trying to stay ahead of the law in this "outstanding" Western "buddy movie", loaded with "adventure and humor"; it fuses a "snappy" script, Burt Bacharach soundtrack and "too many classic scenes to count" into a "sentimental favorite" that's "never boring" from start to "unforgettable" finish.
Cars
2006 | Directed by John Lasseter, Joe Ranft | Animated | 116 minutes | Rated G
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 24 |
- |
23 |
27 |
Disney/Pixar's "well-oiled" animation outfit rigs a "familiar fish-out-of- water story" ("Doc Hollywood", anyone?) to "talking cars" and rolls out this "delightful" joyride featuring "exceptional" renderings and "adorable" vocal characterizations by Owen Wilson, Paul Newman and comic Larry The Cable Guy; parents appreciate the "great" soundtrack and "offbeat" cultural references – real lifesavers when the young 'uns "watch it for the 30th time."
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
1958 | Directed by Richard Brooks | With Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives | 108 minutes | Not Rated
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 25 |
27 |
24 |
23 |
"Man, these people have problems": "steamy Liz" "in that white slip" and a "dynamite" Newman "couldn't possibly look better" as they "burn up the screen" in this "sex-soaked" Tennessee Williams drama of "love, rejection" and "Southern family politics"; the "towering" Ives presides as the ragin' Big Daddy, adding an "incredibly interesting" Lear-like thread to all that "eye candy."
Color of Money, The
1986 | Directed by Martin Scorsese | With Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio | 119 minutes | Rated R
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 16 |
21 |
16 |
17 |
Something different from Martin Scorsese, this "generation-later" "follow-up to The Hustler" details how a washed-up billiards baron molds an up-and-comer into his protégé; though somewhat "predictable", "excellent acting" from the "powerhouse Cruise" and the "finely tuned", Oscar-winning Newman "saves it."
Cool Hand Luke
1967 | Directed by Stuart Rosenberg | With Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Strother Martin | 126 minutes | Not Rated
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 26 |
27 |
24 |
22 |
"One of the best movie lines ever" ('what we have here is a failure to communicate') and that "famous hard-boiled egg scene" make this "damn great" Deep South prison drama memorable – not to mention the efforts of "consummate pro" Newman playing one cool con on a "chain gang", abetted by a "strong" Kennedy, who grabbed an Oscar for his supporting work.
Exodus
1960 | Directed by Otto Preminger | With Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Sal Mineo | 210 minutes | Not Rated
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 23 |
23 |
26 |
25 |
An "all-star cast" drives this story of the "founding of modern Israel", a "stunning", "satisfying" Preminger epic "faithfully" adapted from Leon Uris' best-seller; fans single out the star turn from a "too-gorgeous-for-words" Newman "in his prime", and if the plot has some "bathos" mixed into its "high drama", it's ultimately a "moving" moving picture.
Fort Apache, The Bronx
1981 | Directed by Daniel Petrie | With Paul Newman, Ken Wahl, Rachel Ticotin, Ed Asner | 125 minutes | Rated R
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 21 |
23 |
21 |
20 |
Considered "shocking in its day", this "gritty" snapshot of a "city overtaken by crime" set a "new standard for cop dramas" with its "tell-it- like-it-is" depiction of hookers, junkies and the NYPD; "not-bad-on-the- eyes" Newman is "at his acting best" as the veteran "good guy" on the force, with strong backup from a "wonderful ensemble."
Harper
1966 | Directed by Jack Smight | With Paul Newman, Lauren Bacall, Julie Harris, Arthur Hill, Janet Leigh, Pamela Tiffin, Robert Wagner, Shelley Winters | 121 minutes | Not Rated
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 21 |
23 |
20 |
21 |
Renowned for its all-star, scenery-shredding cast, this "fun" private *** flick features a "vintage Paul" hot on the trail of a missing husband; if the "plot is entirely predictable", "none of the actors are", with special kudos to an "entertaining" Bacall as a witchy wife and a "classic" Winters as a blousy, boozy starlet.
Hud
1963 | Directed by Martin Ritt | With Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal, Brandon De Wilde | 112 minutes | Not Rated
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 26 |
28 |
24 |
24 |
"Stud muffin" Newman is at his "bad boy best" playing an "alienated", "black-hearted" cowboy in this "truly adult" "modern Western" about a "struggle between a father and son"; sure, "Neal got the Oscar" (as did "heartbreaker Douglas" and that "gorgeous black-and-white cinematography"), but in the end, Paul's "heartbreakingly cool" anti-hero gets the most reaction.
Hudsucker Proxy, The
1994 | Directed by Joel Coen | With Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Newman | 111 minutes | Rated PG
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 22 |
22 |
21 |
23 |
"Big business" and the "bootstrappy American dream" are satirized in this "sly satire" via the Coen brothers about a "plucky mailroom clerk" who "invents the hula hoop" ("ya know, for kids") and becomes president of the company; despite a "refreshingly cynical" script peppered with "dialogue so crisp you can hear the gum smacking", a few find it a bit "odd", though it's certainly "never dull."
Hustler, The
1961 | Directed by Robert Rossen | With Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie | 134 minutes | Not Rated
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 25 |
26 |
24 |
22 |
"Dark, tense and beautifully delivered", this "ultimate movie about winning" is also a "love poem to the game of pool", featuring "Newman on a roll" opposite Gleason in a rare dramatic turn that nearly "steals the picture"; it's "convincing", "gripping" stuff, and though Paul reprised the character of Eddie Felson in The Color of Money, connoisseurs claim this first take is so "much better."
Road to Perdition
2002 | Directed by Sam Mendes | With Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Daniel Craig, Jude Law | 117 minutes | Rated R
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 23 |
26 |
22 |
25 |
"Hanks proves his versatility" in this "evocative period piece", playing a "cold-blooded hit man" for the Irish mafia during the Depression; the "intense journey" is "impeccably done", with Newman in "stellar form", Oscar-winning cinematography that will "take your breath away" (notably that "tommy gun scene in the rain") and "top-notch screenwriting" that "stays true to the novel."
Silent Movie
1976 | Directed by Mel Brooks | With Mel Brooks, Marty Feldman, Dom DeLuise, Sid Caesar | 87 minutes | Rated PG
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 20 |
20 |
19 |
20 |
"Kudos" to Brooks for ditching dialogue and scoring "audience roars" with "clever" sight gags in this "entertaining" send-up of silent films; expect a parade of "star" cameos (Burt Reynolds, Liza Minnelli, Paul Newman), though the "best moment" belongs to mime Marcel Marceau, who utters the picture's "only spoken word."
Slap Shot
1977 | Directed by George Roy Hill | With Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean, Strother Martin | 122 minutes | Rated R
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 22 |
18 |
19 |
17 |
Right up there with the "funniest sports flicks", this puckish comedy finds "Newman on skates" as the "foul-mouthed coach" of a "dark horse" minor-league hockey team with a "strange way" of turning every face-off into a riot on ice; it "epitomizes the goonery" of the high-sticking '70s, resulting in "crazy", "profane" and "fairly violent" fare that hardcore fans "cannot live without."
Sting, The
1973 | Directed by George Roy Hill | With Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw | 129 minutes | Rated PG
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 27 |
26 |
27 |
26 |
"Deftly" charming its way to Best Picture honors, this "classy" comedy "caper" "succeeds in spades" as a "likable", "fast-paced" vehicle for Newman and Redford, radiating "great rapport" as a pair of grifters playing a gangster for a sucker in Depression-era Chicago; a "funny, intriguing" "period piece" set to "elegant" Joplin rags, it raises the "suspense" stakes with "masterful" plotting and a final "zinger" that saves the sharpest sting for last.
Sweet Bird of Youth
1962 | Directed by Richard Brooks | With Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Ed Begley, Shirley Knight | 120 minutes | Not Rated
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 24 |
28 |
24 |
23 |
A "young, gorgeous" Newman and "brilliant" Page ("what a combo!") reprise their stage roles in this cinematic adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play about a wannabe actor/gigolo and a faded, Sunset Boulevard–esque movie queen; sure, the story has been somewhat sanitized for the big screen, but most birdies still tweet "how sweet it is . . ."
Torn Curtain
1966 | Directed by Alfred Hitchcock | With Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedrova, Wolfgang Kieling | 128 minutes | Rated PG
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 23 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
This "compelling" Cold War spy thriller via Alfred Hitchcock concerns an American physicist who defects to East Germany, bent on espionage; while it "isn't the greatest Newman or Andrews" effort, it still "has is moments", notably the 'silent murder' sequence and Lila Kedrova's "compelling" supporting role as a down-and-out countess.
Towering Inferno, The
1974 | Directed by John Guillermin, Irwin Allen | With Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden | 165 minutes | Rated PG
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 18 |
17 |
18 |
22 |
"Make sure you know where all the exits are" before settling into this "big, bad '70s disaster" flick starring a skyscraper, a fire and a "rogues' gallery of great actors"; although the "passable" "special effects were top-drawer for its time", cynical sorts snort it's more of a "made-for- TV movie" by modern standards.
Verdict, The
1982 | Directed by Sidney Lumet | With Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden | 129 minutes | Rated R
| Overall |
Acting |
Story |
Prod. |
| 23 |
25 |
23 |
20 |
A "David-vs.-Goliath" legal struggle is the underpinning of this "underrated" courtroom drama about a "burned-out lawyer trying one last case to keep from going under"; Newman's "intense", "tour-de-force" turn is one of his "greatest" roles (leaving many "stunned" that the Oscar eluded him), while the "mesmerizing" Rampling "excels" as the love interest.