"Sometimes God makes perfect people, and Paul Newman was one of them."
Sally Field
Newman's "Absence of Malice" co-star
Two days after his death, praise continues to pour in for actor Paul Newman.
I wrote about his death yesterday in my Freedom Writing blog.
And, while I don't have much to add to it, I do have a few random thoughts about Newman's life and work.
- "In the decade after World War II, three soulful studs came from Broadway to Hollywood," writesTIME's Richard Corliss. Those "three soulful studs" were Marlon Brando, James Dean and Newman.
"Of these three, way back then, Newman seemed the least unique," observes Corliss.
"But unlike the other two, Newman stuck it out. Instead of leading his talent in weird and wayward directions, like Brando, or smashing it to pieces on a California highway at 24, like Dean, he just kept getting better, more comfortable in his movie skin, more proficient at suggesting worlds of flinty pleasure or sour disillusion with a smile or a squint."
True, there were times when Brando went in "weird and wayward directions."
And, also true, Dean's talent was never fully realized. He was the tragic victim of a highway accident more than half a century ago and only made three films.
While both facts are true, it's also true that both actors left behind great celluloid performances that will be discussed by teachers and students of film for generations to come.
Newman, on the other hand, was the model of consistency all his life. He was always Paul Newman, and, while he "grew old and gray," he did not become "fat and cranky" as other stars did in their later years. Newman "was recognizably, at any moment in his film career, Paul Newman," wrote Corliss.
Newman and his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, marked their 50th wedding anniversary in January. Stars who remain married to the same partner for life have always been rare in Hollywood; with Newman's passing, one has to wonder if the species is now officially extinct.
But Newman was always a strict monogamist. As a sex symbol, there were always opportunities for him to satisfy sexual appetites. But he always insisted that he never took advantage of those opportunities. "Why would I go out for a hamburger when I have steak at home?" he would say.
(In fact, Newman always reminded me of a college professor in my hometown. Upon being told that having sex only with one's spouse was like eating rice every day, his reply was, "But there are thousands of ways to eat rice!"
(That professor, as I understand it, also just celebrated his golden wedding anniversary. Perhaps he and Newman were soulmates ...) - Last night, I was watching "Paper Moon" on cable.
It was ironic that that movie was on. Thirty-five years ago, at about the same time that Newman and Robert Redford made "The Sting," Newman and his daughter Nell were the original choices to play the father-daughter roles in "Paper Moon."
I don't know if Newman's commitments to "The Sting" prevented him from taking the role in "Paper Moon." Maybe he just didn't want to be typecast in Depression-era movies. But, frankly, I'm glad Ryan O'Neal and his daughter Tatum got the roles instead.
I'm sure Newman would have done his usual great job in the role, but the O'Neals have always seemed perfectly cast in that film — to me, anyway! - That doesn't mean that Newman wasn't perfectly cast in many other films. Entertainment Weekly takes a look back at Newman's "30 unforgettable roles."
Reflect on the ones you've seen. And resolve to see the ones you haven't!
