Expected or not, this week’s news that screen legend Paul Newman has broken through to the other side is deeply depressing. But as I noted over the weekend, it’s best to take moments such as this as an opportunity to celebrate the man and his work. So it is that this week’s list reflects the very best Newman had to give us…according to me, of course.
Newman had an undeniable screen presence. It wasn’t the piercing blue eyes, nor the tall, dark and handsome figure he cut into the celluloid. It was the attitude. His character dripped with a sort of soulful aroma that couldn’t quite be considered performance art so much as meditative experiences. Right out of the gate with “The Silver Chalice” and all the way through to vocal work in “Cars,” Newman’s characters were more genuine than anything surrounding them. It makes a list of ten nearly impossible to whittle down.
Any list is going to vary, though a few staples are bound to pop up consistently enough (I’d wager my top four fit that bill). But it’s ultimately a joy just to go back and revisit these portrayals, regardless of their ranked order.