Many obituaries around the world have been written already for Paul Newman. Am I a fan? Not really. Have I seen all his movies? One or two at the most. But when I heard that Paul Newman died today at the age of 83, I was saddened. Saddened at the loss of yet another legendary master of that craft called acting, but reminiscent of one of the most powerful acting roles I have seen an actor perform.
There are many great acting scenes that we can all recall. For any five that I could retell, I am sure all of you could think of another ten. They are great performances for various reasons, and we recall them fondly. One of my favourite acting performances involved Paul Newman. The movie was one of his later ones; The Road To Perdition.
Newman played an old Irish mob boss who was as caring as a sweet grandfather, but as brutal as a sledgehammer. It was the perfect role for Newman at that time in his life. He was 77, and coming to the end of his lifetime of acting. The very handsome, blue eyed young man of decades past was now old, wrinkled, and gruff in the voice. I for one noticed how his mouth had become puckered and wrinkled. In a lot of ways, Newman did not age well. But there is something about people with amazing eyes. That twinkle is always there. For Newman, he didn’t have a twinkle, he had a spark. They called Frank Sinatra ‘old blue eyes’, but I think Newman walked all over Sinatra in the eyes department. And in Road To Perdition, those eyes now had an edge; a power. He used that power to perfection when playing the part of John Rooney. This was a man who spent his life murdering or giving orders to murder, and now was so soaked in blood, there was no way out for him.
This is the life we chose, the life we lead. And there is only one guarantee: none of us will see Heaven.
That line sent chills up and down my spine. Anyone could have delivered that line, but no one quite like Newman. He respected the craft of acting, and announced last year that he was not going to act anymore. He probably knew then that he was sick, but he also wouldn’t settle for giving a second rate performance.
“I’m not able to work anymore as an actor at the level I would want to,” the 82-year-old actor told the US network.
“You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention. So that’s pretty much a closed book for me.”
We always wonder how these successful actors survived the mayhem, madness and pressure of Hollywood. Like Charlton Heston, Newman had an extremely successful marriage of 50 years to Joanne Woodward. But I think it was his varied interests that kept him sane.
Paul’s Newman’s craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all,” Robert Forrester, vice-chairman of the Newman’s Own Foundation, said in a statement.
Craft, passion, love, heart and soul. We sometimes mix those things together, but for Newman, they were separate because he brought a different part of himself to each one of them. One was a job, one was a hobby and the others were his life. Pure and simple. We can all learn a lot from the way Newman lived his life.
Newman’s legacy will live on, through his many charities and through what he brought to the acting profession. Robert Redford, friend and former co-star summed it up:
I have lost a real friend. My life – and this country – is better for his being in it.”
But let Newman himself have the final word:
It’s been a privilege to be here.
May he rest in peace.
Enjoy your day.
