The Hustler was Paul Newman’s best and most serious movie–one of the few, in fact, that was fully worthy of his talents. Be that as it may, I prefer to remember Newman not as Fast Eddie Felson, the self-hating wizard of the poolroom, but as Cool Hand Luke, a loser of a distinctly different sort. That is the way I suspect most of us will be remembering him today:
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
