Martin Scorsesewas one ofRoger Ebert’s favorite filmmakers. The critic eveninterviewed himat some point, something he never did with other Hollywood stars. On top of that, he wrote a book about theGoodfellasdirector, titledScorsese by Ebert. In the book, Ebert explains why he was so fond of Scorsese, stating that he and the filmmaker were born five months apart in 1942, had Catholic upbringings and were fascinated by movies from a young age. Understandably, Ebert reviewed all Martin Scorsese movies positively, except one.
The Color of Money
InLife Itself, a documentary about Robert Ebert, Scorsese recalls getting an award at the Toronto Film Festival at the recommendation of the Chicago Sun-Times columnist and his buddy, Gene Siskel. He said the award came at the right time, when things were not going well in his life, and that being honored in such a manner helped steer him back on the right path. The ceremony happened in 1982. Four years later, Scorsese releasedThe Color of Money, starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. Surprisingly, Ebert was disappointed by this picture, suggesting that the director’s heart wasn’t in it.
‘The Color of Money’ Is the Tale of a Mentor and a Stubborn Apprentice
The Color of Moneyis a sequel to the 1961 filmThe Hustler, and is also based on the follow-up novel by Walter Tevis.The filmre-introduces us to the whip-smart former pro-pool player “Fast Eddie” Felson (Paul Newman), who has quit the game and now makes his money as a liquor salesman in Chicago.Still, he keeps his eyes on the game, and, soon,he recognizes the potential in a young, charismatic player named Vincent (Tom Cruise).Eddie is irked by the fact that, despite Vincent’s skill, his girlfriend Carmen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) doesn’t help him by luring opponents to lose money. He thus offers to teach the two the art of pool hustling.
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Vincent and Carmen soon go on the road with Eddie, visiting numrous pool halls where they meet all kinds of seedy urban types. In their arrangement,Eddie takes the highest percentage of the winnings and absorbs any losses they incur. As Vincent better understands the circuit, he increasingly chafes at his role as unwilling partner and dreads what may come of the services he provides.With time, he exhibits some defiance, claiming hustling makes him play below his ability.Eddie thus becomes angry and leaves. Without him, Vincent keeps winning, but his arrogance scares off wealthier marks. Consequently, he makes less money.
Eddie and Vincent have another chat and agree to work together again. Unfortunately, Vincent remains keen on showboating and doing extra to prove he is the best.He refuses to dump some games for the bigger picture, causing fissures in the partnership. This spurs Eddie to come out of retirement and compete in tournaments again.Soon, the two men are pitted against each other, and all the tension culminates, of course, in splendidly manic face-offs at the tables. Who will win? Grab a seat and watch as the concise dialogue, merriment-charged settings, and fist-gnawing sense of competition all propel this stylish adaptation into dramatic overdrive.
Roger Ebert Rated ‘The Color of Money' Two and a Half Stars Out of Four
Capturing the sense of ambition and mistrust inherent in the indoor sports industry, Martin Scorsese’s slow-boil drama builds to a pleasant and expressive climax. Interestingly, Roger Ebert didn’t see anything special. His tone, in his review, was almost like that of a disappointed father. “Why, Marty? Why?” he must have screamed while tapping away at his typewriter. He acknowledged that he might have looked atThe Color of Moneydifferently if a less talented filmmaker had made it. The Chicago Sun-Times columnistexpected the electricity and tension he had felt by watching theRaging Bulldirector’s previous movies, but none of it was there.
Ebert felt the film was formulaic, predictable, and full ofmentor-student clichés. Heargued the final product would have been better if Paul Newman had been the only star of the picture, as had been the case in the first installment.But was he correct in his assessment?
Even though the sports drama didn’t steer clear of Hollywood’s now tired conventions, movies likeCreedandThe Karate Kidhave proven thatit’s always possible to tell a great story about an older character imparting knowledge on a younger character.Audiences love these dynamics, where the relationship is wholesome at best, tense at worst, and the by-play is defined by sniping and sarcasm. Plus, how far could the solo Eddie story be stretched without boring audiences?
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The Pullitzer-winning critic further concluded that Scorsese made this movie because he needed a blockbuster hit, but it didn’t work out because he is a true artist. And true artists don’t force themselves to do these kinds of movies.
“Scorsese may have thought of this film as a deliberately mainstream work, a conventional film with big names and a popular subject matter; perhaps he did it for that reason. But I believe he has the stubborn soul of an artist, and cannot put his heart where his heart will not go. And his heart, I believe, inclines toward creating new and completely personal stories about characters who have come to life in his imagination – not in finishing someone else’s story, begun 25 years ago.”
In the Steve James documentary about Roger Ebert,Life Itself, there is a scene showing Martin Scorsese unhappily watching a clip of Roger Ebert’s negative review ofThe Color of Money. But we can always expect Marty to take criticism. He gives a sigh of acceptance, before admitting that, as a filmmaker, he has to accept both good and bad reviews.
Everyone Else Loved ‘The Color of Money’
Roger Ebert might have hatedThe Color of Money,buthis feelings weren’t shared by others in the industry. Other critics were impressed, labeling this another fine offering by one of cinema’s most esteemed auteurs.On Rotten Tomatoes, the drama has an 88% score, making it one ofMartin Scorsese’s best-rated movies. Fans also appreciated Marty’s work here. The audience score is 73, while the IMDb score sits at 7/10.
Still, Ebert wouldn’t be Ebert without his independent takes. He, at times,criticized movies that were loved by all. Whether he was right or wrong was a matter of perspective. After all,Paul Newman won his only Best Actor Oscar here, yet Ebert felt he wasn’t impressive enough. In addition to that,the film was nominated for three other Oscars: Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, and Best Art Direction.That last Oscar nom was especially well-deserved. Throughout the movie, Scorsese’s camera lingers on the baroque furnishings and picturesque environment as lovingly as on Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio’s beautiful frame, amalgamating artistic sultriness and romantic titillation.
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If this is indeed Marty’s weakest film,he could be excused by the fact that it wasn’t his idea.According to the bookScorsese on Scorsese,Paul Newman called Martin Scorsese in September 1984 and asked him if he was interested in directing a sequel toThe Hustler.To Scorsese, this was a no-brainer. He badly needed another hit, following the failure ofThe King of Comedyin 1982. And who could say no to Paul Newman, one ofthe greatest actors of all time?
It would have been interesting to read Roger Ebert’s reviews of some of Martin Scorsese’s recent movies. Would he have lovedThe Wolf of Wall Street? It’s hard to tell, considering he hated erotically charged movies likeCaligulaandShowgirls,yet he himself oncewrote the screenplay for a sexploitation film. He would have lovedThe IrishmanandKiller of the Flower Moon, but what aboutSilence? Probably not.
