‘The Color of Money’ Movie – The Future of Hustling
Eddie Felson returns to train the next generation in the art of hustling in The Color of Money movie. Enjoy this fun sequel to the popular 50s film , ‘The Hustler,’ both of which are based on novels by Walter Tevis. In this blog, you will learn more about this wonderful movie’s plot and any differences it has with the book. You will also find information on The Color of Money cast, its soundtrack, and where to watch it. Use the quicknavi below to navigate through this blog quickly:
‘The Color of Money’ Production Details
Martin Scorsese once again shows his incredible talent as this movie’s director. Along with the star-studded The Color of Money cast, he manages to create a genuinely fantastic story with fun characters and a great plot written by Richard Price. Below you can find some additional information regarding the movie, including its release date and awards. With such incredible talent working behind the scenes, it’s clear why this movie has captured the hearts of many. The movie itself was mostly filmed in Chicago and Atlantic City.
| Release Date | 17th October 1986 |
| Director | Martin Scorsese |
| Script | Richard Price |
| Runtime | 120 minutes |
| Box Office | $52.3 million |
| Production Company | Touchstone Pictures |
| IMDB Rating | 7.0/10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 89% Positive Critics/ 73% Positive Audience |
| Awards | Best Actor Academy Award – Won by Paul Newman National Board of Review Awards – Top Ten Films National Board of Review Awards – Best Actor for Paul Newman |
‘The Color of Money’ Plot – Next Generation of Hustlers
Eddie ‘Fast Eddie’ Felson is a former pool hustler, who was forced to retire after a fateful match with Minnesota Fats. Although he is now a successful bar owner, Eddie is bored and wants to get back in the game. One day, he meets Vincent Lauria, a young and skilled pool player who wants to be the best but is not fond of hustling.
Eddie decides to mentor Vincent in the art of hustling so he can play vicariously through the younger player, while Vincent’s girlfriend, Carmen, tries to get rich. But as the story progresses, Eddie rediscovers his love for pool and begins playing in earnest, without any hustling. Will Eddie change for the better and truly enjoy pool, or will he complete Vincent’s transformation into a new hustler? Check out The Color of Money full movie trailer below for a peek at this story:
The Color of Money movie is, in fact, a sequel to ‘The Hustler’, a movie from the 1950s where Fast Eddie, a contender for one of the best gambling nicknames, tries to win a match against a popular player, Minnesota Fats.
Both movies are based on Walter Tevis’ novels, but The Color of Money movie has a vastly different plot from its novel. Although you can enjoy The Color of Money on its own, it is a good idea to see ‘The Hustler’ for context on Eddie’s character and for an excellent 50s movie experience.
Scorsese manages to bring the characters to life, giving them distinct personalities that clash with each other, making each scene feel impactful – from Vincent’s reluctance to use dirty tricks to Eddie’s slow rediscovery of his earnest desire to play pool fairly. The plot itself is a simple journey to a tournament, but it’s the interactions and relationships which make it truly exciting. The movie is made even more exciting with The Color of Money soundtrack.
Differences Between ‘The Color of Money’ Movie and Novel
As mentioned above, the movie has a completely original plot. Eddie owns a pool hall in the novel and sees a player that looks like Minnesota Fats on TV. He then meets the real Minnesota Fats, and together they enter a pool tournament, where Eddie beats several young players. Eddie also enters a tournament in the movie, but he does it to beat Vince and re-establish his skills. Both stories take place twenty years later.
Walter Tevis originally had a screenplay prepared for the movie, but the production company decided to go with a different plot. Richard Price initially tried to include Minnesota Fats into the story, but he could not find a way to have him in the narrative. Fats’ actor agreed that his inclusion would be like an afterthought.
Despite the drastic overhaul of the plot, the movie is still a joy to watch with Scorsese’s excellent use of camera techniques and lighting to establish each scene’s mood. The cameras also follow the balls smoothly during a game, immersing you in the matches. The earnest fun of proper gambling that makes people visit top gambling sites is captured perfectly in this fun film.
‘The Color of Money’ Cast – Stupendous Performances
Scorsese’s excellent direction was not the only thing that makes people watch The Color of Money. The Color of Money cast performs the roles excellently, making each character stand out with their unique personalities. Tom Cruise embodies the youthful energy and showboating of a young pool player in his prime, with his exaggerated movements and goofy quips. Meanwhile, Paul Newman reprises his role as Eddie now as a stern and wise mentor. Below you can find information on each of the performers and their roles:
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul Newman | Eddie Felson |
| Tom Cruise | Vincent Lauria |
| Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio | Carmen |
| Helen Shaver | Janelle |
| John Turturro | Julian |
| Bill Cobbs | Orvis |
| Forest Whitaker | Amos |
All the actors perform admirably, as evidenced by the multiple nominations for awards related to acting. Every actor worked hard to perform at his best for this movie. Tom Cruise even bought a pool table to practice and performed almost all the pool shots in the film himself.
Paul Newman himself was nominated five times for different Best Actor awards and even won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The powerful and riveting performances are enough to recommend watching The Color of Money full movie for an unforgettable experience.
‘The Color of Money’ Soundtrack – Exciting and Dramatic
Enhancing the fantastic performance is The Color of Money soundtrack, composed by the talented Robbie Robertson. By 1986, Robertson had worked on several movies with Scorsese, creating beautiful arrangements for all sorts of genres. This film was the first time he would make a dramatic underscore that would fit the movie’s tone. For that, he brought the jazz composer, Gil Evans, to create some excellent arrangements.
Some of the songs used in the soundtrack would become extremely popular. ‘It’s in the Way That You Use It’ was performed by Eric Clapton and co-written by Robertson, becoming #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 1986. Robertson would also produce a blues song with Willie Dixon, called ‘Don’t Tell Me Nothin”, for the movie’s soundtrack. He created a fantastic soundtrack that perfectly captures the movie’s feelings with smooth tunes befitting a tricky hustler.
‘The Color of Money’ Reception – Great Success
The Color of Money movie is considered one of the best gambling movies due to its thrilling characters and plot. It received positive reviews from both critics and audience, standing at a 7.0/10 on IMDB and a box office of $52.3 million. However, the film was also criticised by critics for being too predictable and lacking a proper narrative. It is considered inferior to ‘The Hustler’ as it is a more mainstream commercial movie.
Despite these flaws, it is still a good idea to watch The Color of Money. You can find The Color of Money full movie at various streaming services such as Youtube or Netflix, and can even buy and rent it from Amazon. It is a classic film enjoyed by many for its wonderful characters. Although Eddie and Vincent’s relationship is a typical mentor and student one, it is presented in an incredibly fresh way.
Finally, the movie would leave a lasting impact in more ways than one. After its release date, many people began buying pool tables as they were inspired by the fun games in the film. The movie itself also featured many famous pool players such as Steve Mizerak and Jimmy Mataya. When Vincent is asked what he’s carrying in a briefcase, he answers ‘Doom,’ which was the inspiration for a popular video game by the same name.
‘The Color of Money’ FAQ Section
In this short FAQ section, we will answer all pressing questions regarding this fantastic movie. You will also find some additional trivia and information on its production for an enhanced viewing experience. Enjoy this fantastic movie and its themes, along with the fantastic cast and crew behind its production.
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