Paul the Apostle

There’s only one actor from generations past who can still make my heart skip a beat: Paul Newman. I’ve mourned him quietly since he passed away on September 26, because I’ve yet to find another leading man who can bring such nuance and conflict to a character — and no one who’s seen Newman’s beautiful baby-blue eyes could ever forget them. In fact, the Denver Public Library’s Fresh City Life program calls Newman “Hollywood’s most handsome anti-hero.” I think that sums him up perfectly.

If you’ve never caught Newman in his most remarkable roles or you just want to revisit them, make your way to the Central Library, 10 West 14th Avenue Parkway, for the Newman’s Own film series. Film critic/host Walter Chaw will be present for five weeks of Newman films, with a group discussion following each screening. Tonight’s movie is The Hustler, in which Newman plays small-time pool hustler “Fast Eddie” Felson (he reprised this role for his Academy Award-winning performance in Martin Scorsese’s The Color of Money, in 1986). Future films in the Newman’s Own program include Sweet Bird of Youth, Hud, Cool Hand Luke (my personal favorite) and The Hudsucker Proxy. The programs run from 6 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday through March 3; for more information, visit www.denverlibrary.org/programs/january/film.html.
Tuesdays, 6 p.m. Starts: Feb. 3. Continues through March 3, 2009