The Color of Money
Movie, 1986, The '80s, Set in Pool halls
The Color of Money is #10 of 26 in release order and #10 of 26 in chronological order in the Martin Scorsese.
The story
Former pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson decides he wants to return to the game by taking a pupil. He meets talented but green Vincent Lauria and proposes a partnership. As they tour pool halls, Eddie teaches Vincent the tricks of scamming, but he eventually grows frustrated with Vincent's showboat antics, leading to an argument and a falling-out. Eddie takes up playing again and soon crosses paths with Vincent as an opponent.
The Color of Money recap
The Color of Money (1986) follows "Fast Eddie" Felson, the hustler from The Hustler, as he takes a cocky young pool player on the road. Martin Scorsese directs from Richard Price's script, based on a Walter Tevis novel. Paul Newman returns as Eddie, now a liquor salesman, and Tom Cruise plays Vincent Lauria, a toy store clerk with a gift for nine-ball. Eddie also recruits Vincent's girlfriend Carmen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), who sees the money in the deal faster than Vincent does. The plan is six weeks of pool halls ending in a big nine-ball tournament in Atlantic City, with Eddie staking them and taking a cut. Vincent hates losing on purpose and keeps showing off, scaring away marks, while Eddie works on both of them. Eddie has him dump a game to the hustler Grady Seasons to build up his odds, and is himself hustled by Amos (Forest Whitaker). In this list it sits tenth, between After Hours and The Last Temptation of Christ, and won Newman his Academy Award for Best Actor.
The Color of Money ending explained
The Color of Money ends with Eddie, back in the game for himself, setting up a private match with Vincent. In Atlantic City Eddie beats Vincent in the tournament, then learns Vincent threw the match to cash a bet, with Vincent handing him $8,000 as his cut. Disgusted, Eddie forfeits his next game and returns the money, wanting to win honestly. He challenges Vincent to play him straight, breaks the rack and declares "I'm back!" The film was a sequel to The Hustler (1961), made 25 years later.
Post-credits scenes
No. The Color of Money has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch The Color of Money
The Color of Money isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.0/10, Rotten Tomatoes 87%
Where it fits
- Release order: after After Hours, before The Last Temptation of Christ.
- Chronological order: after After Hours, before The Last Temptation of Christ.
Cast
- Paul Newman as Eddie Felson
- Tom Cruise as Vincent Lauria
- Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Carmen
- Helen Shaver as Janelle
- John Turturro as Julian
- Bill Cobbs as Orvis
- Forest Whitaker as Amos
- Keith McCready as Grady Seasons
- Elizabeth Bracco as Diane at Bar
- Vito D'Ambrosio as Lou in Child World
- Ron Dean as Guy in Crowd
- Robert Agins as Earl at Chalkies
Directed by Martin Scorsese.