# The Color of Money

> 1986 drama film by Martin Scorsese

**Wikidata**: [Q470916](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q470916)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Color_of_Money)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-color-of-money

## Summary
The Color of Money is a 1986 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. It serves as a sequel to the 1961 film The Hustler, with Newman reprising his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson.

## Key Facts
- Release date: October 17, 1986 (United States)
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Lead actors: Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
- Based on: Novel "The Color of Money" by Walter Tevis
- Production company: Touchstone Pictures
- Budget: $14,500,000
- Box office: $52,293,982 (United States)
- Runtime: 120 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- Academy Awards: Won Best Actor for Paul Newman; nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), Best Adapted Screenplay (Richard Price), and Best Production Design
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 88% (Tomatometer), 7.2/10 average rating
- Metacritic score: 77/100
- IMDb rating: 7.0/10
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- ISAN: 0000-0001-101B-0000-9-0000-0000-A
- Color format: Color
- Original language: English
- Filming locations: New Jersey, Chicago
- Composer: Robbie Robertson
- Film editor: Thelma Schoonmaker
- Director of photography: Michael Ballhaus
- Production designer: Boris Leven
- Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Available on: Netflix (video on demand)

## FAQs
**What is the relationship between The Color of Money and The Hustler?**
The Color of Money is a sequel to the 1961 film The Hustler, with Paul Newman returning as "Fast Eddie" Felson. While The Hustler focused on pool hustling, the sequel explores Eddie mentoring a young pool player (Tom Cruise) and his return to the game.

**What awards did The Color of Money win?**
The film won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Paul Newman, marking his first competitive Oscar win after eight previous nominations. It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), Best Adapted Screenplay (Richard Price), and Best Production Design.

**Who are the main cast members and their roles?**
Paul Newman plays "Fast Eddie" Felson, Tom Cruise portrays Vincent Lauria, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is Carmen, Helen Shaver plays Janelle, John Turturro is Julian, Bill Cobbs appears as Preacher, Forest Whitaker plays Amos, and Iggy Pop has a cameo role.

**What is the film's critical reception?**
The Color of Money received positive reviews with an 88% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 77/100 Metascore on Metacritic. Critics praised Newman's performance, Scorsese's direction, and the film's exploration of mentorship and redemption.

**Where was The Color of Money filmed?**
The film was shot in New Jersey and Chicago, with pool hall scenes filmed at various locations to capture authentic pool-playing environments.

## Why It Matters
The Color of Money matters as a significant entry in Martin Scorsese's filmography and as a worthy sequel to a classic American film. It represents Paul Newman's triumphant return to a defining role, earning him his first Academy Award after decades of acclaimed performances. The film showcases Scorsese's ability to blend character study with sports drama, exploring themes of mentorship, ambition, and the passage of time. Its commercial success ($52 million box office) demonstrated the viability of mature-themed dramas in the mid-1980s marketplace. The film also marked an important early role for Tom Cruise, helping establish him as a major star. Its exploration of pool as both sport and metaphor for life's challenges resonated with audiences and critics alike, while Robbie Robertson's score added a distinctive musical dimension to the film's atmosphere.

## Notable For
- **Paul Newman's Oscar win**: First competitive Academy Award after eight previous nominations
- **Scorsese sequel**: Rare instance of Martin Scorsese directing a sequel to another director's film
- **Pool authenticity**: Featured real professional pool players as technical advisors
- **Mentor-protégé dynamic**: Explored the complex relationship between experienced player and young talent
- **Commercial success**: Earned over $52 million against a $14.5 million budget
- **Critical acclaim**: Maintains high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes (88%) and Metacritic (77/100)
- **Cultural impact**: Helped popularize pool culture in the 1980s
- **Soundtrack**: Featured original music by Robbie Robertson of The Band
- **Technical achievement**: Cinematography by Michael Ballhaus captured the intensity of pool games
- **Legacy**: Considered one of the better sequels in film history

## Body

### Production and Creative Team
The Color of Money was produced by Touchstone Pictures, a division of Walt Disney Studios, marking one of the studio's early forays into more adult-oriented content. Barbara De Fina served as producer, working with Scorsese for the first time. The screenplay was adapted by Richard Price from Walter Tevis's novel, updating the story for a contemporary audience. Scorsese brought his signature visual style and character-driven approach to the material, creating a film that balanced sports action with deep psychological exploration.

### Cast and Performances
Paul Newman's portrayal of "Fast Eddie" Felson earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, representing a career capstone achievement. Newman brought decades of experience to the role, portraying Eddie as a wiser, more complex character than in the original film. Tom Cruise, at the beginning of his rise to superstardom, delivered a charismatic performance as the brash young pool player Vincent Lauria. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio provided strong support as Carmen, Vincent's girlfriend and Eddie's eventual romantic interest. The supporting cast included established actors like John Turturro, Bill Cobbs, and Forest Whitaker, each bringing depth to their roles.

### Cinematography and Visual Style
Michael Ballhaus's cinematography captured the intensity and atmosphere of pool halls with dynamic camera movements and careful lighting. The film's visual style emphasized the geometric precision of pool tables while also conveying the emotional stakes of each game. Scorsese and Ballhaus used slow-motion and close-up shots to highlight the skill and tension of pool playing, creating sequences that were both technically impressive and dramatically compelling.

### Music and Sound Design
Robbie Robertson, formerly of The Band, composed the film's score, creating a blues-infused soundtrack that complemented the film's themes of American culture and personal struggle. The music helped establish the film's mood and pacing, with particular emphasis on scenes involving pool playing and character development.

### Pool Playing and Technical Accuracy
The film featured real professional pool players as technical advisors to ensure authenticity in the pool-playing sequences. Mike Sigel, a world champion pool player, served as technical advisor and appeared in a cameo role. The film showcased various pool games and techniques, helping to popularize the sport among mainstream audiences in the 1980s.

### Release and Distribution
The Color of Money premiered on October 17, 1986, in the United States, distributed by Buena Vista Pictures through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film's R rating allowed for more mature content than typical Disney releases of the era, reflecting Touchstone Pictures' strategy of targeting adult audiences. The film was later made available on video on demand platforms, including Netflix.

### Critical Reception and Legacy
Upon release, the film received positive reviews from critics who praised Newman's performance and Scorsese's direction. Roger Ebert awarded the film four stars, calling it "a great American film." The film's success helped establish Scorsese's reputation for working across genres while maintaining his distinctive directorial voice. It has since been recognized as one of the better sequels in film history, successfully building upon the original while standing on its own merits.

### Cultural Impact
The Color of Money contributed to a resurgence of interest in pool during the 1980s, with many viewers inspired to try the sport themselves. The film's portrayal of pool halls and the pool-playing subculture provided a window into a world that many audience members had not previously experienced. The mentor-protégé relationship between Eddie and Vincent became a template for similar dynamics in subsequent films.

### Technical Specifications
The film has a runtime of 120 minutes and was shot in color. It received an R rating from the MPAA for language and some sexual content. The film was released in multiple formats, including theatrical, home video, and later digital streaming. The Australian Classification Board rated it M (Recommended for ages 15 and over), while the Netherlands' Kijkwijzer system gave it a 12 rating with warnings for violence and coarse language.

### Related Works and Connections
The Color of Money directly connects to The Hustler (1961), sharing the character of "Fast Eddie" Felson and exploring his life decades later. Both films are based on novels by Walter Tevis, though they were published 25 years apart. The film also connects to Scorsese's broader filmography through its exploration of American masculinity, crime, and personal redemption themes that appear throughout his work.

### Distribution and Availability
The film has been distributed across multiple platforms since its initial theatrical release. It is available for streaming on Netflix and has been released on various home video formats. The film maintains a presence in film databases including IMDb (tt0090863), Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic, with consistent availability for new audiences to discover.

### Preservation and Recognition
The film's cultural significance is reflected in its preservation in various film archives and its continued study in film courses. While not selected for the National Film Registry like its predecessor, The Color of Money remains an important part of 1980s American cinema and continues to be referenced in discussions of sports films and sequels.

### Awards and Nominations
Beyond its Academy Award win for Paul Newman, the film received nominations in three additional categories at the 59th Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Best Adapted Screenplay for Richard Price, and Best Production Design. The film also received recognition from the National Board of Review, which included it in their annual list of Top Ten Films.

## References

1. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090863/)
2. [AlloCiné](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=34014.html)
3. [Source](http://stopklatka.pl/film/kolor-pieniedzy)
4. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090863/fullcredits)
5. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1987)
6. The Movie Database
7. The Color of Money. Rotten Tomatoes
8. IMDb
9. Rotten Tomatoes
10. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090863/releaseinfo)
11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
12. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090863/parentalguide)
13. [Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0090863/)
14. Kinopoisk
15. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/the-color-of-money/)
16. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
17. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
18. [film distribution certificate](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/63899)
19. Online-Filmdatenbank
20. mymovies.it
21. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/2F51-8759-B5A0-C98A-B77E-8)
22. Danish Film Database
23. Trakt.tv
24. FilmVandaag.nl