Multi-talented, Paul Newman is one of the greatest American actors of all time. With his silhouette of a Greek statue and his unreal blue eyes, he embodied the quintessential Hollywood star. But he never seemed satisfied. The son of a Jewish sporting goods retailer who despises him and a Catholic mother who adores him, driven by self-doubt and an inherited need for approval from his childhood, he has worked throughout his fifty-year career to break the image of the pretty boy. He made his first experiences in the famous Actors Studio. The breakthrough as a screen star came in 1958 with "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". From then on he preferred characters on the edge of the American dream. With archive images and film excerpts, the documentary paints a portrait of a socio-politically committed man with many facets and also pays tribute to the role of his wife Joanne Woodward.
Acting
Newman's own voice cracks open the polished myth.
Editing
Seamless weaving of rare footage and candid moments.
Production
Joanne Woodward finally gets her due as collaborator.
Director
Jean Lauritano
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Newman famously burned his tuxedo on his 50th birthday — symbolic middle finger to his own image.
His food empire Newman’s Own donated $600M+ to charity, making him arguably more radical post-fame than during it.
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