I just couldn't get past the fact they wanted us to believe Newman's character was 47. Paul Newman was 55 years old here and looks every bit of it. They should have found a younger actor or made the character older.
I like Paul Newman, but he just wasn't right for the part the way it was written. I'd have no problem if they would have changed the character's age.
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Agreed - dye his hair and make him 50 or leave him as 56 and write the part that way. Either way, SF seems too young for him. She played 34 going on 12.
shareReminds me of Hoffman and Bancroft in the graduate, only there the actors were much closer in age than the characters.
The acting was convincing enough that I didn't dwell on it too much, though.
A lot of those old time stars did, yeah. There's a few exceptions, of course. There always are. I think people in general didn't take care of themselves as well in many way. So many smoked and that'll really age you, and those Hollywood people tended to live pretty hard.
shareNewman was obviously an exception. It seemed to me like Newman took damn good care of himself. He looked trim, fit and healthy.
shareI've known and seen plenty of 47-year-olds who wish they looked like Paul Newman in this film. I guess it comes with the territory; most smooth, pink little boys who never seem to age really never have much mileage on them, or else spend a lot of time in salons. Michael Gallagher is a man who has seen much, and lived through much as well. He has grown up in a family whose head was a criminal, who spent a fair amount of time in jail, enough time to regret his actions and do the best to encourage his son not to follow in his path; this was referenced in the film. The disparity in age of the two leads is by no means accidental; Sally Field's character is a young, ambitious journalist willing to cut ethical corners to achieve success as early as possible. Megan Carter is also very much of her time-period: a woman confident in her abilities, sure of what she wants, and more than ready for a relationship with an older man, who, according to her own article, may be a mobster and a murderer. Her personal sense of invincibility is a major point by which the plot unfolds, and her wilful, near-sociopathic failure to affect (until it's too late) results in both the destruction of Gallagher's reputation, and the death of Theresa Perrone. I believe it is also clear that, prior to Gallagher, Carter had been involved with Investigator Wadell, who is now wrapped around Carter's little finger, and regularly leaks information to her; is Wadell really that much more youthful than Gallagher? One may easily surmise that Carter is attracted to older, established men, acknowledging that they are powerbrokers in her society, and therefore worthy of pursuit. For those having difficulty with the casting of Paul Newman, I submit his emotional and moral gravitas is needed here to make his character believable. Newman has played many different character types, including criminals, yet maintains an honesty and sincerity to them all. I doubt another actor could have played this role better.
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