How a 1986 Scorsese film about pool hustlers changed gaming and sports history
In short: Martin Scorsese’s The Color of Money is more than a sequel to The Hustler. Beyond Paul Newman’s long-awaited Oscar win, the film’s unique aesthetic and dialogue left a lasting cultural footprint, influencing everything from the naming of a legendary video game to the branding of professional billiards tournaments.
Released in 1986, The Color of Money follows former pool shark Fast Eddie Felson as he mentors a volatile young talent named Vincent Lauria. Directed by Scorsese, the film was shot in 49 days on a budget of $14.5 million. While it received generally positive reviews, critics were divided; some praised the performances of Newman and Tom Cruise, while others felt the narrative lacked the grit of the 1961 original.
Scorsese’s stylistic choices were heavily influenced by the 1947 film Black Narcissus, particularly in his use of extreme close-ups to capture the intensity of the game. To maintain authenticity, the production relied on technical consultants like Mike Sigel, who performed complex shots that Cruise could not master in time. Newman, who won his first Academy Award for the role, famously took Scorsese’s advice to avoid playing the character for laughs.
The film’s cultural impact extended far beyond the cinema. A single line of dialogue delivered by Cruise—'In here? Doom'—reportedly served as the inspiration for the title of the iconic 1993 video game. Additionally, the sport of billiards itself honored the film, with a high-profile 1996 nine-ball match between Efren Reyes and Earl Strickland adopting the title 'The Color of Money' for its inaugural event.
Despite its success, the film’s production was marked by notable absences and creative pivots. Jackie Gleason, who played Minnesota Fats in the predecessor, declined to return, feeling his character was an afterthought. Furthermore, while the film shares a title with Walter Tevis’s 1984 novel, the filmmakers opted not to use his screenplay, choosing instead to craft a distinct narrative that cemented the film’s place in pop culture history.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Color of Money
- Also: Wikidata — The Color of Money · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — The Color of Money · CC0
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