Home/Episodes/The Color of Money
‘The Color of Money’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey
October 19, 2021 · The Color of Money (1986) · Drama · Sport · 1:24:39
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsThe black pool hall scene where Cruz comes back and does the 'Doom' speech, then proceeds to make all the shots in the Werewolves of London sequence▶ 28:16
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsBruce A. Young who plays Bozell is the same actor who played Jackie the Prostitute in Risky Business - discovered this connection during research▶ 30:17
Chris RyanIn the original script, the Werewolves of London scene was written as James Brown music instead▶ 34:30
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsSupported the continuation sequel concept as an underused movie gimmick that works well▶ 48:39
Chris RyanThe way the movie acknowledges The Hustler - subtle references without being overwrought, creating a true continuation sequel rather than recycling the same story▶ 47:18
Sean FennesseyAgreed with Chris Ryan's point about the subtle acknowledgment of The Hustler, particularly how Newman's character becomes like George C. Scott's character without explicitly stating it▶ 48:04
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsCameos from 1980s pool stars like Steve Mihalik and Keith McCready - they were bigger deals then but now nobody would recognize them▶ 50:22
Chris RyanTwo things: guys waving cash at bars when betting (now everything is Venmo), and the whole premise doesn't work with phones because Vince would be on social media immediately▶ 54:40
Sean FennesseyWarren Zevon being on the jukebox at Chalky's - questioning why that song would realistically be there▶ 55:40
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJackie Gleason — Discusses Jackie Gleason potentially returning as Minnesota Fats but agrees it was good he wasn't included, and explains Helen Shaver's character was added late to avoid misinterpretation of Eddie and Vincent's relationship▶ 55:57
Sean FennesseyJackie Gleason — Agrees that it's good Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats is not in the movie▶ 56:18
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsPaul Herman — Mentions Bruce A. Young as candidate, Bill Cobbs as Orvis, Cruz's uncle from Cocktail, and Paul Herman in Atlantic City bar - says 'I go with him or Cruz's uncle' referring to Paul Herman or Cruz's uncle▶ 58:14
Chris RyanPaul Herman — Paul Herman - the guy in Atlantic City bar who won the Akron Open and is in Goodfellas ('you want to see helicopters?')▶ 57:52
Sean FennesseyPaul Herman — Supports Paul Herman identification as 'beansy from The Sopranos' and notes his roles in Goodfellas and The Irishman, calls it 'a good one'▶ 58:08
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsMary Elizabeth Mastrantonio — No for Newman, Cruise, Scorsese. Yes for billiards. No for Clapton (MTV Unplugged was bigger). Yes for Balabushka cue. Uncertain on Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio but leans toward this being her peak performance despite other bigger movies.▶ 1:05:34
Chris RyanMary Elizabeth Mastrantonio — Thinks Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio's peak was probably The Abyss or Perfect Storm, but acknowledges she's exceptional in this movie. Agrees on sweater vests being at apex mountain.▶ 1:07:34
Sean FennesseyKeith McCready — Yes for Keith McCready. Thinks Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves might be bigger for Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio than this film.▶ 1:06:29
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsVincent gets murdered within days or becomes an ESPN star; Top Gun 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' for best Tom Cruise singing moment; movie is better NOT knowing who won the final game▶ 1:17:24
Chris RyanVincent rededicates to Stalker then returns to Child World; Vincent wins the final match against Eddie; Vincent and Carmen break up quickly after his death▶ 1:17:27
Sean FennesseyVincent gets shot in the face 12 days later; movie is definitely better not knowing who won the final game because the 'I'm back' ending is perfect▶ 1:17:38
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsPaul Newman — Acknowledges Newman won the Oscar but debates whether he deserved it over Hoffman (Tootsie) or Kingsley (Gandhi), suggesting it's a difficult choice▶ 1:21:41
Sean FennesseyPaul Newman — Newman - he won the Oscar, though Sean criticizes how long it took the Academy to recognize him▶ 1:21:29
Movies Referenced (44)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky Business (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 30:22 |
| Cool Hand Luke (1967) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:02 |
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 32:46 |
| Gandhi (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 6:04 |
| Inferno (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 16:20 |
| Jerry Maguire (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 9:38 |
| Robin Hood (2010) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:07:57 |
| The Sting (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:08 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 53:12 |
| Goodfellas (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 58:00 |
| Green Room (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 58:00 |
| Platoon (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:11 |
Directors Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 20 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 1:58 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 4:51 |
| Jacob Hair | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 32:06 | |
| Tom Brady | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Hot Chick | ▶ 23:16 |
Actors Referenced (81)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Newman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 77 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Road to Perdition, The Verdict | ▶ 1:58 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 38 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 1:58 |
| Julie Christie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Don't Look Now | ▶ 1:00:39 |
| Eric Clapton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Lethal Weapon 3, Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2 | ▶ 40:54 |
| David Caruso | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | First Blood, Proof of Life | ▶ 43:19 |
| Helen Shaver | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 37:59 | |
| Ben Kingsley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Gandhi, Schindler's List | ▶ 6:04 |
| Drowning Pool | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 16:20 | |
| Steve McQueen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | The Great Escape | ▶ 2:47 |
| Bill Cobbs | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Demolition Man, Oz the Great and Powerful | ▶ 57:30 |
| John Turturro | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Barton Fink | ▶ 27:30 |
| Omar Doom | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Inglourious Basterds, Death Proof, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood | ▶ 28:32 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 24:15 | |
| Walter Tevis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 56:19 | |
| Jordan Belfort | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Wolf of Wall Street | ▶ 1:21:19 |
| Vivian Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:03:00 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan Strasburg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 10:58 |