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'The Color of Money' at 40: Why It Outshines 'Top Gun'

The New York Post says Paul Newman wanted late-career glory and Martin Scorsese needed a hit, with Tom Cruise caught in the middle; forty years on, it still plays.

On air: Hank Ledger and Dale Bearman on BBN This Morning
Published 8:45 AM ET, Thursday, October 15, 2026

Photo: Aisrotkev8000 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · Pop Culture

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger and Dale Bearman on this story, from BBN This Morning at 8:45 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are New York Post's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Aisrotkev8000 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

Photo: U.S. dollars — Photo: Aisrotkev8000 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by New York Post: “‘The Color of Money’ at 40: Why This Tom Cruise Movie Outshines ‘Top Gun’ in the Long Run”.
Covered on BBN on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 8:45 AM ET on BBN This Morning, by Hank Ledger and Dale Bearman.
Topics: Tom Cruise.
BBN covered this story before: Tom Cruise's 'Digger' projected to lose $245 million (October 14).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

New York Post‘The Color of Money’ at 40: Why This Tom Cruise Movie Outshines ‘Top Gun’ in the Long Run

What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe Color of Money turns forty, and the New York Post says it has outlasted Top Gun, because Paul Newman wanted late-career glory and Martin Scorsese needed a hit.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorForty years. So the pool hustler outlived the fighter jets.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorScorsese got his hit, Newman got his glory, and Tom Cruise got face time with both of them.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorBest deal he ever made.

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