The film that Paul Newman hated so much that he actually tried to convince the public not to watch it

Most people start slowly when starting a new job. You have to get used to practices, expectations and the location of the coffee machine. But once they get the hang of it, they’re good to go. The same applies to actors, whose first appearances in films are usually by no means the highlight of their careers. But in an office, the public doesn’t know that you accidentally put important papers in the shredder on the first day, but for an actor? This performance will probably be filmed forever for the world to see. This is the story of Paul Newmanwho was so unenthusiastic about his first film, The silver chalicehe literally begged people not to look at it.

“Paul Newman of the Silver Chalice pleaded in the papers.”

In Newman’s defense: 1954 The silver chaliceis not a great film. It’s not even a good movie, currently sitting at 13% on Rotten Tomatoes. The focus is on Newman’s Basilius, the adopted child of the wealthy Greek Ignatius from Antioch (E.G. Marshall) and becomes an accomplished sculptor under his guidance. But after Ignatius’ death, his brother takes the opportunity to bribe officials, who then sell Basilius as a slave. With the help of the student Luke (Alexander Scourby), Basil flees to Jerusalem, where he is commissioned to do it Making a silver chalice for the Holy Grailwith carvings of the faces of Jesus and the disciples on the edge. Meanwhile, an evil sorcerer, Simon, appears (Jack Palance), uses black magic to create his own “miracles” and tries to lure Christians into his new religion, supported by the beautiful Helena (Virginia Mayo), a former friend of Basil.

The reviews were not positivewith most highlighting the film’s strange set, bizarre costumes, abysmal writing, and Palance’s hammy portrayal as the film’s antagonist. The Los Angeles Times even states that some retailers are stocking the film in the comedy section. But Newman learned from the film and did far better with the 1956s Someone up there likes meplays the legendary boxer Rocking Graziano. It is considered one of Newman’s best films, and interestingly enough, his co-star is Pier AngeliShe also hinted at the love interest The silver chalice. From then on, his career skyrocketed, but when The silver chalice To be broadcast on a Los Angeles television station in 1963, Newman placed an advertisement in the newspapers stating: “Paul Newman apologizes every night this week – Channel 9” according to The New Yorker.

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Cinema was a mistake.

Paul Newman’s plea backfired and The Silver Chalice attracted impressive ratings

The reason Newman felt he had to apologize every night this week is because the aforementioned Channel 9 was scheduled to play The silver chalice He watched the advertisements every evening for a week, viewing the advertisements as a form of community service to stop people from watching them. So, it didn’t work. The tactic drove people forward To Check it out; The New Yorker reports that Newman’s ad resulted in “increased viewership.” Perhaps because his plan failed so spectacularly, Newman began to accept its awfulness. In his autobiography Paul Newman: One LifeNewman admits when he first saw it The silver chaliceHe was horrified, traumatized and certain that his acting career “had begun and ended with the same picture.” Then he added: “It’s a kind of distinction to say that I appeared in the worst film of the entire 1950s.”

Given this, his claim that it was the worst film of the 1950s is questionable Plan 9 from space was published in 1959, but his assessment of his role in it is not entirely fair. The film gave Newman his first of many Golden Globe Awards, winning “New Star of the Year – Actor” at the 1957 ceremony, and although his performance is not praised by many critics, most are generally forgiving, considering that this is Newman’s first. There are also many, many other sins in the film that are pointed out first.

Unless it’s you Martin Scorsesethat is. Scorsese lists The silver chalice as one of his “guilty pleasures” and referred to the stage sets he created Boris Leven as “clean and clear; it’s almost like another life, another world.” The film led to Scorsese bringing Leven on board for the 1977s New York, New York. However, he did not cast Paul Newman.

The silver chalice

Release date

December 20, 1954

director

Victor Saville

Pour

Pier Angeli, Virginia Mayo, Jack Palance, Paul Newman, Walter Hampden, Joseph Wiseman, Alexander Scourby, Lorne Greene, David J. Stewart, Herbert Rudley, Jacques Aubuchon, EG Marshall, Michael Pate, Natalie Wood, Peter Raynolds, Mort Marshall, Booth Colman, Terence de Marney, Robert Middleton, Ian Wolfe, Lawrence Dobkin, Philip Tonge, Albert Dekker, Beryl Machin, Donald Randolph

Duration

142 minutes

writer

Minor Samuels

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The silver chalice is currently available to rent or purchase on Prime Video in the US

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