The house lights flickered up over the Chicago theater, chasing away the lingering darkness of the dramatic final scene of The Color of Money.
The applause was there, but it was subdued. It was not the screaming, foot-stomping roar expected from a typical Alex Hayes film.
Most of the youth came here for Alex and, having seen a matured film instead of his usual fare, they hadn't yet grasped how they felt about it. The older audiences just clapped; no definitive, ecstatic reaction was given. The film seemed good, but its commercial prospects remained a question mark, as even good films can fail if not released and received correctly.
Paula inhaled sharply, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and turned to Nancy and Michael.
"Well?" Paula asked, her face tight with anticipation.
Michael Ovitz adjusted his tie, already composing his thoughts. "It's a good film. Newman is as charming as ever. Scorsese is masterful. And Alex..." he paused, nodding slowly. "Alex held his ground against Paul Newman. That's the main takeaway. He is absolutely believable as Vincent Lauria."
"Yes, but does good translate to the kind of box office he needs?" Paula countered, keeping her voice low as people began filing out. "It's brilliant, but it's cold. It's serious. It's not the fun they expect from him. I just don't know how that translates commercially."
Nancy squeezed her arm. "That's exactly why we did this. We wanted him to be taken seriously. That film just did more for his legitimacy in two hours than three blockbusters could. Did you feel that 'passing of the torch' moment from Paul Newman to Alex? The critics will eat that up."
"Critics, yes. But the masses?" Michael pressed, his agent instincts taking over. "Are the audience going to rush out and tell everyone they know to see a quiet drama about pool hustling? We needed the crowd to go wild, and they mostly just... clapped lightly."
Nancy reached out and gently patted Michael's arm. "It's okay, Michael. This is the next phase of Alex's career. We knew what we were doing. Even if this doesn't reach the commercial heights of his previous films, it's not a stop; it's just a roadblock on his career path. We're playing the long game."
Michael and Paula exchanged a look, then nodded slowly, their anxiety slightly tempered by Nancy's conviction. They hoped, desperately, that Alex's phenomenal commercial streak wouldn't break with this film.
*****
The next morning, September 6th, the critics' reviews were released, cutting through the anxiety like a knife. The verdict was largely positive, albeit tempered by the shadow of the original film 'The Hustler'.
Out of 18 top critics, 81 percent gave positive reviews.
Roger Ebert wrote: "What Scorsese has done is create a sequel that serves as a passing of the torch. While the film lacks the quiet, devastating pathos of The Hustler, it is sharp, thrilling, and supremely entertaining. Alex Hayes is not just matching Paul Newman; he is energizing him. Hayes has proven that his selection of material is faultless, demonstrating a mature eye for challenging drama."
His rival, Gene Siskel, was equally complimentary: "Paul Newman's subtle, masterful performance brings gravity to 'Fast Eddie,' while Martin Scorsese's direction is a kinetic, visually thrilling exploration of the pool hall world. Yet, Hayes is the knockout blow. His Vincent Lauria is perfectly judged—arrogant but impossible not to watch. This film affirms Alex Hayes has a great vision for selecting scripts that both entertain and elevate."
Pauline Kael of The New Yorker, ever the iconoclast, offered a more guarded, yet still approving, take: "While The Color of Money is perhaps too slick, too overtly Scorsese, to be truly great, it succeeds entirely on the charisma of its stars. Hayes, playing the kind of cocky wunderkind he knows so well, manages to give a surprisingly detailed performance. He is magnetic, and his scenes with Newman are electric."
Rex Reed, writing in The New York Post, however, offered a harsh dose of reality: "The film is as slick and flashy as Vincent's wardrobe. Alex Hayes does great work, but next to Newman's genuine weight, he still feels like a lightweight intruder in Felson's world. Scorsese has traded pathos for polish, giving us an expensive, beautifully shot sequel that unfortunately lacks the grit and soul of the original."
The film garnered a B+ rating from audiences, which, while respectable for any drama, was the lowest audience rating of Alex Hayes's career. His previous lowest rating had been an A-, setting an impossibly high bar for audience satisfaction.
His previous lowest rating had been an A- for Sixteen Candles, setting an impossibly high bar for audience satisfaction.
Michael Eisner pushed the stack of newspapers containing reviews away from him and looked across his expansive desk at Frank Wells, his right-hand man and president of Disney.
"What about the box office on the first day?" Eisner asked, his tone clipped and expectant.
Frank Wells placed a separate, smaller report on the desk, a summary of the preliminary weekend figures. "We hit $5.9 million for Friday's opening, Michael."
Eisner scanned the number, his lips pursed. "What do you think?"
Frank leaned forward slightly. "Well, the chatter has already started. Some are saying that Alex has lost some of his mojo by turning to serious drama. They look at Say Anything…'s opening and compare it unfavorably."
Eisner scoffed, pushing the box office report back. "Nonsense. First, The Color of Money released in fewer theaters compared to his wide releases before. And second, he is playing mainly a supporting character, even if it can be said he's the co-lead. For a specialty film with that limited exposure, $5.9 million is excellent. The critics gave him exactly what he needed: a seal of approval from Newman and Scorsese. That B+ audience rating is just the young crowd not getting their usual sugar rush. The adult audience will follow the reviews. This is a clear win for prestige and profitability."
Eisner tapped the report with a confident finger, already dismissing the short-term noise.
"So," Frank asked, "do you want to ramp up the publicity, given the critical success?"
"Absolutely, we go all in," Eisner declared, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "We push this momentum into the awards season, which will generate immense visibility for a massive killing in the home video market."
Frank nodded and left.
The film grossed $5.1 million on Saturday and $4.6 million on Sunday, bringing its final weekend tally to $15.6 million. This haul easily won the weekend box office race.
The second place film, Stand by Me, grossed $3,010,922, followed by The Fly at $1,905,248, The Karate Kid Part II at $1,883,248, and Aliens at $1,636,417. This commercial win, cementing Alex Hayes's ability to drive audiences to any kind of film, secured a resounding success to match the critical acclaim.