On what would've been the 96th birthday of Paul Newman, we're looking back on some of his best performances.

Between 'The Hustler', 'The Colour of Money', 'Cool Hand Luke', 'The Verdict', 'The Sting', 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid', 'Hud', 'Harper', 'Nobody's Fool' and 'The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean' among others, Paul Newman led quite a career. Passing away in 2008, one of his last roles was the voice of Doc Hudson in 'Cars'.

Many of Newman's movies are still regarded as classics today.

Here we look at what we think are the five scenes that best exemplify Paul Newman's talent.

 

5. 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' - The knife fight

For much of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid', Newman shared the screen with Robert Redford. However the Butch of the iconic duo did have some great moments all his own, including this knife fight - if you can call it that.

 

4. 'Road to Perdition' -"I'm glad it's you."

Newman says only four words in this unforgettable scene from 'Road to Perdition.' The movie marked his last live-action role, but what a scene to go out on. Thomas Newman's haunting score, the loud bang of the gunfire to punctuate the end of the scene.

 

3. 'The Hustler' - "I loved her, Bert. I traded her on a pool game."

Aside from Luke Jackson, the role Paul Newman has to be most famous for is 'hustler' Eddie Felson. In this scene that comes near the finale, following the suicide of his girlfriend, Eddie finally stand up to pro gambler Bert Gordon, played by George C. Scott.

 

2. 'The Colour of Money' - "I'll play him for five-hundred bucks..."

Many consider Newman's Oscar win for 'The Colour of Money' as making up for his losing out on the Best Actor award for 'The Hustler'. However when you see how tantamount Newman is with Eddie Felson, you can't deny that his win for this movie - in which he plays an older version of the character - is totally deserved. In this scene, he shows off his sharp, suave nature to Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Watch out for a young, unibrowed Tom Cruise charging around the room, looking for a challenge.

 

 

1. 'Cool Hand Luke' - The Plastic Jesus Scene

There are so many memorable scenes in this, what might be Newman's most popular movie. There's the scene in which he eats a hundred eggs, and his fight with prisoner leader Dragline, in which he refuses to quit in spite of being knocked down by the huge opponent again and again. However, it's this quiet moment in which Luke sings 'Plastic Jesus' about the death of his mother, that stands out for many as the best example of Newman's talent as an actor.