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

> Tom Cruise's 1986 film The Color of Money becomes a classic by teaching arrogance to check its ego.
- Title: The Color of Money at 40: Why It Outshines Top Gun · Decider
- Summary: Tom Cruise's 1986 film The Color of Money becomes a classic by teaching arrogance to check its ego. The Color of Money outshines Top Gun by showing how ego…
- Keywords: the color of money, tom cruise, martin scorsese, paul newman, 1986, box office, pool, atlantic city, hustler, film classic, entertainment, culture
- Source: Decider — https://decider.com/2026/10/15/tom-cruises-the-color-of-money-movie-at-40
- Published: 2026-10-15T12:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: the color of money, tom cruise, martin scorsese, paul newman, 1986, box office, pool, atlantic city, hustler, film classic, entertainment, culture
## The Color of Money at 40
The Color of Money, a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise and Paul Newman, is now 40 years old.
## Why It Outshines Top Gun
The Color of Money earned $52 million in North America but was overshadowed by Top Gun's box office success.
## The Color of Money's Legacy
The film became a classic by showing how ego must be checked for long-term success in pool hustling.
## Paul Newman's Role
Paul Newman reprised his role as Fast Eddie Felson, a pool hustler who mentors Tom Cruise.
## Martin Scorsese's Direction
Martin Scorsese directed The Color of Money after his films The King of Comedy and After Hours flopped.
## The Pool Hustling Story
Tom Cruise's character Vincent learns to check his ego through pool hustling with Paul Newman's character.
## The Color of Money's Message
The best pool player is the one with the most money, not the most talent.
## The Color of Money's Impact
The film confirmed Tom Cruise's superstardom after Top Gun and won Paul Newman his first Oscar.
## Why It Outshines Top Gun
The Color of Money shows the long-term consequences of ego, unlike Top Gun's short-term success.
## The Color of Money's Legacy
The film remains a classic by teaching that ego must be checked for long-term success.
## Key takeaway

The Color of Money outshines Top Gun by showing how ego must be checked for long-term success.