Movies: Paul Newman in Loring Park

Summer's here and the time is right for dancin' in the streets, or hauling a lawn chair and a picnic basket to Loring Park for Walker Art Center's annual movies and music hootenanny. This year's abbreviated schedule -- four films on consecutive Mondays through Aug. 10 -- highlights the little-known film career of food entrepreneur/auto racer Paul Newman. When not attending to his political activism or philanthropic interests, Newman dabbled in acting. The series lineup, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (pictured, Monday), "Hud" (July 27), "Cool Hand Luke" (Aug. 3) and "The Hustler" (Aug. 10), don't demonstrate vast range. Newman was a performer of depth rather than diversity. But he was wonderful playing a troubled opportunist, a wounded stud or a morally confused antihero. And he was a damn fine cook. (Music at 7 p.m.: Halloween, Alaska with "Cat," Roma di Luna with "Hud," Gospel Gossip with "Luke" and Times New Viking with "Hustler." Films begin at dusk, around 8:45 p.m. Loring Park, Mpls. Free. In the event of rain, events will move to the Walker Cinema.)