Tom Cruise Represents a Kind of American Ideal

Cary Grant, one of the most enduring leading men of all time, became a major star in 1937 and retired 29 years later. John Wayne blew up in 1939 and kept going until 1976. Both of them were old and haggard by the time their last pictures arrived. Tom Hanks, who became a star in 1984 with Splash, is now doing avuncular, graybeard roles. The indestructible Clint Eastwood, who boasts of the longest career of any major Hollywood star in history, hit it big in 1964 but by 1986 was playing a cantankerous old gunnery sergeant in Heartbreak Ridge and in 1992 was the ancient avenger William Munny in Unforgiven.

All of this perspective is necessary to comprehend the scale of what Tom Cruise has pulled off. He became a name in 1983’s Risky Business and a bankable star in Top Gun three years later. Thirty-six years after that, Cruise not only remains one of Hollywood’s key leading men, but today he’s bigger than ever. Top Gun: Maverick opened over Memorial Day weekend with an astonishing $161 million take at the domestic box office, Cruise’s best opening to date. It was the equivalent of Tom Brady notching a career-best 5,316 passing yards in his 22nd season. Actually, it was as if Brady had thrown for more than 10,000 yards last year, given that Cruise’s previous career-best opening, 2005’s War of the Worlds, earned only $64 million in its first three days at the domestic box office. Who hits a career best at anything at age 59?

About the Author

Kyle Smith

Kyle Smith is the film critic for the Wall Street Journal.

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Cary Grant, one of the most enduring leading men of all time, became a major star in 1937 and retired 29 years later. John Wayne blew up in 1939 and kept going until 1976. Both of them were old and haggard by the time their last pictures arrived. Tom Hanks, who became a star in 1984 with Splash, is now doing avuncular, graybeard roles. The indestructible Clint Eastwood, who boasts of the longest career of any major Hollywood star in history, hit it big in 1964 but by 1986 was playing a cantankerous old gunnery sergeant in Heartbreak Ridge and in 1992 was the ancient avenger William Munny in Unforgiven.

All of this perspective is necessary to comprehend the scale of what Tom Cruise has pulled off. He became a name in 1983’s Risky Business and a bankable star in Top Gun three years later. Thirty-six years after that, Cruise not only remains one of Hollywood’s key leading men, but today he’s bigger than ever. Top Gun: Maverick opened over Memorial Day weekend with an astonishing $161 million take at the domestic box office, Cruise’s best opening to date. It was the equivalent of Tom Brady notching a career-best 5,316 passing yards in his 22nd season. Actually, it was as if Brady had thrown for more than 10,000 yards last year, given that Cruise’s previous career-best opening, 2005’s War of the Worlds, earned only $64 million in its first three days at the domestic box office. Who hits a career best at anything at age 59?