Quickly after this scene, as Phil Collins’ “One Extra Evening” blares out over the bar audio system, Felson hears the crack of balls on the pool desk behind him. Startled, he notices the energetic Lauria taking command over the desk. After a couple of minutes of examination, Felson invitations Lauria and his girlfriend out for dinner. It’s at this meal that he begins to pitch Lauria on changing into a full-time participant, and, his protege. He sees greatness in him – possibly just a little little bit of his former self.
He tells Lauria that being a scholar of the sport is akin to being a scholar of human habits. Cruise’s Lauria has Felson’s watch in his hand throughout this dialog. Felson then bets the dinner invoice that he can depart with a girl on the bar in two minutes. Via just a little trickery, he will get the girl to agree to depart with him, earlier than returning to the desk to announce his victory. At this second we get a transparent view of the watch in Lauria’s hand as Felson says, “Human strikes, child. You research the watch however I research you. You get the examine.” He then takes again the watch, and throws money on the desk for a cab, and leaves. It doesn’t get extra Paul Newman than that.
