Through A Glass Darkly

SHADE-OFF Once Tom Cruise was the undisputed sunglasses king. Any shades he wore in a movie took off like fireworks. Can he be unseated?

TOM CRUISE

Signature Shades: Ray-Ban Wayfarers in 1983's Risky Business Price: $55

Reflection on Sales: On the brink of discontinuation before Cruise wore them; sales soared after the film

Signature Shades: Ray-Ban Aviators in 1986's Top Gun Price: $100

Reflection on Sales: The 50-year-old style's sales had been flat; after the film, they shot up 40%

Caveat: In Eyes Wide Shut, Cruise wears no signature shades, but he does spend much of the film wearing a mask. New merchandising opportunity?

WILL SMITH

Signature Shades: Ray-Ban's Predator 2, in 1997's Men in Black Price: $99

Reflection on Sales: In six months, sales tripled; Ray-Ban says it was like $25 million in free ads

Signature Shades: Custom-made oval shades in Wild Wild West, which opened last week

Reflection on Sales: Millions more Whoppers sold, if Burger King has it its way. It's selling knock-offs of the glasses for $1.99

Caveat: When Keanu Reeves' slightly slanted specs from The Matrix become publicly available in August, they could also be contenders