Amazon.com

Director Martin Ritt (Norma Rae) helmed this offbeat romance that earned costar James Garner an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a widowed druggist who befriends a confused divorcee (Sally Field) and her son, who move to a small rural town to start over. The laid-back performance of Garner as a man finding love "for the last time in his life" contrasts wonderfully with Field's portrayal of a woman scared and unsure of what the future may hold for her, and the two of them together exhibit great comic timing. As well written and as deftly performed as any movie of its type, Murphy's Romance will rope you in with its winning style. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A true sleeper!!
This movie is a bit on the slow side but the pace increases later in the movie. Tremendous acting by James Garner & Sally Field. Even the supporting cast is fabulous. You won't regret owning this film.

sweet, sappy, unadulterated fun!!
though a sleeper at the box office, this movie is one of my all time favorite films! with a superb cast, headed by sally fields and james garner, and a great soundtrack by carole king, "murphy's romance" is fun for everybody.

sally fields plays a single mom trying to start a new life for herself and her pre-teen son. simultaneously, she's falling in love with james garner's murphy, a warm, charismatic, much older man.

Murphy is a character to look up to in a great film.
James Garner as Murphy is smart, confident, capable, wise and one class act. He is truly one of the greatest characters of all-time. This film is very romantic and the ending is brilliant. I have shown it to four friends and they all fell in love with the movie.

This is a subtle movie and if you like things obvious and over the top then you might miss the point of this one.

Open your eyes to an exquisite film
I cannot add much more praise than what has been said about this film, but I would advise film students, film instructors, and screenplay writers and teachers to study this film and add a proviso to their pedagogy that great filmmaking cannot BE TAUGHT. Imagine how many film schools, film students, and books on filmmaking and screenplays have been churned out since the nearly two decades that this film was produced, and ask yourself the question, why don't films today measure up the quiet brilliance of this fabulous work. The answer is plain. Inspired filmmaking, directing, acting, and genuine love for the medium and the audience cannot be taught or bought. Take my simple test: read and study Robert Mckee, Syd Field, etc., go get your M.F.A. in filmmaking and go out and make your film. If it's even close to the quality of this film, I'll eat my DVD player. Like a rock music addict's ears that have been damaged by loud music and can't distinguish the nuances of sound, our post-millenium sensibilities have numbed us to the nature of cinematic, albiet commercial art. To paraphrase Alan Paton, "Cry the Beloved Medium."

Charming and relaxed
This is one of my favorite movies. James Garner and Sally Field are just great, the writing is very good (Garner's lines are just great), the pacing is relaxed but not slow, and the theme music by Carole King is as good as you'd expect (see if you can spot King in a cameo). What makes it all work wonderfully, however, is the excellent supporting cast. Everyone is a fully realized individual, the town feels like a real community, and there's not a bad actor in the bunch. If you want a love story that's about love and not hormones, buy this DVD. You'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Serendipity Cinema #11
A film you may never have heard of, but really should see. Trust me. Based on the book "The Water is Wide" by Pat Conroy this is a real 1970`s movie. It is about hope and love and equality. It is about the magic of learning and the power of teaching. It`s about all the things we are supposed, as a country, to have given up on and rushed, headlong into consumerism. If that is where you are, and you think anyone foolish that thinks otherwise, this is not the film for you. If you hold out hope for the human race, and see promise in the eyes of those who would be more than they are, and those who would see them achieve that goal, you will have a wonderous experience here. It is a celebration of those who would share knowledge, and the joy of those who discover the joy of learning. Jon Voight has never had a more powerful vehicle, and his fellow cast members make this a film once seen, never forgotten. In this story of a teacher reaching out to the most forgotten piece of society, you will find all the hope your heart may need. It ends sadly, but, that is part of the hurt of hope. And part of the nobility of it.

Born and raised on a SC barrier island
As a kid growing up in the state of SC, when the film was released, my friends and family kept wondering who was going to become famous. The racist and segregated South was not entirely depicted in the movie. For the rest of America, believe me...it did't even touch the surface. Education and educational funding didn't exist for the segregated 'Black' schools in the lowcountry of South Carolina. For instance, the first time I ever knew about Chemistry or Chemistry labs was when I was a student at Clemson University. Yes, Clemson ! I was a trend setter, to say the least. Putting all the hatred and inhumanities aside, I love the low country and where I came from. There's nothing like crabbing on a early saturday morning along the marshes and black water rivers of the ACE basin and enjoying the fruits of your harvest (with a cold beverage of your choice, indeed!). The film, for me, summarized and gave the rest of the world a smidgen of life in the south as a descendent of former slaves. I LOVE 'Conrack' and I appreciate Pat Conroy. Pat Conroy IS "Good People", as we say in Dixie. So buy the movie, enjoy the movie...and then go visit the SC lowcountry barrier islands.

RKHenderson,
Islandton, SC (Moselle Swamp)
Clemson University, Class of '85

Native of Beaufort, S.C. this was a true report
I grew up in Beaufort,S.C. Pat Conroy taught my older sisters English at Beaufort High before taking this position on the the island. "The island that time forgot" as it was known to us. The movie is a true depiction of how the inhabitants of the island were viewed. Educating them was nothing more than a unwanted mandate by the government. The movie was more enhanced by the casting of supporting characters than so closely resembled the real characters. Educating the black population was not a priority as I went thru the schools in that district. It is a sad but all too true to life dicpiction of the way education was carried out during that time period. Viewing this film, and having the truth screaming at you makes one aware of the injustices that lasted so long in the south and last still in some aspects of southern communities. Beaufort has always had very clear racial lines. Only in recent years with the influx of people from across this country relocating there are things starting to change. Change comes slow. This movie shows the desparatly needed changes that were too slow in occuring.
The island was later purchased and turned into a resort. Only then was a bridge erected to connect this island to the rest of the world. Many of the inhabitants moved the north side of the island or were relocated. Imagine having lived there, minimally educated, and then relocated in a society where you have no skills or knowledge of how to survive.

An education of books and human perserverance
In his later career, director Martin Ritt was renowned for his realistic treatment of a slice of life. He achieved a glimmering one in this hidden gem adapted from author Pat Conroy's novel, "The Water Is Wide." Its movie version, retitled "Conrack," has the amazing Jon Voight in the real-life role of teacher that Conroy played for a year on a South Carolina island inhabited by mostly African-Americans living in absolutely poverty and ignorance, and virtually forgotten by the world outside. The illiterate children, unable to pronounce Conroy's name, can do no better than "Conrack," thus, the title. Realizing all too soon that he has the near insurmountable challenge of teaching what school administrators have dismissed as the unteachable, Conrack comes up with the strategy of teaching by applying knowledge to his childrens' everyday lives. His efforts, and the childrens' steadily emerging ability to learn, make for an assortment of human emotions, from frustration to out-and-out howling to the bittersweet of the childrens' recognition and acceptance of their lot in life. But while teaching and learning make progress, school administrators are less than impressed by Conrack's methods, and the film head toward the inevitable clash between teacher and school officials and the resolution, we are lead to conclude, is at the childrens' expense. As Conrack, Voight is both stirring and moving without being phony, and he convinces us that the teacher's only agenda is his pupils' betterment. But the child actors who make up the pupils are incredible! They actually make us believe we are listening to a socially and educationally decimated and totally forgotten other world. The film is all the more powerful with Conroy's novel read beforehand for background. Both the movie and book are a stellar acknowledgement of the perserverance of the human spirit and how much can be achieved in even the most forgotten of our brothers.

Totally underrated movie!!!!
Having just received this video from Amazon.com,(after many years of searching), I am reminded of what a fantastic movie it was, and what a great impact it left upon me. Being able to share it with others now is a joy. Conrack's enthusiasm for life was contagious to his extremely sheltered students. The reality based conclusion,though emotionally disappointing, exemplified thetenacity of Conrack's core values. I loved this movie, because I laughed and cried. Jon Voight rocks!! This is one of my top ten all time favorite films. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

This video is as "hot" as its name
Adapted from some William Faulkner stories, this 1958 film certainly lives up to its name. It is "hot". The setting is a small town in the Deep South and the characters familiar, but under the skillful direction of Martin Rich, they spring to life as complex, flawed and very human individuals. Paul Newman, in his prime then, is cast as Ben Quick, a young drifter who is taken under the wing of the town's patriarch, Will Varner, played by Orson Wells. Newman romances Varner's schoolteacher daughter, Clara, played by Joanne Woodward, and competes with Varner's son Jody, played by Anthony Franciosa, for the old man's respect and affection. Lee Remick is cast as Jody's pretty wife and Angela Lansbury plays Varner's lady friend. What a cast!

Both Paul Newman and Orson Wells exude the essence of macho in the finest southern tradition. I can almost smell all that testosterone right off the video screen. There's nothing politically correct about this story, as the strength of the women lies only in the way they can manipulate the men in their lives. And, in spite of Joanne Woodward's, declaration of how much she loves books, the audience knows that what she really wants is nothing less than the kind of man who will make her wake up smiling each morning. This was the first movie that Woodward and Newman made together and they married shortly thereafter and so the audience is treated to a very special chemistry between them. Newman's blue eyes sparkle and his sexiness comes through loud and clear when he takes off his shirt. His body is naturally rugged without the sculptured pumped and ripped muscles that have since become trendy. Orson Wells' outstanding performance is the glue that holds the story together. He plays the role of the powerful 60-year old patriarch with exceptional vigor and is completely believable even though he was only 43 at the time. He wears his bulk well and there's sparkle between him and Angela Lansbury. During the course of the film, it is his character that goes through the most changes and he plays this with a naturalness that makes this believable.

There's good writing, directing and close-up shots of the actors. And the story moved fast, holding my interest throughout. The camera also captured the distinctions between the dusty dirt farms and the luxurious mansion, but basically it focused on the people and the human drama. And the ending is a happy and satisfying one. I thought it was excellent.

Newman's strong performance makes this Southern story work
William Faulkner's Southern stories come to the screen in this film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in their first film together as a married couple. Newman stars as Ben Quick, a drifter who infiltrates the family of Mississippi patriarch Will Varner (Orson Welles, quite corpulent, and looking similar to his character in Touch of Evil), his son Jody and wife Eula (Anthony Franciosa and a smoldering Lee Remick) and umarried daughter (Woodward). The story unfolds well, and it is Newman gives a solid performance as a cocky young man who wants to feel a part of society.

A Dangerous Drifter
Paul Newman plays another one of his cocky, dangerous characters in this story of a drifter who moves into a small Mississippi town dominated by fatcat Orson Welles. Welles' own son, Anthony Franciosa is weak, and he likes Newman and wants to match him up with his staid daughter Joanne Woodward, but she's not interested ... or at least not at first. Newman's high wattage star charisma is on display here as the man who manages to get out of tight spots and can spot an opportunity when it is presented. Woodward is very good as the young woman who needs to let go and allow herself to live. Welles dominates every scene he is in, with his characteristic bluster and dramatics a good fit for this character. Lee Remick, as Franciosa's wife, and Angela Lansbury, as Welles longtime girlfriend, are both sadly underused. The script has got some great bits of dialogue, and the main characters are allowed to develop quite well. But the ending seems rushed, and the full dramatic potential of the town's confrontation with Newman and Welles is not allowed to play out enough. The movie does evoke a Southern atmosphere, and this chance to see Newman and Woodward in their primes shouldn't be missed.

Six Stars for The Long Hot Summer
If it was possible I would give this movie six stars!
While others may view Cat On A Hot Tin Roof as a better movie I feel TLHS is without a doubt the BEST movie. The film location in Clinton LA as well as the understated accents of the actors, feel and fit the time.
Newman and Woodward heat the screen with real sizzle. Woodward has a natural feel for life in the deep south.
Each character in this movie brings an enchanting realism to this movie that stands the test of time.
"Varners and more Varners"...
Maybe it's a southern thing, but as you can guess I love this movie!

Southern soaper! Quintessential 50s flick!
OK, this is the one everyone mixes up with "Cat on A Hot Tin Roof." It's the Tennessee Williams movie that was really based on William Faulkner, but still FEELS like Tennessee Williams. It's the one where the Burl Ives role was played by Orson Welles. But the Paul Newman part is still played by Paul Newman--which no doubt is one reason for the confusion.

It's hard to imagine in 2001 how revolutionary the (now) demure references Joanne Woodward makes to her decidedly repressed sexuality must have seemed in 1958. And Lee Remick flouncing around in her slip and falling languidly into Tony Franciosa's eager arms must have seemed pretty racy at the time. (Of course, Lee and Tony had perfected the act in the previous year's "Face In the Crowd.") All of this seems pretty tepid nowadays. More's the pity, I guess.

As a time capsule, the movie's priceless. Dramatically, though, the pacing could have been lots better. This was only director Martin Ritt's third theatrical effort. Although he is known for getting good performances out of his actors, the script here lets him and the cast down. Dramatic scenes (Jody's attempted murder of his overbearing father; the attempted lynching of Ben Quick by the enraged townsmen) seem rushed and are ultimately more ludicrous than moving. Potentially affecting, the movie is more often frustrating.

But as potboilers of the era go, "Long Hot Summer" remains a must see. The chemistry between Woodward and Newman is evident in this, their first film together. Remick continues her Southern belle shtick begun in "Face in the Crowd" (and that she'd revisit again in another Faulkner-based epic, "Sanctuary") in a way surprisingly winsome for a gal from Quincy, Mass. Orson Welles hams it up gloriously as "Big Daddy," I mean, "Will Varner." Fans of 50s and 60s American cinema will definitely want to take this one in. Whether you want to BUY it or not depends on just how big a fan you are. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Barbra Streisand is a mad high-priced "escort" accused of murder, but whether she's mad as hell or mad as a hatter is the question in this courtroom drama, adapted from the play by Tom Topor. While her doting, willfully uncomprehending mother (Maureen Stapleton) and stepdad with a secret (Karl Malden) try to have her judged incompetent and sent to an asylum, she fights for her day in court with the help of a hapless legal aid attorney (a refreshingly understated Richard Dreyfuss). James Whitmore presides over the hearing with a compassion and sense of justice that gives onefaith in a system and la Streisand (who developed and produced the project) sinks her teeth into the tempestuous role like a starving actress. The plot holds few surprised, but the drama lies in the characters and veteran director Martin Ritt (Hud) brings out the best in a top-flight cast. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (26)

"I won't be nuts for you!"
I would give this film four-and-a-half stars. Badly neglected by both audiences and critics at the time of it's original release, NUTS is a film that is ripe for reevaluation. Based on Tom Toplor's 1981 courtroom play, NUTS is definitely a dialogue-based film with little Hollywood flashiness. Though generally well-written (by Toplor, adapting his own work with Darryl Ponicsan and Alvin Sargent) and sharply staged and directed by veteran Martin Ritt, it is the cast whom is really responsible bringing NUTS to life. Barbra Streisand gives an absolutely bravura performance that should have earned her an Oscar nomination. Alternately hilarious and frightening, Streisand is always mesmerizing as she delves so far into character.

Richard Dreyfess is nothing less than Streisand's equal as her public defender. He too was robbed of an Oscar nomination. The supporting cast is a top-notch ensemble of professional character actors (Maureen Stapleton, Eli Wallach, Robert Webber, James Whitmore, and Karl Malden), all of whom work their craft flawlessly. Nuts' screenplay does indulge in the predictability of some of the typical courtroom-plot conventions a little too often, and it hardly gives us any surprises. However, I still praise Toplor's script for it's fascinating exploration of what constitutes as normality and whether or not the insane should be required to receive treatment. NUTS isn't going to win over any fans of 3-cuts-per-second action films, but it leave lovers of thought-provoking, expertly-acted dramas fascinated.

About the DVD: The picture quality is dark and grainy, however, I believe that this reflects the film's intended look. The sound is fine, and it's nice to have the film's trailer included. Streisand's intelligent and entertaining full-length commentary is the main extra here, and it more than makes up for the disappointing tracks she contributed to the WHAT'S UP, DOC? and MAIN EVENT DVDs.

Nuts for NUTS
Barbra Streisand's 1987 film, NUTS, deals with appearances - a theme she explores in other films as well. NUTS is Barbra's second time out playing a prostitute. Claudia Draper, Barbra's character in NUTS, is very different from the comedic prostitute she plays in OWL & THE PUSSYCAT. In NUTS, Claudia faces a trial. The movie's drama lies in the outcome. Is Claudia really insane? Is she competent to stand trial for manslaughter? Or will her abrasive personality and challenging questions convince those in authority that she needs to be sent away to a hospital instead? Director Martin Ritt reveals what really happened to Claudia and her "client" (played by Leslie Nielson) pretty early in the story -- leaving the audience rooting for Claudia for the rest of the film.

Barbra's performance as Claudia is very good. Barbra admits in the audio commentary that the role enabled her to vent some of her anger and play "the bad girl." She does so with relish, spouting four-letter words and sexually explicit dialogue. Barbra is very bold here. It's refreshing to see her go for it.

It's hard to get past some of the obvious parallels in the movie with Barbra's real life. The entire theme of the film certainly pertains to Barbra's experiences in Hollywood - don't ask questions; stay in your place; play the part of the actress and don't rock the boat. In the commentary, Barbra admits that she gets into trouble when she tells the truth. Usually, people don't want to hear it and punish the truth-teller. Also, the stepfather role that Karl Malden plays brings to mind Barbra's difficult relationship with her own stepfather -- although the nature of the relationship in the film is quite different than Barbra's real-life experiences. Related to that is the mother-daughter dynamic. The film explores what choices a mother makes when she is divorced and desires another man in her life. How does the child suffer? What is more important -- one's own needs, or one's daughter's? On the surface level, the art direction for Claudia's apartment greatly resembles the color scheme of Streisand's art deco home, mauves and roses.

The supporting actors in the film are mostly Actor's Studio veterans and film legends: Karl Malden, Maureen Stapleton, Eli Wallach. Richard Dreyfuss is good as Levinsky, Claudia's public defender. His character learns that the client should be heard, not "whipped by rules." Dreyfuss is particularly good (and very natural) when he finally stumbles onto a direct line of questioning during a cross-examination of Claudia's stepfather.

As for the DVD, NUTS transfers pretty well. Andrzej Bartkowiak's cinematography suffers in electronic translation. His moving pictures are soft, dark, and subtle. The DVD looks grainy when the picture gets too dark. I'm sure this is a film versus video problem, as Warner Brothers DVDs tend to have excellent transfers. On my widescreen digital TV, NUTS looks best in its brighter scenes.

The Streisand commentary is very interesting. She speaks during most of the film. She recounts production stories (boyfriend Richard Baskin suggested Barbra for the role to a Warner Brothers producer during a tennis game) and her interesting research into the role.

I saw NUTS in the theaters in 1987 and was moved by the film then. Sixteen years later, the film holds up. The only weak link for me is the film's notion of a prostitute. I was confused by the portrait they painted. Barbra seems sophisticated and refined on Claudia's "dates." I kept wondering what type of call girl she was. Is she in the back of the phone book? Did she build a loyal clientele through referrals? The emotional part of the story, however, succeeds every time I watch NUTS. You'll root for Claudia. You'll hear what she's saying. She won't be another picture in your head. She won't play "nuts" for you.

CAPTIVATING PERFORMANCES OVERSHADOW SOMEWHAT CLICHED PLOT
The movie is almost solely carried by Barbara Streisand's scorching performance as a high class hooker wrongly accused of first degree manslaughter. The courtroom scenes are fascinating, and if you love fast witty banter, this is a delight. The subject is weighty (a couple of rants toward the end are also a bit predictably feminist) but thought-provoking, and its rendition into the dramatic screenplay is very, very satisfying. Highly recommended for the discerning viewer.

Entertaining, but only fair
A great cast, but sort of a hokey and predictable plot. It totally has the feel of an adapted play. It's entertaining once, but that's about it. I think the thing was way overdone on Streisand's character making her own decisions and the whole "crazy" thing was just too much and the audience was beaten over the head too often with these themes. It wasn't adapted too well from the stage, that is what plays often do.

Also, the whole premise of a 40-ish Streisand playing a successful high class call girl made this an unintentional comedy. The scene where she lists what she charges for doing what, I almost starting laughing outloud as the hilarity of anyone paying someone with her looks and age that much money. And the scenes where she tries to act like a sexy vamp, in both flashbacks, in court, and with her attorney, are equally hilarious. Streisand was miscast here, big time. She needs to stick with Fanny Bryce-type roles, or play women where looks are not dependent on the character. Streisand is not nearly as bad looking as people make her out, and has aged well, but a successful 40-ish high class call girl is just too much of a stretch. It's a meaty role I imagine she really wanted, but you have to be at least fairly attractive/hot to pull it off. She's not.

One of the best movies I have ever seen
This movie is absolutely breathtaking. I cried like, five times in it. People who have only rated this as one star are entitled to their opinion, but I mean, this is a movie that is too breathtaking for words. I think everyone should have it, because it touches everyone. Barbra Streisand is one of the best actresses I have ever seen. Wow, just wow! ... Read more

Reviews (29)

AN OVERLOOKED CLASSIC
This is a flat-out great western, even though often it is overlooked on many "Best" lists. It is existential, yet spiritual. It has action, but not too much. It focuses more on the interaction of its characters; the human condition. The cinematography by James Wong Howe, one of his last efforts, is crisp and expansive; shown magnificently on the DVD version. The score, by David Rose, is energetic and melodic. Director Martin Ritt made the most out of an unconventional plot with his powerhouse of a cast; and ultimately he filmed a picture that delivers a message without preaching.

Paul Newman, a giant among actors, found something in his character, John Russell; a stillness, an incredible strength buried deep within honed survival skills, a quiet confidence, and ultimately a compassion for others. It is a very layered, compex, and brilliant portrayal.

The supporting cast was excellent, surrounding Newman with talented adversaries and cronies. Diane Cilento, as Jesse, was willful, pragmatic, outgoing, yet still sexy; the earth mother of the piece. Richard Boone was the bad-to-the-bone Cicero Grimes; adding a new dimension to villiany. Yes he was mean, was a bully, was hard-as-nails, yet Boone still was able to show us an interesting man with deep shadows on his past; a gem of a performance. Fredric March, as the San Carlos Indian Agent, Mr. Favor, allowed us to dislike him, then pity him. He managed to dredge up a form of redemption out of the shoals of a potentially one-dimensional character. Martin Balsam found an odd humanity within his Mexican character, the stage driver Mendez; a man prone to compromise, a survivor. And in a small flashy part of a Mexican bandit, Frank Silvera made a tremendous impact. He helped us to like this brigand, and he shined with every gesture and line.

Barbara Rush as Mrs. Favor, and Margaret Blye as the young Mrs. Blake, were both quite competent. One false note in the casting was Peter Lazer as Billy Lee Blake. Even with repeated viewings, his performance never improves. There is no real substance to it. He never managed to rev up his character to the level of those around him; like a Shetland pony competing in race with thoroughbreds. Cameron Mitchell and David Canary had great energy and smooth professionalism fused into their supporting roles.

The most haunting moment of the film, what stays with you, is the death of John Russell. Newman had carefully established that this Hombre would not "bleed" for others. He was like a coyote bedding down with domestic dogs; an outcast. Yet it was his strength that all the others clung to in a crisis. So why, in the last gasp of the plot, would this hardened pariah suddenly sacrifice himself to save a woman who had demonstrated contempt for him ? We are left without a real answer, just a sweet sadness, and the awesome realization that we have witnessed some level of greatness.

'Hombre' is great example of the western in transition
"Hombre," one of Paul Newman's "H" movies of the 1960s, meanders along for its first two reels before things kick into overdrive with the introduction of Richard Boone's villain. From his first moment on screen, Boone projects a very believable image of evil, a study of bullying, intimidation and ruthlessness, and his performance is only matched by the film's star.

Newman, as a cynical white man who has been raised by Native Americans, takes a cold and calculated approach to the threat Boone represents, one entirely at odds with the one preferred by the woman who wants to love him, Diane Cilento. For much of the film, Newman seems never to make a move that comes from sentiment or gallantry, and the film asks a number of pointed questions about sacrifice, manhood and chivalry, at a time when America was reconsidering these and other ideals.

Any DVD worth buying is one that rewards repeated viewings, and "Hombre" definitely meets that standard. For a fine example of the Western as it began to redefine itself in the late '60s, you can't go wrong with this one.

Hombre
The blue-eyed Paul Newman as a half-breed Apache? Weren't there quite a few folks a-waiting on a stage considering that the stagecoach company was practically defunct, presumably because of a lack of customers? Why didn't most of them, 'ceptin' the women folk, ride horses rather than take the stage? Why did they leave the water in the mine shaft? If you're sure the nasty bandito is going to shoot at you, why tell the kid to "wait 'til he reaches for his gun" before shooting him?
I asked a lot of questions while watching HOMBRE, and that usually ain't a good thing. Considering this was taken from a novel written by the usually reliable Elmore Leonard, it's a little mystifying as well.
A cynic would say these plot pimples were necessary to make things work. Look, you ain't gonna put brown contacts on Paul Newman's eyes, for criminy sake, and in 1967 there weren't many stars with stronger box office than Newman. We had to get the folks together on a stagecoach so Barbara Rush, the wife of corrupt Indian agent Frederic March, could get the vapors and see to it that half-breed John Russell (Newman) would be asked to ride on the roof. We had to keep the boys off the horses and on the benches because we needed to see bad guy Grimes (Richard Boone, excellent as usual) stink up the coach with his boorish manners and his cigars. They had to leave the water in the mine shaft so that the corrupt Indian agent Dr. Alex Favor (March) could reunite his venal self with the group.
That said, with all its question, HOMBRE is a good movie. In a beautiful opening scene a boss horse leads a group of wild horses into a corral. Director Martin Ritt is a master at sustained scenes that build with little or no dialogue.
HOMBRE belongs in that herd of movies that came out in the 60s and 70s that cast a critical eye on American culture. They reflected the tensions in society - hawks versus doves, pacifists versus Joe hardhats, the silent majority versus the vocal minority. Like other movies of that ilk, HOMBRE has a quasi-religious outsider at the center of the movie, and that central character is used to reflect and magnify the failures of society. In HOMBRE the white men are venal, immature, corrupt, evil and impotent.
The transitional figure, the one that links the hero to the dominant society, is the Mexican Henry Mendez (Martin Balsam.) That a movie attacking racism should cast the anything-but-latino Balsam is one of the sweet ironies of the time. Balsam is good, though, and in a pivotal scene with Russell he lays it out for him. Russell's adoptive uncle has died and leaves him a boarding house and some land. Leaves him a stake in society. He tells Russell, who is living on the reservation at the time, to get his haircut. Look like a white man. Make it easier on yourself. "A Mexican," Mendez says, " is closer to a white man than an Apache. I'll tell you that." Tune out, turn off and drop in, Hombre.
Well, quasi-religious figures in a Judeo- Christian culture haven't got a lot of options left by the time they reach the end of the last reel. For some strange reason we find ritual bloodletting deeply satisfying and a road sign to Higher Meaning. So be it. Many people will love HOMBRE for its passion. For my part, I'll remember with fondest pleasure watching Richard Boone guffaw, threaten, and intimidate his bad bad self through an otherwise okay western.
The only extras on this dvd are a clutch of theatrical trailers for Paul Newman movies. The trailer for THE HUSTLER has a snazzy, jazzy feel to it and I recommend it.

One of the Best Westerns Ever
Western films are not often thought to be intellectually edifying on matters of political philosophy. With the possible exception of Cormac McCarthy's Western novels, Western fiction--popular or not--has not even been designated as literature, never mind philosophically instructive. Hombre, however, deserves a serious look at its edifying possibilities. I am not interested in arguing on behalf of a literary or cinematic reassessment of the Western genre as such; rather, my intent is to simply adumbrate some of the philosophically political themes one can find in Hombre. First, there is man in the state of nature (human nature) and the instinct for self-preservation versus social responsibility (contract theories of political organization); secondly, we have imperial domination and cultural conflict versus unmitigated toleration (contemporary cosmopolitan orthodoxy grounds itself on liberal contract theories founded by Hobbes, which postulate and mythologize pre-political "rights"). These "rights" are mythologized by cosmopolitanism inasmuch as their metaphysical existence is dubious at best and more likely simply derivative of historically relative cultural norms, and therefore not cosmological or universal.

Hombre should not be interpreted along Hobbesian lines wherein the state of nature for man is the status belli, nor on Kantian terms that stress toleration based on cosmopolitan law [Weltburgerrect] emanating from multicultural understanding whereby "the peace of the political order stands in sharp contrast with the violence of the state of nature." This multicultural cosmopolitanism, as noted above, is obviously based on the Hobbesian theory of the necessity of negating the state of nature as the status belli, simply amplified and applied on a cultural and global rather than an individual level. Even less, then, should Hombre be understood in revisionist or postmodernist terms, which are merely cheap and incoherent versions of the Kantianism described herein that lack self-knowledge regarding their own historical genesis. In contrast to these modern, liberally humanistic contract theories of equality (whether it be equality of persons [Hobbes] or equality of cultures [as in current neo-Kantian cosmopolitan orthodoxy]), Hombre is best understood in Platonic political terms that affirm a hierarchy--not only of the political order but within humanity as such--in the practice of "moralities of command and obedience" as the natural disposition of humans as social and, eventually, if properly cultivated, political animals. There is a hierarchy of men within a Platonic dialogue that is rooted not in the contingencies of birth but in the natures of diverse human souls. As the narrator of Hombre tells us in Elmore Leonard's excellent novel _Hombre_, on which the film is based (with some not so slight changes, especially concerning the rapaciousness of the Apaches), "I guess we had to follow somebody" (90).

One of the Great Westerns of the Modern Cinema
This movies has most elements of a good Western. It has cowboys and Indians, a stagecoach robbery, a shootout, the man (and woman) against nature theme, and much much more. Most of all, it has a great script, strong directing, and outstanding acting. Just about all of the characters are memorable for their performances but the soul of this movie is Paul Newman. His character is that of the quiet yet strong man who shares his thoughts with no one and takes no guff from anyone. The bad guy in this movie is nearly as memorable in the person of Richard Boone. He is about as evil a character as you will find in a G rated movie.

Then story is that of a man (Mr. Randall) who was raised on an Apache reservation in the Arizona Territory. He inherits some money and property and sets off to check out a different life style. On the way, he meets up with a diverse group of people on a stagecoach leaving town. Bad things happen but the only man who seemed equipped to handle things is Mr. Randall, played by Paul Newman. The movie explores the nature of good and evil which recalls the old Woody Guthrie line, "Some will rob you with a six-gun and some with a fountain pen". The movie also contrasts the values of the "savage" with that of civilization and you can probably guess who comes out ahead. This movie does not have a happy ending which is not unusual for a modern Western. Yet there is a true feeling that Good has prevailed.

This movie mixes plenty of action and thought-provoking situations and is a good movie for the whole family to enjoy. ... Read more

Description

Making artificial flowers as a way of coping with her great loss, Rose’s life changes when she meets widower Frank Valente, played by Academy Award™ winner Anthony Quinn.The two fall in love and decide to get married, but before they can say "I do," Frank must win over Rose’s daughter who does not approve of their union. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Touching romance
There is more than a hint of the Oscar winning Marty in this quiet and well obseved drama ,shot in luminous black and white by Roberet Barr and directed with ecconomy and restraint by Martin Ritt.
Anthony Quinn palys a widower who falls in love with Rose Bianco -the Black Orchid of the title.She is a widow whose husband was entangled with the mob and killed in a mob hit.She is eking out a living working in an artificial flower company and worrying about her son who is a persistent escapeee from the county farm.Initially resistant she soon falls heavily for Quinn's rough hewn charms but there is an obstacle -the staunch opposition of his possessive daughter ,played by Ina Balin.
The movie is the story of the courtship and its eventual resolution .
Sterling performances by the leads and a strong musical score by Alessandro Cicognini compensate for the slighly over sentimental script but overall this a neglected little gem

Priceless Movie
Many of you might be unfamiliar with this particular movie. But I will say one thing: you are definitely missing a lot if you don't watch this very touchy drama. I don't think they ever showed this movie on AMC but they really should. Although the movie is filled with sad moments, there's still a certain mellowness to it. I have watched this movie 10 years ago and I decided to rewatch it again last week. I almost forgot how delightful it was. Please watch it if you get a chance, and you'll see what I mean.

A film about second chances.
Sophia Loren is a headstrong widow and loving mother with a past. Her deceased husband was involved in the crime world and the neighbors aren't too friendly to her. Her young son is lost without guidance. Anthony Quinn, who portrays a lonely widow, tries hard to convince Loren and his daughter that they could be a happy family. Quinn is great as he desperately tries to reason with people all caught up in the past. There is always hope and love, if you try hard enough seems to be a good message here in this film. Good chemistry between Loren and Quinn. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Steam Heat
I rated this film with four stars though on most measurable levels, it is worthy of maybe three. The plot is a montage, some say mish-mash of Faulkner's literary works. Still, the film works..... most of the time. Jerry Wald's production has 1950's sensibilities written all over it. A real strength of this film lies in the charismatic on-screen performance of young Paul Newman's Ben Quick and his incendiary relationship with Orson Welles' Will Varner. It is said the editing room had to re-do much of Welles' dialogue to make it intelligible for the audience. Whatever. I am fascinated by virtually every word uttered in Welles' quirky interpretation of a portly, gravelly voiced redneck hell-bent to leave his greasy thumbprint on all who would come under his influence. For 62 year old Varner to race about town in a Jeep as his personal conveyance of choice completes the picture of a man unbowed in the presence of all others. Eager to marry his daughter off to perpetuate his legacy, Will encouraged Ben anyway he could. In all things, he could be demanding and callous, yet in a rare display of affection, Will uncharacteristically and tenderly explained to his sensitive daughter Clara, (Joanne Woodward) "Sometimes the strong just rolls over the weak." Angela Lansbury played Minnie LittleJohn, a retired women of the evening. As an inevitable consequence of age, her world weariness and palpable sense of urgency that time was running out expedited a patient and sincere pursuit of Will for his hand in marriage. Richard Anderson portrayed Alan Stewart, Clara's long-time supposed suitor, an elegant, tasteful and honorable southern gentleman. Outed by an impatient Varner, and forced to declare his sexual orientation, he had to finally declare his unsuitability for Clara's hand in marriage. To me, the one miscast major actor in this film was Anthony Franciosa as Will's disaffected son, Jody. It was difficult for me to accept a dark and somewhat ethic Franciosa as a privileged son of the deep south, though Lee Remick positively shined as his highly desirable sexually charged wife Eula. The obvious on-screen chemistry shared of Newman and Woodward in "The Long, Hot Summer" is the stuff of Hollywood legend. Those were real sparks of passion arcing between them, the camera just documented the fireworks for posterity. Their highly charged scenes make the price of admission all the more reasonable and justification enough for me to rate this film with 4 stars.

A LONG HOT SIZZLER WITH EXTRAS TO BOOT
"The Long Hot Summer" was (for its time)a steamy study of sexual repression and sensual misbehavior. It starred Paul Newman as a drifter accused of barn burning who sets up house-keeping with the daughter (Joanne Woodward) of a rich plantation owner (Orson Welles). The on screen chemistry is certainly there and why not. This film just happened to be the catalyst for the real life romance between Newman and Woodward. Contextualizing the fact that the censors still reigned supreme during the time of its production, "The Long Hot Summer" still proved to be a smoldering, sexy drama fraught with tension and chaos.
THE TRANSFER: Fox has done a particularly nice job on remastering this movie. Yes, the flicker of scene changes (inherant in all early Cinemascope films)remains present and yes, color consistancy leaves something to be desired. But over all, colors are nicely balanced, if showing slight fading. Contrast and shadow levels are well represented. Pixelization, shimmering and edge enhancement, though all present, are kept to a bare minimum. The audio is Stereo surround and, even though considerably dated, still manages to have a hearty kick in all of the speakers.
EXTRAS: Very nice - the Backstory featurette that details the production of the film, a Paul Newman gallery, original movietone snippet and the film's theatrical trailer.
BOTTOM LINE: This is a nice presentation and a pretty good film besides. At the extremely economical price that Fox has advertised it at, "The Long Hot Summer" is guaranteed to burn up your DVD player.

Infinitely superior to the Don Johnson remake.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The TV-movie version of "The Long, Hot Summer" suffers from miscasting (Judith Ivey was passable, but just, and I can't decide if Don Johnson's attempt to fill Paul Newman's shoes represents touching bravery or misguided arrogance), dreadful accents, and jarring anachronisms.
This film, the 1958 original, leaves it in the dust. Newman and Woodward generate palpable heat, and Orson Welles--clammy, jowly, bullfrog-voiced, crudely vigorous--is unforgettable as a classically bullying, overbearing Southern patriarch. In contrast to the pallid TV remake, it features a top cast whose work transcends the sometimes creaky melodrama of the plot. Nearly every white Southern archetype is brought to life: the brutish, domineering, castrating patriarch; the arch, charming, coyly seductive belle with hot pants; the aging good-time girl, simultaneously randy and prim, with her eye on the prize of a rich widower; the hotheaded but weak son and heir, cuckolded by his wife and utterly dominated by his father, whom he both adores and despises; the sharp-tongued old maid, smoldering with repressed fire, who just needs a "real man" to take the place of her suspiciously lukewarm long-term suitor; and, of course, the roguish, charming, sexy, potentially dangerous outsider, spiritual heir to Rhett Butler, who gets both the community and the heroine in a lather. There's even a lynch mob--chasing a white man, for a change.
Skip the TV-movie remake, which at best is a clunky imitation, in favor of the classic--if for no other reason than to see Paul Newman, at the peak of his beauty, in an undershirt. If that's not inducement enough, it's also marvelously cast, scripted, acted, and directed, and it captures Southern family dynamics with humor, pathos, and wince-inducing accuracy. Florence King would be proud. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Veteran director Martin Ritt (Sounder) directed this earnest and very popular tale of a naive textile worker, widow, and mother in the U.S. South who becomes empowered by standing up for her rights in the workplace. Sally Field stars in the Oscar-winning title role as a woman who has been content to go along with the status quo until she realizes that she is entitled to more and can succeed if she stands up for herself. Her fight to improve deplorable working conditions at the textile plant causes a rift between her and the people closest to her, but her determination brings a new awareness to her and to all the women with whom she works. Ritt's typical, socially conscious story uses the politics of Norma Rae's struggle and also its emotions to build the film to a rousing climax. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (14)

wonderful movie
I agree with the reviewer below who said this film is a wonderful love story. I developed a huge crush on Ron Leibman's character about five minutes after he is introduced.
This is a powerful film in many ways, and the subtle love story is just one of them.
Norma Rae is a movie that speaks to me because my family worked in mills for many years. My grandparents, uncle and mom all went through a local mill (no longer in existance) at some point in their lives. I remember the hard conditions and the sight of the real mill workers from Opelika walking across the screen hit home for me. I cried during several parts and I felt like Norma's daddy was my own grandfather. I admire the people who made this film. It is truly a hidden treasure because it isn't flashy, it is simple, straightforward and true to life. And if Ron is out there anywhere reading this, please believe me when I say you truly brought Ruben to life and made him a wonderful hero to me. Sally Field was a hero as well, one that makes you love her and who cares about the flaws.
Please watch this movie. It will make you think. It will make you grateful. It will make you cry in sadness and joy.
My only complaint is, gee I would have tried to at least KISS Ruben at some point. Ladies, watch the last scene and see if you don't agree with me!

Rae of Hope
Sally Field gives a career turning performance in 1979's Norma Rae. Up to that point, Ms. Field was better known as a TV actress who starred in fluffy comedies like Gidget, The Flying Nun & The Girl With Something Extra. In 1976, she showed a more serious side, taking home an Emmy for her work as a young girl with multiple personalities in Sybil. After Sybil, she proceeded to star in more fluff pieces like Smokey & The Bandit, Hooper & The End with her then boyfriend Burt Reynolds. Norma Rae was a film with much more substance. In fact after reading the script, Mr. Reynolds advised her that she would win an Oscar for the film. He turned out to be quite prophetic. Ms. Field is superb in the title role. Norma is an unassuming factory worker from a small town in the South, who is widowed and has two kids with two separate fathers. That is until she meets Reuben Warshawky (Ron Liebman). Reuben is an Union organizer from New York City and he is trying to get the mill workers to set up a union. Most people ignore as they are fearful for their jobs, but Norma is intrigued and she starts meeting with Reuben to try and start a union. She is met with resistance and is bullied by her bosses, but Norma is not persuaded to quit. She feels that she has stood by her whole life without making a difference and this is her chance to actually matter. There is of course the famous scene where Norma is about to be removed from the mill and she defiantly stands on a table with the Union sign. Her co-workers one by one realize the chances she's taken for them and they shut off their machines in support. The film has some excellent supporting work from Mr. Liebman, Beau Bridges and Pat Hingle, but this is Ms. Field's film all the way. She proved Mr. Reynolds right and took home the 1979 Best Actress Oscar and set forth on a path that would add another Oscar to her collection and feature some of the best films of 1980's & 1990's.

A textbook example of how to organize in your workplace!!
I finally got the chance to watch this movie after missing out for almost 20 years. I should have watched this film years ago. Not only is Sally Field's acting great, but the screenplay was just as great as well. My only problem was the length of the movie as I thought 20 minutes could have been chopped off. With that said, this movie should be mandatory watching for all workers. If you care about the conditions in your workplace, watch it and learn how to organize your workplace!! It's a film much needed for required viewing in our society today!

One of the 10 Best Performances by an Actress Ever!!!
"Norma Rae" contains the thrilling performance by Sally Field as a woman on the wrong side of the tracks of life who decides it's time to stand up for the rights of her co-workers at a small textile plant.

She is offered and accepts a promotion when the plant's management tries to divert her, but a supervisory role doesn't appeal to her when her mother loses her hearing and she has to chastise her father for poor performance. Logically, inevitably she becomes more committed to fighting for a better life for herself and her loved ones and joins forces with a union organizer who came down from NYC. She ends up sacrificing all, including her self esteem, to give the workers more control over their working conditions.

Chills ran down my spine during the scene where she held up the "union" sign and another where she rebuked her husband for being non-supportive of her union efforts. I am not a union supporter, but I know good drama, strong performances, and a logical and interesting plot when I see it, so I recommend this fine film to all.

Hopefully they will give as much time and attention to dubbing and subtitling this movie into languages of third world countries because that's where this textile plant probably relocated a year after the events this film portrayed. A sad, sad outcome to an ideal.

No matter what the outcome, Sally Field delivers one of the finest performances in film history so "Norma Rae" gets only my highest recommendations!

TWO THUMBS UP! FIVE STARS OF EXCELLENCE!!!!
This movie is definitely a monster of a hit. Sally Field was great playing the single mother who wouldn't let unsafe conditions go undetected. This movie was Oscar material. It was strong, smart, and very uplifting. I like the part when she had the black men in the meeting and she told her husband played by Jeff Bridges that "they didn't give me a hard time". Whatever you say about it, but it's AWESOME! 10+ ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Based on a Larry McMurtry novel, this Martin Ritt film was a testament to the sex appeal of the young Paul Newman. Playing the title character--a total rotter who, by the end of the film, has double-crossed or screwed over everyone he knows, including his hard-working father and brother--Newman turns him into an intriguing antihero. Things are tough on the ranch and Hud's dad (Melvyn Douglas) needs help, but Hud is too busy looking out for number one, even as things fall apart. And guess who's going to land on his feet? Beautiful black-and-white cinematography by James Wong Howe won an Oscar, as did performances by Douglas and Patricia Neal. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Magnificent in every respect
I cannot say enough about this movie. Paul Newman ("HUD") is completely convincing as the narcissistic son of an aging cattle rancher (Melvyn Douglas) who takes all he can get from life, leaving only destruction in his wake. Perhaps the reason Newman is so convincing is that, despite HUD's reprehensible character, one is drawn in to the allure of his personality, just like those on the screen that are used and tossed aside. Although we may not be "rooting" for HUD, we become more than a little sympathetic to his cause, probably a reflection of our own selfish natures. And it is a tribute to Newman's acting ability to draw out these conflicting emotions from the audience.

The supporting cast in this "character study" is nothing short of superb. Melvyn Douglas as the pious and self-righteous father is the perfect mirror image of HUD. Patricia Neal (who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress) is simply outstanding as the earthy, motherly yet somewhat-still-sexy housekeeper who both HUD and Lon (Brandon De Wilde) have sexual yearnings for, but for very different reasons. James Wong Howe's cinematography is top notch and his choice of black and white film really makes this movie work - far more than it would have in color.

There are also other "small touches" that add so much to the film. When HUD picks up Patricia Neal by the side of the road with her groceries, she offers him a Fig Newton. The same effect was used again when Lon is discussing the book "From Here To Eternity" with the local drugstore owner. Not a just a "cookie" or a "book", but real pieces of "Americana" the help set the mood, tone and timeframe of the film.

There is one last item I think is worth commenting on, because it is often overlooked. That is the seeming genuine affection that HUD has for his nephew (Lon). Yes, HUD is a scoundrel out for himself first and foremost, but there are many scenes where HUD appears almost human (particularly when HUD finally tells Lon how his father died), and those scenes are always with Lon. This is why, if the movie has any flaw in my mind, it is the ending where Lon is leaving the ranch and HUD is left all alone. I get the sensation that HUD is practically begging Lon to stay, though outwardly this isn't the case at all and HUD tries to act aloof and non-caring, shouting one of his famous lines "This world is so full of ..., a man's gonna get into it sooner or later whether he's careful or not." Whether my reaction was the one Martin Ritt had in mind I am not sure, but the last scene always leaves me unsettled, at least in terms of HUD's humanity.

Regardless, a first class film in every way. There are very few this good.

POWERFUL, POIGNANT and PACKING A WALLOP ON DVD
"Hud" is the story of an embittered, ruthless son (Paul Newman) of cow rancher Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas). Determined to take over his father's prosperous farm, Hud bides his time with sexual conquests and playing big brother to Lonnie (Brandon DeWilde). Lonnie worships Hud as a god, a rabid fascination that will be irreversible shattered when Hud attempts to rape the ranch's cook and housemaid, Alma Brown (Patricia Neal). However, before the disillusionment comes the spoils. The family partake in a county fair in which Hud wins the 'greased pig' contest. He and Lonnie start a victory fight inside a barroom. Hud takes Alma to the movies. There's really nothing extraordinary about the film, and yet it captures, perhaps better than most, the raw emotion of a powerful slice of Americana in the mid-west. However, as the story drags on the tide begins to turn away from Hud's favor. Homer becomes ill and unable to tend the far. The cattle contract an infection, forcing the farm hands to exterminate the entire herd. Alma, realizing that Hud is incapable of any sort of compassion or tenderness, abandons him and the farm in search of a new life somewhere else.

The transfer is a bit disappointing. Though the picture is free of many age related artifacts and digital artifacts, the overall presentation is somewhat soft, with blooming around the edges that renders parts of the B&W picture in various rainbow hues - even with the color on one's television set turned to zero. Also edge enhancement is sometimes obvious. Finally, the overall presentation tends to be just a little too soft for the vintage of the camera negative. Close ups and medium shots look fairly sharp but long shots become a blurry mess. The gray scale is reasonably balanced, though during scenes shot at night, fine detail tends to get lost in the shadows. The audio is remastered and well balanced. There are NO extras.

You're an unprincipled man, Hud
Welcome to the last Western. HUD is a chronicle of what killed the western ethos - it was done in by a man with a "barbed wire soul" driving a pink cadillac. Before HUD men raised cattle or plowed the earth, after HUD men ceded the land to the oil drillers.
The movie opens with 17-year-old, wide-eyed Lonnie looking for Hud. The trail leads him past a busted up saloon and ends when he finds a married woman's high heel shoe carelessly flung on her front porch. Hud seems to have a taste for married women and a way with the bottle that the curious Lonnie finds attractive.
When they get home Homer drives them out to a freshly dead heifer. There are no bullet wounds or other signs of injury and Homer decides to call the authorities. Hud disagrees. If the heifer died of a disease it could jeopardize everything, and Hud is too close to inheriting the ranch for that. Homer has more at stake, but burying the cow without an investigation would simply be wrong. The drama proceeds from there as deliberately, and inevitably, as a Greek tragedy.
Like other epics, and HUD deals with epic themes, there are great battles. Hud Bannon battles with his father, Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas) for the heart and mind of his nephew Lonnie (Brandon de Wilde.) Hud and Lonnie battle over their "half-wild" maid Alma (Patricia Neal.)
Hud, a man of little patience, is brutally direct in his approach to Alma. The inexperienced Lonnie admires her from a gentler distance. Director Martin Ritt includes two scenes that highlight this difference. One night Hud tomcats his way into Alma's room asking for a cigarette. The experienced and wary Alma gives - Hud lights the handout and blows out the match just as Alma asks for a light. With his back to her Hud drops the burnt out match into her hands and waits a beat before dropping the matchbook. It's a short throwaway that highlights Hud's loutish behavior. It gains relevance a little later when Lonnie takes a blow to the head and has to take to his bed. Alma brings him a glass of 'fresh squeezed lemonade.' Lonnie takes the drink and a worried look beetles his brow. Alma puts her hand under his mouth and urges him to spit. 'C'mon, honey,' she says, 'they're just lemon pits.'
Lonnie spits his seeds into her hand, Hud a useless, burnt out stick, and Dr. Freud has just left the building. Maybe Ritt put those scenes in to delight louts like me four decades on. HUD is filled with powerful, multi-layered scenes. Another memorable one occurs when Homer Bannon's herd is driven into an enclosure. It is very long, maybe four minutes, and deliberately edited. I don't know if we'd see its like today, but its length and deliberation gives it awesome power.
Melvyn Douglas won an Oscar in this movie, and he portrays Homer Bannon as a man about as played out as his over grazed land and about as obsolete as the two longhorn he keeps solely for sentimental reasons. Neal also won an Oscar in this one, and her character is almost as worn out as the elder Bannon. Life has used her hard. Paul Newman was nominated as the title character, and in my opinion would not have made an embarrassing winner. One of the most charming and charismatic actors in movie history, Newman manages to play a man of hollow charm. When he flirts, we see the snake lurking behind his smile. HUD won a third Oscar for photography, and James Wong Howe presents a parched and arid black-and-white landscape.
This is an excellent movie, and well worth the investment of anyone's time.

Out of the dust rise an excellent cinematic experience...
The charming Hud Bannon (Paul Newman) is a restless, selfish, and cynical man in his 30s that lacks the ability to be compassionate and caring for others as he fights his own demons. Hud drowns his feelings in booze and takes any woman he can to fill the void and loneliness. In essence, Hud is a very lonely and sad character that seems to be looking for something, but does not know what it is. On the family farm Hud has his dad Homer, nephew Lonnie, and maid Alma who all care about him. However, blinded and lost in his inner battle Hud rejects and hurts them as he feels that they all are doing something wrong. The question is whether Hud's close family will care for him as he is careless of the family. Martin Ritt creates a story that enters the personal lives of the Bannon family and through this family the audience can learn some very valuable lessons in love, trust, and care. These life lessons are brought to the audience with a brilliant cinematic experience as the theme of the story will always be of vital importance to mankind.

A Great family Drama!
Here is a motion picture that is never written or produced any more. A family drama that is more about relationships between father & son, grandfather & grandson, uncle & nephew, rather than
about who is sleeping with whom with four letter words making up the dialogue. It's about people finding out what they mean to "significant others" and what those "others" mean to them. And, who they are to themselves. What they want from life, what their values are, or in Hud's case aren't. Douglas his father has the value - That money isn't everything. How "dated" is that value, 40 years later? ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE SEEN IN QUITE SOMETIME., of course GREAT ACTING BY NEWMAN, NEAL, DOUGLAS AND DE WILDE adds to the package. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An expensive box-office flop when released in 1970, The Molly Maguires can now be appreciated as a compelling drama with potent political undertones. The talent involved is first-rate all the way: In addition to the volatile teaming of Sean Connery and Richard Harris on opposite sides of a Pennsylvania miners' war, director Martin Ritt and screenwriter Walter Bernstein were at the height of their Hollywood powers, determined to give viewers a visceral, grittily authentic drama about the exploitation of Irish immigrant miners in the centennial America of 1876. Connery's secret gang, the Molly Maguires, retaliates by destroying mines and equipment; Harris infiltrates the group as an informer hired by the coal-company owners, leading to his inevitable crisis of conscience. Pub brawls and manly action give the film its meat-and-potatoes appeal, and discerning viewers will appreciate the story's careful pacing and moral ambiguity; ironically, those qualities were blamed for the film's commercial failure. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (47)

i dont recommend seeing ths movie unless you are Irish
The Molly Maguires is a movie that takes place in 1876 on an American coal mining town. The movie stars Sean Connery and co-stars Richard Harris. Sean Connery plays an Irish coal miner by the name of Jack Kehoe. He is the leader of an underground mining terrorist group. Richard Harris plays Irish man by the name of James McKenna/McParlan. Who is hired as a detective to rat out the Molly Maguires. I think the movie was well thought out just did not appeal to me. With visual aid it totally explained what Irish work life was like when they got to Ameica.

CAUTION: Not to be treated as History
The spirit of the industrial boom times is captured, but not in a factual way. With some exageration, and with few facts in order, scenes from the past brought alive in an excellent manner. Totally worth owning if you like action/suspense! Sean Connery does an excellent job, as usual, as does the late Richard Harris. Rumor, with good source, has it that during the making of this film, Harris went to a Hazleton, PA bar and 'hit' on somebody's wife, and was punched out on the spot. Hazleton, PA, is also the childhood home of Hollywood great, Jack Palance.

......But don't treat this movie as the gospel truth - it's not even close.

Viewed with prior knowledge of the period is the best way to go. Once again, Hollywood misfires its facts. Amid the Industrial Revolution, Irish Catholic, in addition to several other ethnic groups (the Irish certainly not the only ones in the mines at the time), worked in horrid conditions when having a job anywhere in the world was an accomplishment, wages were slim, and rarely was there enough to save. If you can justify the shootings and murders of people in order to exonerate a secret society, masked by an organization (the Ancient Order of Hibernians) that was supposed to be humanitarian - for other Irish Catholics.

This movie is not an accurate portrayal of events, but certainly is entertaining, with a very good glimpse of what coal mining was like for many ethnic groups, including: English, Scots, Welsh, Polish, Italian, German, Bulgarian, and Hungarian individuals, not just Irish Catholics. Granted, Irish were mistreated, giving Molly Maguires, who definitely existed, a Saintly Status (which is what some people want to do), is truly ridiculous. They were hanged, caught by another very similar to their own background, in a court system somewhat flawed, red-handed, at a time when few had any tolerance for outlaws and the violence they forced on honest, hardworking communities from many diverse backgrounds. Glorify the Mollies if you must, but don't confuse them with heroes in an objective light and expect to be treated seriously. Read up on it, even the local Catholic Priests condemned them by name, "Molly Maguires," making themselves targets and getting brutally beat up for it. Irish Catholics themselves considered Molly Maguire violence outrageous acts.

Excellent portrayal of Irish gangs and "Shillelagh Law"
This film tells the true story of an Irish gang or 'faction' which was active in the American labour movement in themid to late 1800's. It was brought over from Ireland and further took root among the Irish coal miners of Pennsylvania. Several books have been written about the Molly Maguires, but to understand them in-depth, you need to get the books "Understanding The Molly Maguires", and "Irish Gangs And Stick-Fighting". Martin Scorcese's "Gangs Of New York" is also about Irish gangs like the Mollies, but films usually don't do full justice to this topic. Get this great, very entertaining movie, but for the whole story get the books mentioned above as well.

The Molly Maguires, fact or fiction
Having seen this film several times I was very impressed by the acting, particulary Sean Connery and Richard Harris. The Cinemtography was superb, after all James Wong How was easily one of the greatest Cinematographers of the 20th Century. The music was fantascic and Henry Mancini captured the flavor of the 19th Century Irish. However, even though the script as script was powerful and compelling, it was more fiction than fact. Why is it that script writers must take such liberties with history?
The so-called Molly Maguires, a name invented by the publisher of the Miner's Journal newspaper, were in fact a group of men who were fighting for fair conditions in the coal mines, honest pay for honest work. Many of the men, though certainly not all, hanged were, in fact, innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. These brave men gave their lives for a movement that would eventually lead to the United Mine Workers of America. However, this being said, the movie is entertaining and certainly worth watching even if only to watch Connery, Harris and the beautiful Anjanette Comer.

A Socialist (...) Film
This film is loosely based on the historical Molly Maguires of Pennsylvania, a secret group of Irish immigrant criminals who terrorized the anthracite coal fields after the Civil War.

In this fictionalized film version, the Molly Maguires are sympathetically portrayed as victimized miners trying to start a labor union. As a matter of fact, however, most of the Molly Maguires who were hanged were not employed as miners, but as saloon-keepers and small-time politicians, and they were condemned by the real miner's union because of the terrorism and cold-blooded murders they committed. The screenplay author who wrote the script for this film and co-produced it, Walter Bernstein, was once a member of the American Communist Party and was blacklisted during the Hollywood red scare. The movie director, Martin Ritt, was also a blacklisted leftist. Be forewarned, this movie is essentially left-wing propoganda with little similarity to actual history. The cinematography and sets are excellent, and the soundtrack by Henry Mancini is very enjoyable. The acting of Sean Connery and Richard Harris, and the effectiveness of their "Irish brogues," are so-so. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Cute story about a writer struggling for independance
My main interest in this movie was the story of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. She is a writer who is leaving her life to pursue her writing dreams and find fulfillment in publishing a novel.

Her husband is not interested in her dreams. She decides to seek solitude in an isolated orange grove in Florida. Little does she know, this will not be an ideal life. After 30 years of urban life, she is not prepared for a small Florida town.

After many rejections, Marjorie finally realizes "Gothic Novels" are not her specialty. Her agent helps her see how interesting her life actually is and she begins to write about what she knows best. In the process she falls in love, makes a best-friend, helps the community by hiring everyone who lives around her to help remodel her house and fix up her orchard.

Cross Creek is based on the best-selling memoirs of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and has some very human moments when you realize the beauty or ugliness of life. The local business man (Peter Coyote) who falls in love with her, does something so amazing. It reminded me of when my father bought my mother her first car. I only know the story, but the situation is similar. Marjorie of course is very head strong and not about to take help from another man. Until she realizes what Norton Bascomb has secretly done.

Slow-paced movie that is more "cute" than "dramatic." Although, there are a few heart-wrenching moments. I thought they dwelled too long on the party, however the chocolate cake sure did look good!

Only view this movie if you have chocolate cake in the house! Preferably decorated with candied orange slices.

A Writer's Life
Cross Creek is a film of exquisite beauty and perhaps the finest portrait of a writer ever put on celluloid. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was one of America's greatest writers, her body of work including The Sojourner, South Moon Under, Cross Creek, and the Pulitzer prize winning The Yearling. This wonderful film from director Martin Ritt (Sounder, Norma Rae) shows the struggles of a writer to find both her voice in literature and in her heart.

Mary Steenburgen gives an Oscar worthy performance as Rawlings, a writer unhappy with her life in society and the husband she has grown apart from in 1928. Her famous editor Max Perkins (Malcolm McDowell) keeps rejecting her gothic romances so she purchases a run down orange grove in Florida and after filing for divorce begins a new life in Cross Creek. What she discovers in this beautiful but harsh place will change who she is as a person and a writer.

Director Ritt stunningly captures the beauty of Cross Creek and the few people who live there. It is here that Rawlings meets her future husband Norton Bascomb (Peter Coyote) and everyone else who would inspire her great novels. Rawlings slowly becomes a part of Cross Creek herself as she cares for her orange groves and keeps writing. Her letters to Perkins are better than her romance novels he keeps rejecting and the people of Cross Creek begin to take precedent in her work.

Rip Torn gives a memorable performance as Marsh Turner and a young Dana Hill is unforgettable as Ellie May, the apple of his eye holding tightly to the last of her youthful dreams in the form of her fawn, Flag. Alfrie Woodard, as the enthusiastic Geechee, put herself on the map with her fine portrayel of Rawlings housemaid and friend. Joanna Miles is fine as Marsh's wife, a delicate woman who has slipped into a better world due to the harsh nature of life in Cross Creek.

Rawlings's empathy for a young couple struggling to survive would finally take form and be published by Perkins as Jacob's Ladder. But it would of course be the plight of Ellie May and her fawn Flag which would bring forth the American classic, The Yearling. Steenburgen's magnificent portrayel of a woman struggling for independence and searching for her voice as a writer is powerful.

Ritt's direction is sure as he mixes the humor and drama of life in Cross Creek with the inner struggle of a very unique and gutsy woman. This is a wonderful film that is an inspirational tribute to one of the most distinctive voices in American literature. This warm and lovingly filmed tribute to a great writer and the life she chose to live will never be forgotten once you see it, which you must do.

Superb Drama - Brilliant Performances
Cross Creek is the story of Marjorie Rawlings, the author of the Yearling. Set in a backwoods community in Florida in the 1920s, Ms. Rawlings sets off to write the perfect gothic romance and become a published author. She arrives at her recently purchased property in a broken down automobile to find her house is nothing more than a run down shack and her orange grove completely grown over from neglect. The conflict in the movie arises from her strong willed independence and the need to become part of the community at Cross Creek in order to survive. The characters that are part of that community and the actors and actresses that portray them is precisely what makes this film one of the best dramas ever made. The screenplay is strong, the character development is rich, and the screenplay and story line is completely convincing.

Mary Steenburgen performs the lead role with elegance and a vitality rarely found in roles like this. She has more charm than Kate Hepburn, and she manages to be so believable because she can navigate the feistiness, fear, anger, frustration, sadness, and humor of Ms. Rawlings and her adventures at Cross Creek without missing a beat. Peter Coyote plays Mr. Norton Baskin, a local innkeeper seeking her attention. Alfre Woodard brilliantly plays Geechie, her maid and manages to steal a few scenes in the process. But the two supporting performances that stand out are those of Rip Torn and Dana Hill. Torn and Hill are father and daughter from a dirt poor family try to scrap a living on the creek. They befriend Rawlings, and what results is the real life inspiration for the Yearling.

I believe this film was nominated for four Academy Award Nominations - with three acting nominations - one each for Rip Torn, Alfre Woodard, and Steenburgen. If you enjoy good drama, strong female roles, true stories, or just plain great acting, this would be a fine addition to any collection. My only disappointment with the DVD package is the film is presented in mono instead of Dolby Stereo, but the picture quality is superb. They even managed to include a short featurette. Still, I give this movie five stars, and highly recommend. It is one of my personal favorites.

"Cross Creek" is unforgettable, in the good way.
When was the last time you felt the hairs stand up on your arms as you watched a film? This radiant, measured drama, with a stubborn, diffident and magnetic performance by Mary Steenburgen, does it for me every time. Telling the story of writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and her sojurn in rural Florida in the 20's, it paints (and for once "paints" is the right verb) an eloquent portrait of the artist-as-not-always-likeable person, and also conveys an overwhleming sense of place and community. Martin Ritt's great feeling for ordinary people breathes extraordinary life into this material, and the location settings and photography are superb. Also superb are the supporting performances, including the acclaimed pairing of Rip Torn and the late, astonishing child actor Dana Hill as father and daughter. But my personal favorite is Alfre Woodard's all-out, headlong portrayal of Geechee, Rawling's devoted, wild woman housekeeper. This is the only film I know that conveys a real sense of the writer's life, and without pretense at that. As for the raising of the hairs, there is nothing else in film to compare with the final lyrical montage that concludes the picture. As Steenburgen speaks words from the text of Rawling's original "Cross Creek," Ritt gives us image after ravishing image of Cross Creek and environs. Once seen, you will never forget it. The DVD is beautifully produced. A treasure.

Wonderful characters, beautiful location, funny and poignant
Mary Steenbergen's portrayal of writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings is very believable - she's independent and a little stand-offish, but comes to care for her backwoods (and often eccentric) neighbors at Cross Creek as she adjusts to country life in the 1920's. Rip Torn is entertaining and touching as her sometimes-inebriated friend and neighbor Marsh Turner, and Peter Coyote is a charming friend and suitor. The movie is shot on location near Cross Creek, which enhances this interpretation of her 1941 bestselling book of the same name. ... Read more