The Long, Hot Summer
The Long, Hot Summer
Directed by:
Martin RittCinematography:
Joseph LaShelleComposer:
Alex NorthCast:
Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, Orson Welles, Lee Remick, Angela Lansbury, Richard Anderson, J. Pat O'Malley, Val Avery, Byron Foulger (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
When Ben Quick (Newman), a suspected barnburner drifts into town, he catches the eye of Will Varner, a tyrannical, intimidating patriarch (Welles) who decides Quick is the ideal husband for his spinsterish daughter (Woodward). But once the loner moves in, the two men lock horns, drawing Varner's family into a complex web of emotions and actions that leaves all of them changed forever. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
A well-filmed psychological drama about dealing with one's past, parental and societal expectations, and social differences in the conservative society of the Southern states of the USA. It is superbly cast, and Paul Newman showcases an incredible amount of charisma, acting talent, and all the ingredients that have made him one of the greatest stars of American cinema. I was thinking it deserved 5 convincing stars until the last 15 minutes, starting from the premature dramatic climax in the form of a conflict at a burning barn, which concludes with a contrived and contextually unconvincing gesture of forgiveness leading to a typical American happy ending that undermines the previous effort. Overall impression: 80%.
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I can't shake the feeling that Paul Newman and Orson Welles stole this film for themselves (not that I mind). The interactions between the two actors were a real treat, I only felt a little sorry that Joanne Woodward was pushed into the background. It was rather slow-paced, though hardly to its detriment. After all, this was the American South where even rock music is slow :-) Except for a lack of slaves on the plantations, clearly not much had changed since the Civil War.
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