The Long, Hot Summer (1958)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Purely Joyful Movie!

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

The Long Hot Summer (1958) is a Classic Drama starring Paul Newman as Ben Quick. Ben Quick is accused of being a barn burner and a con man. He hitches a ride with two fancy ladies into a small town in Mississipi and finds out that the two fancy ladies are the daughters of the richest man in town, Mr. Varner. The film is quite long, but it is interesting. Paul Newman is excellent in this film, as usual, and his character is likable. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys Old Dramas as this film contains all of the elements that are common in dramas from the 50s. It was a bit longer than I personally feel that it should have been, but there were some funny moments and sweet romantic moments that made this feature worthwhile.

THE LONG, HOT SUMMER is one solid melodrama about tradition and family, which is based on some short stories by William Foulkner. One depressed, but confident drifter, who has a reputation of a arsonist, comes in a small town. The most powerful man in the town wants to try a young suspect. Thus, the rich man begins to respect the young man because of his determination. The young man understands job better than the rich man's reluctant son and it seems that he is the perfect opportunity for a rich man's daughter. However, desires of some of the protagonists will not match with hidden truths...People will create a storm in a small and very hot town. This storm is full of greed, hate, lies and misunderstandings. The scenario is not bad. The sharp dialogues are tense and full of bitterness, contempt and sarcasm. Honesty is somewhat present, but it can not come to the fore. The atmosphere is constantly stretched through sexual charge and wild whim of individual protagonists.The acting is good, but the chemistry between the main protagonists could have been a lot better.Paul Newman as Ben Quick is determined and resourceful young man who will try to deceive members of one family in order to become the successor of wealth. His character is furious and disturbing. Real trouble in the city. However, he becomes a victim of his own manipulations and hidden vulnerabilities. Joanne Woodward as Clara Varner is an independent woman who is able to confront a brazen intruder and a vile old man. Her biggest weakness is "forlorn hope". It is difficult to deal with one's own own life ideals and the coming sexual attraction. Clara is the central figure in this film. Her performance is quite touching.Orson Welles as Will Varner is a stubborn and vulgar local tycoon. Anthony Franciosa as Jody Varner is a weak son, who fought for his father's love. Lee Remick as Eula Varner is playful daughter in-law.The last scenes are quite inconclusive. Birds of prey are quickly tamed and harnessed. They have to face the truth in crucial moments. Their confrontation was inevitable. However, melodramatic, generous and warm ending is a big flaw of this film.

I have mixed feelings about this film. It's not the movie's fault that the author (William Faulkner and others) seem to like to provide shades of Lillian Hellman.But, the biggest issue I have here with the acting is Orson Welles. In some scenes, his characterization seems right on target. In other scenes he seems to he hamming it up to the point of creating a cliché of the character. His makeup doesn't help any. That's not to say I didn't enjoy him here. I'm fat, and always feel better when I see someone who is about twice as fat as me. ;-) I never really saw the attraction with Paul Newman. Not a bad actor, nor a great actor. It depended a lot on the quality of the film he was in. I felt pretty much the same about Joanne Woodward. They're both "good" here.Anthony Franciosa is another actor I never cared much for, but with him I'm not neutral. To me he's on the negative side of things, and this film didn't change my mind. Although I will say that the role of a spoiled young man fit him well.On the other hand,I've always felt Lee Remick was a fine actress, and I wish her part here had been more involved.So the plot goes like this: tyrannical Southern father (Welles) tries to control everything and everyone. A drifter type (Newman) comes to town and weaves his way into the family with lust and a thirst for power. He pushes aside a son (Franciosa) through his scheming.The problem with the concept of this film -- at least for me -- is that the presence of a "senior scoundrel" (Welles) doesn't make me root anymore for the "junior scoundrel" (Newman). About all it shows me is that there's almost no major character here who is very likable and to root for. All the men here are ne'er-do-well. It's not a very pretty picture, so to speak.This film is not so much a long, hot summer as a long, plodding tepid slog. And at the end of the slog, somehow all these low class people live happily ever after. Appalling.

When I was young, I read The Sound and the Fury and a couple of novellas (Old Man, The Bear) by Faulkner. I conceived a dislike of this man's writing that has stayed with me until this day. His tortured prose makes that of late Henry James a pleasure to read in comparison. Faulkner writes as though he were telling Homeric legends, but without the clarity and simplicity of Homer. The script fashioned by Ravetch and Frank out of various stories has the great benefit of humor and a kind of easy sexuality that is very enjoyable to watch.The Jody Varner character makes no sense--how can he be virile with Eula and impotent with his father? Franciosa seems very unsure of himself in every scene. Ben Quick and Clara have such a great time together: Newman and Woodward are establishing a rapport that would last 50 years. The story needed a convincing patriarch, and there was no-one better than Orson Welles to play Varner. I don't care if his make up was shoddy or his accent virtually incomprehensible, he is wonderful. I could have given it 10, had there not been inconsistencies of plot and characterization.