Hud (1963) - Top points for Ritt's sensational Texas-set drama

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Classy credits, critical praise, a stylish, gritty comics-styled graphic and star Paul Newman's physique and name adorn this poster for Martin Ritt's Hud

Hud is a womanizing drunkard, who lives on his father's Texas ranch along with his nephew, father and a housekeeper, while a possible cattle disease is investigated, and Hud's enmity with his old man escalates.

 

Hud is written by co-writer/co-producer Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr. (Home from the Hill (1960), both), adapting the novel Horseman, Pass By (1961) by Larry McMurtry (Leaving Cheyenne (1963)), and directed by New-Yorker master filmmaker, co-producer/director Martin Ritt (Edge of the City (1957)), whose 9th feature it was.

Of the poison-laden, conflict-filled high-profile American grown-up dramas of its time (such as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and others), Hud is the best. Still today it is an electric experience; intense, sexy, brave, stirring and strong. The dialog doesn't just ignite sparks, - it starts wildfires in several directions, and it is a study in suggestion and double meanings. 

Elmer Bernstein (Puppies for Sale (1998, short)) is responsible for the subtle score, and James Wong Howe's (Tess of the Storm Country (1960)) phenomenal cinematography is an evocative, super-sharp B/W ride to treasure. 

The cast is uniformly outstanding: Paul Newman (Exodus (1960)) is eternally on edge as the 'devil-may-care' amoral title character. Incredibly enough he gets the counterweight necessary from Melvyn Douglas' (The Americanization of Emily (1964)) performance as his straight-edged father. The complex and realistic drama extends to Patricia Neal's (Glitter (1984, TV-series)) housekeeper, SPOILER who herself flirts in the period leading up to the culmination, an attempted rape. She and the personality exploring, beautiful nephew (Brandon De Wilde (In Harm's Way (1965))) are also excellent. 

Hud is directed without a false tone in it by Ritt. Ultimately it is a 'Death-of-the-West' type of generational crisis tragedy that points forward to Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show (1971), (also a McMurtry adaptation.) The eminent ending of the film, both untraditional and brilliant, made me think that Hud might after these events develop into a man not dissimilar to the bitter magnate egotist we see in Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood (2007). 

Related post:

Martin Ritt: Edge of the City (1957) - Poitier gleams in Ritt's idealistic debut

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Reportedly 1.6 mil. $

Box office: Reportedly 10 mil. $ (North America only)

= Uncertain but likely a mega-hit (projected return of 9.37 times its cost)

[Hud was released 24 May (North America) and runs 112 minutes. Shooting took place from July - September 1962 in Texas and California. The-numbers.com allege, without giving any source, that the film cost 2.5 mil. $ to produce, whereas 1.6 mil. $ is listed elsewhere, (and seems more likely in my opinion.) They also list the 10 mil. $ domestic gross. With a projected world gross of 15 mil. $, the film ranks as a mega-hit. It was nominated for 7 Oscars, winning 3; Best Actress (Neal), Supporting Actor (Douglas) and Cinematography - Black-and-White. It lost Best Actor to Sidney Poitier for Lilies of the Field, Art Decoration-Set Decoration - Black-and-White to America America, Director to Tony Richardson for Tom Jones, and Adapted Screenplay to John Osborne for Tom Jones. It also won 1/3 BAFTA nominations, was nominated for 5 Golden Globes and won 3 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Ritt returned with The Outrage (1964). Newman returned in A New Kind of Love (1963). Hud is fresh at 84 % with a 7.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Hud?

Home from the Hill (1960) or, Family Scandal!

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A classy poster for Vincente Minnelli's Home from the Hill, which tries to paint it out to be the next big thing

The skies almost come down for a young man in the story here, when he learns that his and his family's good friend is really his father's bastard son. With enormous abhorrence he now distances himself from his old man.

 

Home from the Hill is written by Harriet Frank Jr. (Hombre (1967)) and Irving Ravetch (Hud (1963)), adapting the same-titled 1958 novel by William Humphrey (Proud Flesh (1973)), and directed by Vincente Minnelli (Cabin in the Sky (1943)).

It takes a good while before you reach the point in the story indicated above, because the film gets spiced with a lot of hunting symbolism, including a wild boar hunt. George Peppard (Damnation Alley (1977)), George Hamilton (Roots (1977, miniseries)) and Robert Mitchum (Maria's Lovers (1984)) are all terrific here, but their efforts don't make a great film, regrettably.

The focus is generally on the youngest son's hysterical wish to sentence his father's past behavior, - but ask yourself exactly how interesting or sympathetic this driving vehemence really is? Minnelli lets the melodrama go overboard at least once in Home from the Hill, and he seems most primed on surface in this dated, overlong, conservative film. Home from the Hill is an example of one of the Hollywood peacock movies that the youth at the time (and some adult moviegoers too) were getting fed up with.

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 2.3 mil. $

Box office: 5 mil. $

= Flop (returned 2.17 times its cost)

[Home from the Hill premiered 3 March (New York) and runs 150 minutes. Shooting took place from April - July 1959 in Texas, Mississippi and in California. The film made 3.2 mil. $ (64 % of the total gross) in North America, and the Eddie Lannix ledger recorded a 122k $ loss from the film. It was shown in the main competition in Cannes, was nominated for a BAFTA and won 3 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Minnelli returned with uncredited directing work on All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960) and as official director with Bells Are Ringing (1960). Mitchum returned in The Night Fighters (1960); Eleanor Parker (Escape From Fort Bravo (1953)) in The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio (1960, TV movie), Buick-Electra Playhouse (1960, TV-series) and theatrically in Madison Avenue (1961). Home from the Hill is fresh at 90 % with an 8.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Home from the Hill?