Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Michael_Elliott The Long, Hot Summer (1958)*** (out of 4) Con man Ben Quick (Paul Newman) is accused of burning down a barn so he's forced to hit the road where he winds up on the farm of the Varner family. While trying to woo the daughter Clara (Joanne Woodward) Ben also strikes up a partnership with her father (Orson Welles), which doesn't sit well with the son (Anthony Franciosa) who can't ever seem to do anything right.THE LONG, HOT SUMMER was the first collaboration between Newman and Woodward who would be married shortly after this film wrapped production. The film is known for that but it's also known for the heated on-set battles between Welles and director Martin Ritt. These two things usually take a lot of the spotlight away from the film itself and that's really too bad because it's a pretty good soap opera from Fox.The term "soap opera" will be seen by some of a criticism but it's certainly not meant to be. There were countless movies made during this era that likes to be over-dramatic at times with a strong sexuality and a blazing music score going in the background. This film here has the benefit of some great locations, a pretty good story and of course some legendary actors doing great work. I will admit that the one really weak thing is the music score, which is constantly blaring at the wrong time and taking away from the actors and their magic.As for the cast, the heat that Newman and Woodward were feeling off the set certainly burned on screen because the two have some wonderful chemistry here. There's no doubt that they bring a lot of smoke to the screen and the two manage to capture the sexuality of the story as well as the dramatic nature of the love story. Welles is also excellent in his part as the fiery father. Again, Welles had various issues on the set but I thought he was very believable in the part. Franciosa, Lee Remick, Angela Lansbury and Richard Anderson are all very good as well.THE LONG, HOT SUMMER features some terrific cinematography and director Ritt certainly knows how to milk all the sexuality from the story. There are certainly some flaws throughout the movie but the star power alone makes it a must see.

bbmtwist 1958 was certainly the year for Paul Newman and southern drama. He appeared in both THE LONG HOT SUMMER, adapted from Faulkner short stories and one novel, and Williams' CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. The coincidences don't end there.SPOILERS FOLLOW IN ANALYZING THE PLOTS:Both works have an overweight "boss" - Will Varner in the first, Big Daddy in the second. Both have returned from a hospital visit. Although Big Daddywill have a terminal diagnosis, Varner has seemingly none at all, although we expect any moment to learn otherwise, as Varner seems pushed to get his first daughter married and pregnant, which would seem to indicate he is aware of his mortality.Varner has an ineffectual son, Jody, who can do nothing right. Big Daddy has a son who can do nothing right, Gooper. Both Varner and Big Daddy have a fondness for the characters played by Newman, Ben Quick and Brick. There is a strong, defiant woman in each, Clara Varner and Maggie.Switching to Williams' SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, Newman plays a drifter, Chance Wayne. In THE LONG HOT SUMMER, Newman plays a drifter, Ben Quick. In THE LONG HOT SUMMER, Varner has a local mistress, Minnie. In SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, the Big Daddy character, Boss Finley, has a local mistress, Miss Lucy.So you can see someone stole from someone. Since the names of the Faulkner stories are not given credits, unless one is a Faulkner scholar, one can't look up the publishing dates. These could be applied to the dates both of Williams' plays premiered on Broadway. I tend to think there is a good chance that it was Williams who stole these plot ideas from Faulkner. It might be an interesting topic for a school or college paper.As far as the film THE LONG HOT SUMMER goes, it is compelling, constantly interesting, superbly directed by Martin Ritt, and universally both well cast and well played. The heat between Newman and Woodward off screen leaks convincingly on screen, helping the performances of both. Welles steals the film as the patriarchal tyrant, Will Varner - I would have given him an Oscar nomination for this performance. Lansbury is wasted in a small role as Varner's mistress, as is Remick as Varner's vapid second daughter. Franciosa is excellent as the unloved son, his pain and frustration constantly evident. However, it is Woodward who shines best. Her character is level-headed, sensible, but passionate beneath. She is as much a cat on a hot tin roof as is Williams' Maggie, seething beneath the surface with sexual passion, but unable to fulfill it.Playing CAT and SUMMER as a double bill would be an interesting event for a college level class with discussion following.SUMMER is an excellent film, well worth your time.

Guy Plot: A dangerous drifter becomes friends with the richest family in a town in Mississippi More of a play than a film, this garish monstrosity combines most of the worst features of 1950s American film-making. There is simply too much music, too much make-up, too much studio shooting, too many static shots, too much of everything. Orson Welles in particular doesn't so much as chew the carpet as eat the whole darned house, in a dementedly florid performance. The two genres that age worst tend to be teen rebel and sex films, because what is provocative to one generation is tepid to another; which is exactly what happens here. The film also makes the mistake of thinking itself positively Shakespearian because it has broad Southern accents. It isn't. It's a fairly run of the mill family melodrama as daddy tries to arrange his brood to provide him with grand-kids, whilst the nice school teacher rejects Paul Newman's tough drifter in such a way that you know that they will inevitably end up together. As indeed they do.

kenjha A drifter comes into a Mississippi town and is taken under the wing of the town big shot in this drama based on multiple works of Faulkner. Newman is solid as an ambitious worker trying to escape his past. Welles steals the film in a wonderfully hammy performance as a larger-than-life character who rules over not only his two meek children but also the entire town. Franciosa is fine as Welles's wimpy son, but Woodward's performance seems somewhat wooden. Remick is given little to do except look pretty, which she does well. In the first of six films he made with Newman, Ritt creates an atmosphere befitting the title. The plot element concerning fire-starting is rather silly.