Hud

Rating:
Summary: Texas style family values
Review: Paul Newman was masterful as the apathetic, self indulged title character "Hud", a hard living womanizing cowboy. Hud is the youngest son of an old time Texas cattle rancher, Homer Bannon, played passionately by the venerable Melvyn Douglas. Douglas is deeply disappointed in his son, thinking him lacking in the social attributes needed to lead a productive life.

The flick focuses on the dysfunctional family dynamic that developed over the years. Living under the same roof as Newman and Douglas is grandson Lonnie played by Brandon de Wilde of "Shane" fame. De Wilde idolizes his uncle Hud but is torn between the ideals expounded by his free living uncle and those of his straight laced grandfather. Patricia Neal, in her Oscar winning performance plays Alma, the family's earthy housekeeper. As the main female presence of the movie, she acts as a beacon to the men in the family. Their personalities shine through in their relationships with her.

Under Martin Ritt's skillful directorial hand "Hud" relates a sobering message as we see the passing of the torch for control of the family cattle business. The old school with a diligent work ethic, championed by Douglas is being replaced by the heartless, get rich quick attitude of Newman.

The acting which garnered Oscars for both Douglas and Neal is brilliant. Newman's effective portrayal of Hud successfully evokes feelings of disgust towards his character. The settings and camera work nicely portray the expanse of land over which this passion play is being fought.

Rating:
Summary: Out of the dust rise an excellent cinematic experience...
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Out of the dust rise an excellent cinematic experience...
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: best of paul newman talents
Review: The whole cast was terrific except Brandon De Wilde.He was too stiff,non-emotional,even Larry McMurtry said he was not "real"as a horseman,did not have the Texas touch.All the rest were first class,tops!!!Small changes to the book but they "worked".Wonderfully rendered.A classic.A piece of small town life that is gone.The emergence of the cowboy in texas to the oilman,from the old west to the astrodome.Newman & Neal lit lust fires.Hot stuff for it's time.Wonderful story.

Rating:
Summary: a going-nowhere movie
Review: the whole movie is full of mindless blahblahblah, with newman's role as a irresponsible, never fully grown-up, low moral standard, self-centered egoist, adulterer, even a would-be rapist. the opposite is that teenager who's always with honor and a good heart. but what's the purpose of this going-nowhere movie? a typical larry mcmurty's endless and mindless small-talking original story. the only thing that really caught my attention is that 'hoof & mouth disease' was such a terrible plague that would have ruined everybody's life long hardworks. there's nothing deep or anything that worth mentioning in this movie. larry mcmurty's novels or movies originated from his novels were all full of endless small talks, small timers in some small towns, even texas is so big, even his 'lonesome dove' was so great, but it's still full of endless and tiresome blahblahblahs, full of typical self-bloomed personalities and characters. well, trying to sit thru the whole nine yards, and then woke up to tell me how deep this movie was, yeah, you're so deep, and i'm just a shallow guy.

Rating:
Summary: Hud
Review: There is so many superlatives to talk about when it comes to describing this excellent piece of film making, that it is difficult to know where to begin. I suppose a good place to start is to note the excellent adaptation of Larry McMurtry's early ("Lonesome Dove") work. Count on dead-on insights into the lifestyle of the American cowboy. Add the steady guidance of one time Hollywood blacklisted Martin Ritt, who's work resume' is testament to excellence as one of our finest directors. Choosing black and white photography is always a risk in this modern era of filmmaking but was surely the right choice here. Then there is the cast. Oh what a cast. Melvyn Douglas (Homer Bannon) the tired, honest, heartbroken rancher who long ago accepted a painful reality that despite his best efforts as a father, he sired a worthless son in Hud. Patricia Neal effortlessly defined Alma, the average looking, earthy and durable domestic, a simple housekeeper who could with a subtle unconscious gesture, make lemonade all the sweeter by just handing it to you. Her deferred sexuality was well grounded in a gritty personal reality, her innate pragmatism served as protection from the not all together unwelcomed advances of opportunistic men. Finally, there is Hud masterfully portrayed by Paul Newman. Rotten to the core. Hud saw the world and all who inhabited it as flawed and corrupted. So everything and everybody in it was fair game in his selfish, destructive pursuit of self-gratification. For a time, his nephew Lon, somewhat stiffly played by Brandon De Wilde was utterly facinated by his pleasure seeking uncle. Homer, ever mindful of his son's corrupting ways gently guides his grandson by way of word and example down a more honorable and steady path to self-realization. Homer however, is faced with the loss of his cattle ranch by the discovery of hoof-and-mouth disease and is constantly challenged by Hud who shamelessly seeks to take control. The movie ends as realistically as it begins. No Hollywood contrivance here. In fact, one could argue that the ending made the film ripe for a sequel. But thankfully, that sort of narrow shortsighted opportunism was never taken advantage of in a way that may have been to Hud's liking.

Rating:
Summary: There's trouble on the ranch and the tension smolders
Review: This 1963 film is a classic that has aged well. Based on an early novel of Larry McMurtry's, the landscape of a cattle ranch and dusty Texas town is familiar. Filmed in black and white, the cinematography won an academy award as did the performance of Melvyn Douglas as the aging patriarch whose strong moral values are in constant conflict with his son Hud, a hard-drinking, selfish anti-hero, played by Paul Newman. Brandon DeWilde is the teenager on the brink of manhood who has both of these men as role models. And Patricia Neal, who also won an academy award for her performance, is cast as the housekeeper, whose hard-edged sensuality keeps the sexual tension high.

There's trouble at the ranch; the cattle seemed to have hoof and mouth disease. Everything the old man has worked for all his life is likely to be destroyed. Hud is mean and petty. He'd be willing to sell the diseased cattle, just as he'd be willing to have his own father declared incompetent so he could take over the ranch. He's unlikable with not one single redeeming value. But he sure is sexy. My personal favorite lines occur between him and Patricia Neal. She's talking about her ex-husband and says that the only thing the ex-husband was good for was scratching her back in places she couldn't reach. Paul Newman gives her a smoldering look and says, "Well, let me know if you ever get an itch."

I enjoyed the film, especially the acting. Towards the end I found myself getting a little restless because by then I anticipated the ending. But the story and the acting and the wonderful setting made up for all of that. Definitely recommended.

Rating:
Summary: The Epitomy of Film Brilliance
Review: This film has long been a staple in my movie-watching diet. There is not a single error I have found in any of my viewings. All I have found is the sheer perfection of a talented director, a relaxed producer who let his director have his way with the film, a triumverant of supporting acting firepower by Douglas, Neal, and de Wilde, and the best performance Paul Newman has ever given to film. One of my favorite aspects of the film is the innocence and power of the black and white picture. There have been other more modern films such as Raging Bull by Scorcese, and Spielberg's Schindler's List which turned to black and white for those same reasons. Similar to John Wayne's antihero in The Searchers, a favorite of the two afformentioned directors, Paul Newman's Hud Bannon fits the bill of the hero we love to hate. Never has an actor portrayed this type of character with the stunning greatness that Newman delivered. I encourage you to purchase this film, and share it with your friends and family. Classic films such as Hud are important to our society, and we cannot sit back and permit them to be lost and forgotten.

Rating:
Summary: Fine Performance
Review: This is a very unique movie. In 1963 when it was released it went against many of the strict Hollywood conventions of the time. Specifically this film falls in the revisionist western genre with the anti-hero lead roll. Paul Newman is Hud. He is mean, sarcastic, disrespectful, and a drunk. He has no friends, he dispises his father, his nephew annoys him, and he basically tries to rape the woman he likes. Hud really has no redeaming qualities and Newman makes sure of it. The story takes us to rural Texas where Hud is a hand on his father's cattle ranch. In the next few days a series of events will occur that will change the lives of everyone in the movie. This is a well made film with great performances from everyone in the cast. It is definatly worth watching particullarly for people who like character driven movies.

Rating:
Summary: A treat for Paul Newman lovers
Review: This is among my favorite Paul Newman films. Newman plays Hud Bannon, a roguish son of a respectable rancher who spends most of his time drinking and womanizing. He is idolized by his nephew Lonnie (Brandon De Wilde) who is always trying to tag along so he can become just like Hud.

When a cow on the ranch comes down with hoof and mouth disease, Hud tries to get his aging father (Melvyn Douglas) declared incompetent so he can take over the ranch. This is a brilliant character study of an unrepentant and self-centered scoundrel and the people he uses people to fulfill his own wicked desires. Director Martin Ritt ("Norma Rae", "Murphy's Romance") takes a well-crafted screenplay and delivers a powerful presentation that never drags despite its depth. He brings us a subtle struggle between good and evil, pitting the saintly father against the malevolent son with the soul of young Lon hanging in the balance. The fact that Hud is such a charismatic character makes his nefarious nature both seductive and despicable, leaving the viewer hoping he will learn his lesson and reform. This takes the story one step beyond the standard white hat versus black hat Western.

The most important part of any character study is the acting. In this film, the acting is superb. Newman brings a forceful haughtiness to the screen along with a heart of granite. He was nominated for an Oscar for best actor, but was beaten by an electrifying performance by Sidney Poitier in "Lilies of the Field". Patricia Neal is earthy and tough as the live-in domestic, a role that earned her the Oscar for best actress. The sexual tension between her and Newman sizzles. Melvyn Douglas also won an Oscar for best supporting actor. He endowed Homer Bannon with a noble character and high integrity, an archetype of good that served as a perfect contrast to Hud's immorality. Brandon De Wilde is best known for his role as Joey in "Shane", but I believe this is his best performance. As he did in "Shane", he plays a young man idolizing another only to be disappointed in the end. This mature performance might have helped De Wilde bridge the gap between precocious child star and the adult roles for which he longed. Unfortunately, he had a promising career cut short by his tragic death in an auto accident at age 30.

This film is a powerful look at the human condition at its best and its worst. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three. It is difficult to find a film with a stronger moral. I rated it a 10/10. This film is required viewing for Newman lovers.