The Long, Hot Summer is a southern fried story of grudges, family dysfunction, old money vs new money, steamy (for 1959) sex, all seasoned with a dollop of mob violence and arson. It's as if author Grace Metalious (Peyton Place) had a fevered, intoxicated collaboration with William Faulkner (whose short stories this movie is based on), and Tennessee Williams. It's melodrama and southern hot-bloodedness on steroids, almost a camp classic.
The film centers on a young Mississippi redneck Ben Quick (a young, studly Paul Newman) who has a reputation for resolving disputes by setting fire to the property of his enemies. He saunters into Frenchman's Bend one day, a small town on the Mississippi River. The place is more or less controlled by Will Varner (Orson Welles), an obese Big Daddy type who runs things like a feudal baron.
He sees his one son, handsome Jody (Anthony Franciosa) as hopelessly weak, his school teacher 23-year old daughter Clara (Joanne Woodward) as an old maid. Daddy disapproves of her blue-blooded, mama's boy paramour who never gets around to asking her to marry him. Is he gay? There is the faintest of hints here. A new money / old money dichotomy is certainly apparent. That may be a Faulkner thing.
Will Varner sees a lot of himself in newcomer Ben, a self-made, alpha-male, con-artist and manipulator. They spend much of the movie trying to outdo each other in mendacity and connivance. Will is especially intent on pushing Ben and Clara together, promising the virile, go-getter Ben money and land if he marries her and furthers the Varner bloodline. Clara despises Ben at first, but similar to what happens in modern day romcoms, gradually acknowledges an attraction.
The story unfolds quickly, the script darting from one confrontation to another. Yes, plot holes aplenty, but watchable and entertaining. The accents are certainly out there. Maybe that is what they actually sounded like in Mississippi in 1958? I grew up in the rural south and needed subtitles for most of the movie. Joanne Woodward has an especially funny take on southern dialect.
I'm giving this movie a 6-rating. Plusses for the amazing cast - Angel Lansbury even has a small, silly, tangential role - and steamy, jazzy soundtrack, set design, and cinematography. Minuses for the over wrought dialog and hurry-up / wrap-it-up ending which makes no sense whatsoever.
The film centers on a young Mississippi redneck Ben Quick (a young, studly Paul Newman) who has a reputation for resolving disputes by setting fire to the property of his enemies. He saunters into Frenchman's Bend one day, a small town on the Mississippi River. The place is more or less controlled by Will Varner (Orson Welles), an obese Big Daddy type who runs things like a feudal baron.
He sees his one son, handsome Jody (Anthony Franciosa) as hopelessly weak, his school teacher 23-year old daughter Clara (Joanne Woodward) as an old maid. Daddy disapproves of her blue-blooded, mama's boy paramour who never gets around to asking her to marry him. Is he gay? There is the faintest of hints here. A new money / old money dichotomy is certainly apparent. That may be a Faulkner thing.
Will Varner sees a lot of himself in newcomer Ben, a self-made, alpha-male, con-artist and manipulator. They spend much of the movie trying to outdo each other in mendacity and connivance. Will is especially intent on pushing Ben and Clara together, promising the virile, go-getter Ben money and land if he marries her and furthers the Varner bloodline. Clara despises Ben at first, but similar to what happens in modern day romcoms, gradually acknowledges an attraction.
The story unfolds quickly, the script darting from one confrontation to another. Yes, plot holes aplenty, but watchable and entertaining. The accents are certainly out there. Maybe that is what they actually sounded like in Mississippi in 1958? I grew up in the rural south and needed subtitles for most of the movie. Joanne Woodward has an especially funny take on southern dialect.
I'm giving this movie a 6-rating. Plusses for the amazing cast - Angel Lansbury even has a small, silly, tangential role - and steamy, jazzy soundtrack, set design, and cinematography. Minuses for the over wrought dialog and hurry-up / wrap-it-up ending which makes no sense whatsoever.