Hud (1963)

Hud (1963) – Hud Bannon (Paul Newman) is an unscrupulous, self-centered, hard drinking womanizer.  Everything that his father, Homer (Melvyn Douglas), isn’t.  Caught between them is the son of the dead older brother, whose death created a wall between the two adults.  A crisis on the family ranch will push everyone to the edge.

Directed by Martin Ritt                             Starring – Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal

Some critics didn’t know what to do with this movie when it first came out.  Hud is an unrepentant bastard and remains so right through  the end of the movie.  That’s not the way things were done in Hollywood in the past.  There was supposed to be a moral change, Hud should see the error of his ways.  Hud Bannon is not the slightest bit interested in any of it.

The movie would be called an “anti-Western” and young audiences were caught up by Newman’s anti-hero.

What really enthralls me about the movie are the little things.  Patricia Neal is only on screen for 21 minutes but crafts a character that is nuanced and deep.  It would earn her an Oscar.  Elmer Bernstein’s score only runs about six minutes total but it is superb every time it’s called upon.  Originally scored for a small orchestra the final version is played by a guitar trio.  There is a loneliness and sadness that matches the rest of the movie.  Melvyn Douglas earned an Oscar (Newman would be nominated but lose) for the upright Homer Bannon.  He gives a man who holds to his beliefs.  Honest, hard working, yet not without flaws.  It is a perfectly human character.

What I Liked About It – Director Ritt gives us a visually beautiful, yet stark backdrop to the characters.  The wide open spaces of a Texas ranch extends to the horizon and into the sky.

What You Will Like About It – The believable humanity of all the characters, including Hud Bannon.

Rating – ***** Highest Recommendation