TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

HotToastyRag For anyone who likes real-life Hollywood love stories, you won't want to miss this one! Tracy and Hepburn, Bogart and Bacall, Gable and Lombard, and thanks to The Long, Hot Summer, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward join the list.While it isn't the most romantic movie in the world, and in fact doesn't usually come to mind when you think about cinematic love stories, it brought the two together during the ridiculously hot film set in Louisiana. Anyone who's spent a summer in the South knows how sweltering it can be, and director Martin Ritt wanted the actors' sweat to look authentic! The story is simple: an ambitious drifter sweet talks the boss's daughter in order to move up in the world. The legacy is enduring, as Ma and Pa Newman have made more than their marks in the world.If you want to watch the movie that brought them together, this is the one. If you're looking for a good love story from the 1950s, this is not the one. Try Picnic or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof instead. The movie is a little slow at times, and a little wordy. And Joanne seriously needed to let her bangs grow!

elvircorhodzic THE LONG, HOT SUMMER is one solid melodrama about tradition and family, which is based on some short stories by William Foulkner. One depressed, but confident drifter, who has a reputation of a arsonist, comes in a small town. The most powerful man in the town wants to try a young suspect. Thus, the rich man begins to respect the young man because of his determination. The young man understands job better than the rich man's reluctant son and it seems that he is the perfect opportunity for a rich man's daughter. However, desires of some of the protagonists will not match with hidden truths...People will create a storm in a small and very hot town. This storm is full of greed, hate, lies and misunderstandings. The scenario is not bad. The sharp dialogues are tense and full of bitterness, contempt and sarcasm. Honesty is somewhat present, but it can not come to the fore. The atmosphere is constantly stretched through sexual charge and wild whim of individual protagonists.The acting is good, but the chemistry between the main protagonists could have been a lot better.Paul Newman as Ben Quick is determined and resourceful young man who will try to deceive members of one family in order to become the successor of wealth. His character is furious and disturbing. Real trouble in the city. However, he becomes a victim of his own manipulations and hidden vulnerabilities. Joanne Woodward as Clara Varner is an independent woman who is able to confront a brazen intruder and a vile old man. Her biggest weakness is "forlorn hope". It is difficult to deal with one's own own life ideals and the coming sexual attraction. Clara is the central figure in this film. Her performance is quite touching.Orson Welles as Will Varner is a stubborn and vulgar local tycoon. Anthony Franciosa as Jody Varner is a weak son, who fought for his father's love. Lee Remick as Eula Varner is playful daughter in-law.The last scenes are quite inconclusive. Birds of prey are quickly tamed and harnessed. They have to face the truth in crucial moments. Their confrontation was inevitable. However, melodramatic, generous and warm ending is a big flaw of this film.

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.

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.