jjnxn-1 A trifle overlong but involving film firmly guided by Minnelli, one of his best non musical films. Always a master of effective use of Technicolor that trait doesn't fail him here making the full use of various shades to sets the emotional tone of a scene. He makes the whole picture a feast for the eyes, even the swamps look gorgeous and the actors glow with individual beauty. Speaking of the actors, the four principal protagonists give some of the best performances of their careers, in Hamilton's case perhaps his all time best. In their only pairing Mitchum and Eleanor Parker spark off each other making you understand that under the great bitterness that now enfolds them there had to once be a great love at its root to breed so strong an estrangement. Its a pity they never were paired again. The two Georges as Mitchum's sons, one recognized the other illegitimate, make strong impressions which moved both of them forward in the Hollywood of the time. Peppard was the superior actor and has the more complex role in which he finds many layers but Hamilton handles the callow Theron very well, his years as an overly tan, rather oily dilettante has pretty much negated the memory of the promising young actor he once was. A solid entertainment with some elements of soap but really a story of how secrets and arrogance can fester and hurt more than just the people initially involved.

Robert J. Maxwell I understand a number of people enjoyed this but I found it long and a little boring. It's a story of family intrigue, a kind of interactional drama, in northeast Texas. Robert Mitchum is the head honcho in this small town, given to such manly pursuits as shooting animals and bedding the wives of other men. He's highly respected. Except by the men whose trust he's betrayed, one of whom offs him appropriately.His wife is Eleanor Parker, who dislikes him, has kept her bedroom door locked, and taken over the raising of their child, George Hamilton, as tan as ever and sounding like Tony Perkins. Hamilton's bedroom is "a boy's room", with rocks, a butterfly collection, and books. BOOKS! When Hamilton is seventeen, Mitchum decides it's time to make a man out of him. He takes the young man to HIS room, filled with the apparatus of killing and adorned with the heads of dead animals he's killed. Mitchum also has an good-natured illegitimate son, George Peppard, with whom he hangs around but doesn't treat especially kindly. Peppard lives in a hut with dogs.I can believe that this is the way life was led by a wealthy family in northeastern Texas in the 1950s, but the production values are cheap and the story sprawls and sprawls. If I wanted to see another sprawling story about a rich family in Texas, I'd watch "Giant" again. If I wanted to watch a superbly done story of a moderately wealthy Texas family, I'd go back to "Hud." The characters' conflicts are realistically portrayed. They teeter on the edge of stereotypy without quite falling into the trap. But it's hard to like much about Mitchum. His idea of being manly, aside from the hunting and fishing, is to shout his lines. He's best when he holds it back and only allows it to peep out once in a while.

Boba_Fett1138 This is a well made typical genre movie that features some solid emotions and characters and offers some well written plot elements.It's a coming of age movie but it also is a (melodramatic) family drama. These type of movies really had been popular in the past and most of them also are really great ones to watch. Too bad they just don't make movies such as these anymore. This movie might not be the best in its genre but it has more than anything other elements in it to compensate for this.One of them most definitely is the cast. Robert Mitchum once again gives away one fine performance. The movie also features a great and still young looking George Hamilton and George Peppard, though Mitchum on the other hand still looks the way he did 20 years before this movie.The movie handles all of the genre elements really well and know to bring it in a good and original way. Definitely a surprising movie from Vincente Minnelli, who got his fame for directing other type of- and less serious movies. I especially like the way George Hamilton's character gets developed and changes throughout the movie, from a mothers-child to a real adult. It was also great how they handled the Robert Mitchum character. They make him not-likable but at the same time also intriguing and interesting enough to not hate him. It's sort of too bad that they made the mistake to let his character slowly disappear out of the movie for most of the last third of the movie, while he starts off as the main character. The movie does a good job at portraying the relationships between the characters, which is an essential part for movies such as these.Despite the fact that the movie its story definitely has soap-opera like dramatic developments in it, you still get drawn in to it, which is I think due to the interesting characters and actors that portray them. It keeps the movie real.The movie is set in the South of the United States, which gives the movie that special kind of- and warm atmosphere. Its sets, costumes and props all add to this. The time period the movie is set in also definitely benefits the movie. The movie also has a surprising good and likable musical score, by Bronislau Kaper.Worth seeing if you get the chance to.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

pennygunter I loved this movie! I saw it originally as a teenager and am still in love with it today. If they ever do a remake of it, I'd love to play Eleanor Parkers, part! Robert Mitchum was at his all time best, as this truly lovable yet misguided man of the world. George Peppard can still make women fall in love with him, 47 years later and I don't believe George Hamilton ever gave a better performance. Luana Patton was believable as the scared teenager in love. As a whole, I'd say it was one of the best movies of 1960, if not of all time. This is southern life and love at it's best. If you play close attention, you'll see a lot of older character actors, Denver Pyle, for instance, that make the movie seem real, as though you were in Texas, living through the heartache and break with them, great performances by all!