Hud, based on the novel by Larry McMurtry,
directed by Martin Ritt, with Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas
10 out of
10
This will be a look at this
extraordinary film, using Positive Psychology glasses or said otherwise:
Through a Glass Brightly
1963 was the year of 8 ½, which won
the Oscar for Best Foreign Film and Tom Jones, the Best Film at the Academy
Awards
But I would say that Hud was just as
good, if not better, even if it won three Oscars, without getting nominated as
Best Motion Picture
There are three generations in this
superb artwork and they have a complicated relationship with each other
Paul Newman is outstanding, as
always, in the role of Hud Bannon, a complex personage that has a more
prominent negative side
Homer Bannon is Hud’s father, who
does not like this remaining son, responsible for the death of Lonnie’s father.
Lonnie is the third generation,
grandson to Homer and an important moral and working support in his old age
Homer I not without faults, as a
father he has been rather hard, we would call this abusive today
However, he has plenty of the Character
Strengths identified by the father of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman:
Integrity, Persistence, Bravery,
Perspective, Citizenship, Fairness, Mercy, Leadership, Modesty
This hero also proves:
Vitality, Love, Kindness, Social
Intelligence, Gratitude, Hope, Self- regulation, Spirituality and Prudence
Hud on the other hand stands accused
of being:
Selfish…you only think of yourself
That’s why you can’t be with others…says
Homer Bannon
Indeed, the main character I almost
a negative hero, the bad guy that would need someone to fight him
Not that Hud engages in too few
fights
The “hero” is Brave, has Vitality,
Persistence, some Perspective, maybe Love of Learning and Social Intelligence
But he I not at all Modest or Fair,
he shows no Gratitude, on the contrary, he thinks his father was rough with him
Hud might have gotten at least some
of that right
Nevertheless, he now tries to get
control of the farm, by having his father declared unfit to manage it and get
the land under his administration
Lonnie is seventeen and in the first
part of the film admires Hud, wanting to be pretty much like his uncle.
Nevertheless, when he sees the way Hud
treats his father, contributing to his collapse and ultimate downfall, Lonnie
rejects his uncle
Furthermore, Hud I violent and
repulsive in his treatment of Alma, the woman that is hired as house cleaner
and cook at the farm.
One night, after harassment and
pestering the hired help, Hud gets drunk and attacks Alma, trying to rape her.
The escape is narrow.
In fact, it is only the intervention
of the nephew that allows the woman to get off the floor and eventually leave
the place all together.
Hud has an affair with a married
woman, whose husband arrives just as the lover was leaving the house.
It is very early in the morning and
the husband is sure there is something wrong with strangers leaving at that
time
Bud blames this event on…Lonnie
Somehow, the charm of Paul Newman
transfers to his character in the film, but I think this helps make the movie
more intriguing an interesting, with a character that is not all despicable.
There are glorious performances from
all those involved in this memorable motion picture, winner of three Oscars.
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