Hud

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3:12

Hud

1963,

1h 52m,

Drama

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84%

32 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Hard-drinking, arrogant, womanizing Hud Bannon (Paul Newman) lives a self-centered, indolent life supported by his hard-working and morally upstanding father, Homer (Melvyn Douglas), on the family cattle ranch in Texas. Hud's teenage nephew, Lonnie (Brandon de Wilde), blames Hud for the car crash that took the life of his father, Hud's older brother Norman, but shows hints of following in his ne'er-do-well uncle's footsteps when both men pursue family housekeeper Alma (Patricia Neal).

Critics Consensus

A Western that swaps out the Hollywood glamor for shades of moral gray, Hud is a sobering showcase for a sterling ensemble of actors at the top of their respective games.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Jan 7, 2008

Where it falls short of the mark is in its failure to filter its meaning and theme lucidly through its characters and story.

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Tom Milne

Time Out

Jun 24, 2006

One of Ritt's best films.

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Ed Gonzalez

Slant Magazine

Nov 28, 2003

2/4

More or less plays out as a home-on-the-range knock-off of Nicolas Ray's brilliant Rebel Without a Cause.

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Kristin Battestella

InSession Film

Jul 15, 2024

A heavy, cathartic viewing experience for any fan of nuanced film.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

Feb 8, 2024

But this is a layered family drama with a captivating energy of unease that unfolds with skill in its stunning Western setting.

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Pauline Kael

Film Quarterly

Oct 17, 2023

This response to Hud may be the only time the general audience has understood film makers better than they understood themselves.

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Jan 26, 2019

The best movie ever made! With the best movie quote ever spoken: "I'll remember you, honey. You're the one that got away."

Theodore G

Feb 25, 2018

Hud is an amazing, classic masterpiece that i love and have seen several times.. I'm Just hoping it gets a blu ray release 1 day! !

Theodore W

Feb 11, 2018

I thought I had seen this... lost rating? 1001 movies to see before you die.

Anakin L

Sep 18, 2017

Underrated. One of the best films ive ever seen.

Leia S

Aug 4, 2017

A proto new hollywood contemporary western that acts as an uncertain bridge from an idealized past which cannot be accurately seen to an unassured future which might not be as appealing as first advertised.

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Harry S

Aug 4, 2017

The opening bars of Elmer Bernstein's melancholy guitar theme and James Wong Howe's exquisite black-and-white cinematography immediately put me in the mood for something special. However, Martin Ritt's version of Larry McMurtry's novel wasn't as compelling as I first hoped. Sure, Paul Newman (already a star) offers up some brash method acting as the rancher's wild son, Hud, unable or unwilling to care about anyone except himself, spending most of his time loaded and getting into trouble with other men's wives. And Melvyn Douglas (a Hollywood stalwart since the 1930s) is solid as the widower rancher who can't open his heart to his wayward son but has plenty of time for his grandson (Brandon De Wilde), who has naturally fallen under the sway of Hud. Patricia Neal won an Oscar as the worldly family maid who attracts (possibly) unwanted attention from Hud, who can't manage his impulses in an adult way. In the background, an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease threatens the ranch and the family's way of life. So, this is character-driven drama rich with conflict -- but the arc of the story (straight down) and the fact that Hud is so damned unlikeable (not even pitiful once you know his backstory) makes it hard to enjoy. The return of Bernstein's guitars at the very end, when we know Hud is lost forever, didn't quite reclaim the film for me. I could imagine a better one with a less constricted protagonist but I ain't from Texas.

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Martin Ritt

Director

Paul Newman

Hud Bannon

Melvyn Douglas

Homer Bannon

Patricia Neal

Alma Brown

Brandon De Wilde

Lonnie Bannon

John Ashley

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Hud: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Hard-drinking, arrogant, womanizing Hud Bannon (Paul Newman) lives a self-centered, indolent life supported by his hard-working and morally upstanding father, Homer (Melvyn Douglas), on the family cattle ranch in Texas. Hud's teenage nephew, Lonnie (Brandon de Wilde), blames Hud for the car crash that took the life of his father, Hud's older brother Norman, but shows hints of following in his ne'er-do-well uncle's footsteps when both men pursue family housekeeper Alma (Patricia Neal).

Director: Martin Ritt
Producer: Irving Ravetch, Martin Ritt
Screenwriter: Irving Ravetch, Harriet Frank Jr.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 28, 1963, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2011
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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