"The Long, Hot Summer," the first of six films he made for director Martin Ritt and the first of seven co-starring Joanne Woodward, is based on two short stories and part of a novel by Faulkner, provided him with his best role to that time
Ben Quick (Newman), a foolhardy, opportunistic young wanderer, drifts into a Mississippi town owned and run by the huge, powerful Will Varner (Orson Welles), who also dominates his daughter Clara (Woodward), a 23-year-o1d unmarried schoolteacher Despite Quick's reputation as a "barnburner," he is hired by Varner, and rapid1y works his way up to a partnership in the general store and a room in the main house
Varner, like Big Daddy in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," wants strong descendants, and since his son is a weakling, he decides that Clara will marry Quick, whose aggressive masculinity he admires (he calls Quick a "big stud horse"). Clara, offended by Quick's very self-satisfaction and vulgar manner, and by both men's treating her as property, resists
Like Billy the Kid, Quick is an outcast, isolated from humanity because of his notorious reputation But in temperament he's the opposite, an extreme extrovert From the very beginning, Newman, hat down low over his forehead, eyes gleaming with ambition, projects an overwhelming confidence, self-satisfaction and, above all, electrifying virility Cynical, arrogant, crude and unwilling to allow anything to interfere with his drive, he resembles Larry Maddux of "The Helen Morgan Story." But now the portrayal is more than one-dimensional: behind Quick's hard blue eyes, barely hidden sneer and devilish smile there's enough intelligence, humor, charm, and downright attractiveness to force our involvement in his quest for power
This is due entirely to Newman's ingenious acting, because as written the character reveals no positive traits until near the end, when he breaks down and tells Clara the truth about himself It's a powerful scene: his voice breaking, eyes filling slow1y with tears, Newman effectively depicts a man whose carefully formed cold shell is finally cracking to reveal the vulnerable soul within
The confession gives him a bond of equality with Clara that enables him to stand up decisively to Varner But even earlier, Quick was never completely dominated by the old man Of all the father-figures in Newman's films, Varner seems the most imposing, but Quick, unlike the weakling sons in "The Rack" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," isn't passive enough to be stepped upon
William Faulkner's characters are perfect foils: Newman is sexually sure, and seemingly devoid of vulnerability and humanity; Woodward is a virgin, extremely vulnerable, and longing to express her humanity She teaches him humility and the value of an individual; he helps her discover her sexuality
Two scenes are among the best in their careers, partly because of the sharp dialog by the screenwriters In the first, Clara comes to see Ben in the store at night After much childish verbal attacks and a few unperceptive truths, the two have pierced beneath the surface and have found the nerve endings of each other's weaknesses
Later, in the film's finest scene, Clara expresses herself more maturely, asserting that he has the wrong idea about her: she is no "trembling little rabbit, full of smoldering unsatisfied desires," but a full-grown, intelligent woman, who will not be bought and sold She says he's too much like her father: "I gave up on him when I was nine years old, and I gave up on you the first time I ever looked into those cold blue eyes."
With his firm and fresh manner Quick sums up his honest, hard, purely sexual appraisal of life: "Well, I can see you don't like me, but you're gonna have me. It's gonna be you and me "
Ben Quick (Newman), a foolhardy, opportunistic young wanderer, drifts into a Mississippi town owned and run by the huge, powerful Will Varner (Orson Welles), who also dominates his daughter Clara (Woodward), a 23-year-o1d unmarried schoolteacher Despite Quick's reputation as a "barnburner," he is hired by Varner, and rapid1y works his way up to a partnership in the general store and a room in the main house
Varner, like Big Daddy in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," wants strong descendants, and since his son is a weakling, he decides that Clara will marry Quick, whose aggressive masculinity he admires (he calls Quick a "big stud horse"). Clara, offended by Quick's very self-satisfaction and vulgar manner, and by both men's treating her as property, resists
Like Billy the Kid, Quick is an outcast, isolated from humanity because of his notorious reputation But in temperament he's the opposite, an extreme extrovert From the very beginning, Newman, hat down low over his forehead, eyes gleaming with ambition, projects an overwhelming confidence, self-satisfaction and, above all, electrifying virility Cynical, arrogant, crude and unwilling to allow anything to interfere with his drive, he resembles Larry Maddux of "The Helen Morgan Story." But now the portrayal is more than one-dimensional: behind Quick's hard blue eyes, barely hidden sneer and devilish smile there's enough intelligence, humor, charm, and downright attractiveness to force our involvement in his quest for power
This is due entirely to Newman's ingenious acting, because as written the character reveals no positive traits until near the end, when he breaks down and tells Clara the truth about himself It's a powerful scene: his voice breaking, eyes filling slow1y with tears, Newman effectively depicts a man whose carefully formed cold shell is finally cracking to reveal the vulnerable soul within
The confession gives him a bond of equality with Clara that enables him to stand up decisively to Varner But even earlier, Quick was never completely dominated by the old man Of all the father-figures in Newman's films, Varner seems the most imposing, but Quick, unlike the weakling sons in "The Rack" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," isn't passive enough to be stepped upon
William Faulkner's characters are perfect foils: Newman is sexually sure, and seemingly devoid of vulnerability and humanity; Woodward is a virgin, extremely vulnerable, and longing to express her humanity She teaches him humility and the value of an individual; he helps her discover her sexuality
Two scenes are among the best in their careers, partly because of the sharp dialog by the screenwriters In the first, Clara comes to see Ben in the store at night After much childish verbal attacks and a few unperceptive truths, the two have pierced beneath the surface and have found the nerve endings of each other's weaknesses
Later, in the film's finest scene, Clara expresses herself more maturely, asserting that he has the wrong idea about her: she is no "trembling little rabbit, full of smoldering unsatisfied desires," but a full-grown, intelligent woman, who will not be bought and sold She says he's too much like her father: "I gave up on him when I was nine years old, and I gave up on you the first time I ever looked into those cold blue eyes."
With his firm and fresh manner Quick sums up his honest, hard, purely sexual appraisal of life: "Well, I can see you don't like me, but you're gonna have me. It's gonna be you and me "