The Long, Hot Summer

1958
PG
1h 55m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

13K

YOUR RATING

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58 Photos

Drama

Accused barn burner and conman Ben Quick arrives in a small Mississippi town and quickly ingratiates himself with its richest family, the Varners.Accused barn burner and conman Ben Quick arrives in a small Mississippi town and quickly ingratiates himself with its richest family, the Varners.Accused barn burner and conman Ben Quick arrives in a small Mississippi town and quickly ingratiates himself with its richest family, the Varners.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

13K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 4 nominations total

Lucius
(as William Walker)

Robert Adler

Ambulance Driver
(uncredited)

Val Avery

Wilk
(uncredited)

Al Bain

Man at Auction
(uncredited)

Oscar Blank

Man at Auction
(uncredited)

Danny Borzage

Man at Auction
(uncredited)

Jim Brandt

Linus Olds
(uncredited)

Ella Mae Brown

Woman at Auction
(uncredited)

Director
- Martin Ritt
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Director Martin Ritt was forever known after this movie as the man who tamed Orson Welles. During filming, Ritt drove Welles to a local swamp, kicked him out of the car and forced him to find his own way back.

Goofs
When Clara tells Ben off at the picnic, there is smoke wafting through the shot, apparently from cigarettes or cigars smoked by the director and/or crew.

Quotes
Clara: Mr. Quick, I am a human being. Do you know what that means? It means I set a price on myself: a high, high price. You may be surprised to know it, but I've got quite a lot to give. I've got things I've been saving up my whole life. Things like love and understanding and-and jokes and good times and good cooking. I'm prepared to be the Queen of Sheba for some lucky man, or at the very least the best wife that any man could hope for. Now, that's my human history and it's not going to be bought and sold and it's certainly not gonna be given away to any passin' stranger.

Connections
Edited into The Greatest Showman (2017)

Soundtracks
The Long, Hot Summer
Performed by Jimmie Rodgers
Written by Sammy Cahn and Alex North

User reviews85

Featured review

8/10

Flawed Southern saga

I've always loved a recording I have by Gordon MacRae of The Long Hot Summer, not knowing it was sung over the titles in this movie by Jimmie Rogers. Good songs always add to a movie I've always thought and this romantic drama gets a boost from this lovely melody. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward married either here or shortly after and went on to collaborate on many other movies. This must be one of the best although as I say, it is flawed. Mainly because Newman's Ben Quick couldn't really have taken on all the things he gets to do here in the space of just a few days.

Nevertheless I loved this movie and the stellar cast that included Lee Remick as Joanne's sister in law, Tony Franciosa as her disturbed brother, Orson Welles as their dominant bullying father, Angela Lansbury as Welles' girlfriend and Richard Anderson as Joanne's boy friend. Beautifully shot and superbly directed by Martin Ritt, the movies just sparkles thanks to these actors.