The Long, Hot Summer (1958)
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- Not Rated
- 1h 55min
- Drama
- 18 May 1958 (West Germany)
- Movie
Accused barn burner and conman Ben Quick arrives in a small Mississippi town and quickly ingratiates himself with its richest family, the Varners.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 2 wins & 4 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Paul Newman | ... |
Ben Quick
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| Joanne Woodward | ... |
Clara Varner
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| Anthony Franciosa | ... |
Jody Varner
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| Orson Welles | ... |
Will Varner
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| Lee Remick | ... |
Eula Varner
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| Angela Lansbury | ... |
Minnie Littlejohn
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| Richard Anderson | ... |
Alan Stewart
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| Sarah Marshall | ... |
Agnes Stewart
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| Mabel Albertson | ... |
Elizabeth Stewart
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| J. Pat O'Malley | ... |
Ratliff
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| Bill Walker | ... |
Lucius
(as William Walker)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Robert Adler | ... |
Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
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| Val Avery | ... |
Wilk (uncredited)
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| Al Bain | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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Oscar Blank | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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Danny Borzage | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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Jim Brandt | ... |
Linus Olds (uncredited)
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| Ella Mae Brown | ... |
Woman at Auction (uncredited)
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Brian Corcoran | ... |
Harry Peabody (uncredited)
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Lee Erickson | ... |
Tom Shortly (uncredited)
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| Byron Foulger | ... |
Harris (uncredited)
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| Joseph Glick | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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| Jimmie Horan | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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Eugene Jackson | ... |
Waiter (uncredited)
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| Michael Jeffers | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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| I. Stanford Jolley | ... |
Houston (uncredited)
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Chester Jones | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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Nicholas King | ... |
John Fisher (uncredited)
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Joseph C. Narcisse | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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Terry Rangno | ... |
Pete Armistead (uncredited)
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Paul Ravel | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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| Ralph Reed | ... |
J.V. Bookright (uncredited)
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Victor Rodman | ... |
Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
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Pat Rosemond | ... |
Minor Role (uncredited)
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Walter Smith | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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Arthur Tovey | ... |
Man at Auction (uncredited)
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| Helen Wallace | ... |
Minor Role (uncredited)
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Steve Widders | ... |
Buddy Peabody (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Martin Ritt | ||
Written by
| William Faulkner | ... | (novella "Spotted Horses") (novel "The Hamlet") (short story "Barn Burning") |
| Irving Ravetch | ... | (screenplay) and |
| Harriet Frank Jr. | ... | (screenplay) |
Produced by
| Jerry Wald | ... | producer |
Music by
| Alex North | ||
Cinematography by
| Joseph LaShelle | ... | director of photography (as Joseph La Shelle) |
Editing by
| Louis R. Loeffler | ||
Editorial Department
| Leonard Doss | ... | color consultant |
| Robert C. Jones | ... | first assistant editor (uncredited) |
Art Direction by
| Maurice Ransford | ||
| Lyle R. Wheeler | ||
Set Decoration by
| Eli Benneche | ||
| Walter M. Scott | ||
Costume Design by
| Adele Palmer | ||
Makeup Department
| Ben Nye | ... | makeup artist |
| Helen Turpin | ... | hair stylist |
| Edwin Allen | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Layne Britton | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Ruby Felker | ... | hair dresser (uncredited) |
| Mildred Quinn | ... | body makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Roy Stork | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Arthur Lueker | ... | unit production manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Eli Dunn | ... | assistant director |
| Al Murphy | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Norman Rockett | ... | props (uncredited) |
| Will Williams | ... | movie poster artist (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Harry M. Leonard | ... | sound |
| E. Clayton Ward | ... | sound |
| L. Ralph Zerbe | ... | recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Ray Deter | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| L.B. Abbott | ... | special photographic effects |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Walter Davis | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
| James E. Lavin | ... | key grip (uncredited) |
| Irving Rosenberg | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| Don Scott | ... | gaffer (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Charles Le Maire | ... | executive wardrobe designer (as Charles LeMaire) |
| Joan Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
| Willie Mae Neal | ... | wardrobe (uncredited) |
| James Taylor | ... | wardrobe (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Lionel Newman | ... | conductor |
| Maurice De Packh | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Marie Kenney | ... | script supervisor (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Curtis Harrington | ... | assistant to producer (uncredited) |
| Marguerite Lamkin | ... | dialogue coach (uncredited) |
| Martha Manor | ... | stand-in (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Twentieth Century Fox (1958) (United States) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1958) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox (1958) (France) (theatrical)
- Centfox (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Magnetic Video (1977) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1986) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox Video (1990) (Belgium) (VHS) (pan/scan)
- CBS/Fox (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1991) (United States) (VHS)
- Fox Video (1991) (United States) (VHS)
- Fox Video (1992) (United States) (video) (Laserdisc)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (United States) (VHS)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (United States) (DVD)
- Optimum Releasing (2011) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Koch Media (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
- 20th Television (2013) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1984) (Australia) (video)
- Rai 1 (1976) (Italy) (tv)
- Twilight Time (2017) (World-wide) (Blu-ray)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Bausch & Lomb (CinemaScope lenses)
- Orwo Studios (location)
- Orwo Studios (soundstage)
- Westrex Recording System (sound recording system)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Sixty-one year old widower Will Varner (Orson Welles), in ill health, owns many businesses and property in Frenchman's Bend, Mississippi, including a plantation. To him, his children are a disappointment, who he sees as not being able to carry on the Varner name in the style to which he has built around it. Son Jody (Anthony Francoisa) has no ambition and does not work, spending much of his time fooling around with his seductive wife, Eula (Lee Remick). He finds 23-year-old daughter Clara (Joanne Woodward) clever, but he feels she also wastes her time on more contemplative pursuits. While most of her contemporaries are married, Clara has been dating Alan Stewart (Richard Anderson), a genteel mama's boy, for six years. Will would not mind Alan so much if he too thought Alan had a bit of a forceful man in him, which he could demonstrate by actually asking Clara to marry him. Conversely, Jody laments that nothing he does is ever good enough for his father, while Clara plain does not like the way he treats them. Into their lives comes Ben Quick (Paul Newman), who Jody hired while Will was hospitalized, to do some sharecropping on currently vacant land. Despite Will believing the unsubstantiated stories that Ben burned down someone's barn as an act of vengeance, Will becomes to view Ben as the son he never had, as he is much the same mold. As such, Will does whatever he can to get Ben to be part of the family to carry on the Varner name the way Will wants it be, which means marrying Clara. Through the process, Clara may come to a realization about what she really wants in life, while Jody does whatever he can to retain his position in the family. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Not since "Peyton Place" has a story been told so boldly! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $1,500,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| 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. See more » |
| 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. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into The Greatest Showman (2017). See more » |
| Soundtracks | The Long, Hot Summer See more » |
| 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. See more » |