Home from the Hill (1960)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Harriet Frank Jr. (screenplay) and
Irving Ravetch (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 May 1960 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

When you talk about GREAT Motion Pictures you will talk about this one!

Plot:

Captain Wade Hunnicutt is the wealthiest and most powerful citizen in his Texan town; he is also a notorious womanizer...

Plot Keywords:

Pursuit | Captain | Hunting | Womanizer | American South

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Captain Wade Hunnicutt
Eleanor Parker	...	Hannah Hunnicutt
George Peppard	...	Raphael 'Rafe' Copley
George Hamilton	...	Theron Hunnicutt
Everett Sloane	...	Albert Halstead
Luana Patten	...	Elizabeth 'Libby' Halstead
Anne Seymour	...	Sarah Halstead
Constance Ford	...	Opal Bixby
Ken Renard	...	Chauncey (Hunnicutt butler)
Ray Teal	...	Dr. Reuben Carson

Runtime:

150 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:Approved (certificate #19325) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Greenwood, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Shirley Knight tested opposite George Hamilton for the role of Libby.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Theron is shooting cans off a fence for target practice. However, every time he hits a can, it shoots straight up in the air instead of backwards. There are probably pneumatic jets hidden behind the fence rail to knock the cans off.

Quotes:

Capt. Wade Hunnicutt: ...Kind of man that walks around with nothing in his pockets, no identification because everyone knows who you are. No cash because anyone in town would be happy to lend you anything you need. No keys 'cause you don't keep a lock on a single thing you own. And no watch because time waits on you.

Fine performances in well written family drama

This is a well written adaptation of the famous novel about a Southern family torn apart by the socially unacceptable behavior of its patriarch and the resulting tragedies incurred by his offspring because of it. All performances are exceptionally fine and neither George Hamilton nor George Peppard have ever topped these first outings for them both. Hamilton reminds one of Tony Perkins here - he would also have been perfect casting. He is also reminiscent of Hal Sparks.

Mitchum does very well in one of his best roles and although Eleanor Parker is not on screen very much, she gives a very fine restrained performance.

The joy of this film is in the writing- all of the characters are somehow flawed but they are all basically human and likeable because of it - there are no caricatures, no stock villains or heroes. The 2-1/2 hour running time goes swiftly by.

Bronislau Kaper's score is one of his finest. The unforgettable main theme - a combination of five notes, followed by four - with emphasis laid on the first note of both sets, is extremely moving - filled with both passion and sadness. It is available on CD from Film Score Monthly's series of remastered soundtrack music.

The only fly in the ointment is the VHS release - yes, this newest one- as with MGM/UA's release of SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, they use a pan and scan of the CinemaScope image and the print is very fuzzy and washed out color-wise. The film is so good though, one is only minorly annoyed with this.

Do see it - it's very very well done.