THE LONG HOT SUMMER

Martin Ritt's movie, based on a couple of stories by William Faulkner, may not be earth-shatteringly profound or even particularly serious but it's a hugely enjoyable melodrama nevertheless. Paul Newman is Ben Quick, an alleged barn-burner, who drifts into a sleepy small town, the whole of which seems to be the property of Will Varner, (Orson Wells, going way over the top), during that long, hot summer of the title.

Quick is aptly named as it doesn't take him long to make his mark as the son Varner would rather he had instead of feckless Anthony Franciosa. Joanne Woodward is also on hand as the prim school mistress daughter who has the hots for Quick, (just as Woodward had the hots for Newman, who probably never looked more beautiful on screen). Others on board include Lee Remick as Franciosa's trashy wife and Angela Lansbury as Welles' mistress and they are all good value. Lushly photographed in widescreen by Joseph LaShelle and with a good score by Alex North this remains something of a forgotten gem.