Review of Sometimes a Great Notion (1971) by Dennis H — 30 Jan 2004

Based on a book by Ken Kesey, about an Oregon logging family, this Paul Newman-directed drama really snuck up on me. Henry Fonda, Paul Newman and Richard Jaeckal are part of the Stamper family logging firm, who's motto is "Never Give An Inch". They are in a fight with the union, as they are the only loggers working while the union timber firms are on strike. It's breaking the town. Then the elder Stamper's youngest son returns to the fold, causing even more drama, especially as the younger handsome son of a gun hits on Newman's character's wife (Lee Remick). This is all pretty good and engaging. Then some real major shit happens all at once. Then there's a lull period while Paul Newman sits around brooding, drinking Olympia beer.

Henry Fonda is excellent here, even though he's in a plaster cast for virtually the entire movie. He has to walk around with his left arm suspended. The tomato rating on this post for him isn't really for him - it's for his arm. Later, his right arm comes into play - the big payoff of the entire film.

Another thing that really impressed me was the photography, which managed to capture the sheer scale of the small family's giant logging operations, like the logs floating down the river and the mountainside clear-cutting operation.