Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Such a frustrating disappointment

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

This big sprawling beautifully shot epic drama with credible acting features early performances by two young actors (with the same first name) that would go on to make names for themselves - George Peppard and George Hamilton. It was directed by Vincente Minnelli and features a screenplay by Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch that recalls their later, Academy Award nominated effort Hud (1963), though this film's screenplay was based on a William Humphrey novel.The story's about a hunter dubbed Captain, Wade Hunnicutt (Robert Mitchum), who owns most of the land and a significant chunk of a rural Texas community such that he's able to do what he pleases. However, his extramarital exploits have powerfully affected, and continue to influence his relationship with his wife Hannah (Eleanor Parker) and his two sons: the illegitimate one he allows to live on his vast property, Raphael 'Rafe' Copley (Peppard), and the one he had with Hannah, Theron (Hamilton), who thinks he's an only son until half way through the drama.As is later revealed, when Wade and Hannah returned home from their European honeymoon cruise, five year old Rafe was there with his mother, the boy being the product of an earlier dalliance by Wade. Hannah was so enraged that she cut off marital relations with her husband. Since she was already pregnant, she stayed; when she gave birth to a son, Wade promised her that she could raise Theron without interference if she'd continue to live under the same roof. He also refused to publicly recognize Rafe as his son, though he allowed the young man to live on his acreage when his mother died. Over the years, Rafe became the Captain's keeper of sorts, a hunting buddy that would retrieve the old man from various places after his affairs and/or drunken binges. Once Theron turned seventeen, Wade was ashamed of his mamma's boy that could be fooled into going on an all-night snipe hunt by local men (Denver Pyle, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams and others, uncredited) that looked up to the Captain, their landlord. Wade decided it was time to make a man out of Theron, that the boy was his too. He delivered this speech to his son:"I had something from my father that his father gave to him, I'm gonna give it to you. It's late, but it's not too late. You know, one of these days I'm gonna die Theron. You're gonna come into 40,000 acres of land: cotton, beef, goats, timber ... takes a special kind of man to handle that. 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. What I'm saying is you're gonna have to stand up and be counted. You're gonna be known in these parts as a man, or as a momma's boy."Wade then asked Rafe to teach Theron how to shoot and hunt and the two became close like the half brothers they were, though Theron was still unawares of the blood relationship. Theron was also clueless about his father's womanizing reputation, so he is stunned by the harsh negative reaction of a local merchant, Albert Halstead (Everett Sloane), whose daughter Libby (Luana Patten) he wants to date. In time, Theron learns these truths and is outraged by them both. The first causes him to move out and get a job in a cotton packing plant, promising his father to return only when he recognizes Rafe as his son and heir. The realization of his parents situation causes him to discard his relationship with Libby shortly after their "first time" and swear off marriage. But there's a symmetry to the story, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Libby got pregnant by Theron but doesn't tell him, refusing to "throw herself" at him. Rafe then bails Wade's son out by marrying Libby and legitimizing her son. Later, it's clear that they'll live happily ever after.Unaware that Libby's son is his own, Theron eyes his friends' marriage enviously. He'd moved back home because of his mother's failing health per his absence, but his sullen listless daily life brings his parents together. They discuss their lives, admit their mistakes to one another - this includes his straying induced by her locked bedroom and their mutual bad parenting - and agree to attempt a reconciliation for their son's sake. After making plans to start over with another European cruise, Hannah leaves Wade's office in hopeful spirits. As he's having a drink to celebrate their pending future, Wade is shot by an unseen person (the film had begun with Rafe saving Wade from a fatal shot by an irate 4-month married husband; Ray Teal plays the family physician). Butler Chauncey (Ken Renard), who'd apparently filled Rafe's role earlier in the Captain's life, bends over Wade's body while Hannah is in shock. Theron rushes to get Rafe, per his father's request, and then fights his brother to pursue the killer. He catches up to the man and shoots him (in what could later be called self defense). It's Albert, who'd earlier heard gossip among Wade's friends that had made him believe that the Captain was responsible for his daughter's child, per its familiar appearance. Albert had earlier tried to extort a shotgun wedding for Libby with Theron when he'd believed Wade's son was the responsible party. Theron decides to leave town. In the final scene, Hannah shows Rafe that Wade's headstone recognizes both sons; Rafe had apparently visited Hannah regularly when she'd broken down after Wade's death.

I understand a number of people enjoyed this but I found it long and a little boring. It's a story of family intrigue, a kind of interactional drama, in northeast Texas. Robert Mitchum is the head honcho in this small town, given to such manly pursuits as shooting animals and bedding the wives of other men. He's highly respected. Except by the men whose trust he's betrayed, one of whom offs him appropriately.His wife is Eleanor Parker, who dislikes him, has kept her bedroom door locked, and taken over the raising of their child, George Hamilton, as tan as ever and sounding like Tony Perkins. Hamilton's bedroom is "a boy's room", with rocks, a butterfly collection, and books. BOOKS! When Hamilton is seventeen, Mitchum decides it's time to make a man out of him. He takes the young man to HIS room, filled with the apparatus of killing and adorned with the heads of dead animals he's killed. Mitchum also has an good-natured illegitimate son, George Peppard, with whom he hangs around but doesn't treat especially kindly. Peppard lives in a hut with dogs.I can believe that this is the way life was led by a wealthy family in northeastern Texas in the 1950s, but the production values are cheap and the story sprawls and sprawls. If I wanted to see another sprawling story about a rich family in Texas, I'd watch "Giant" again. If I wanted to watch a superbly done story of a moderately wealthy Texas family, I'd go back to "Hud." The characters' conflicts are realistically portrayed. They teeter on the edge of stereotypy without quite falling into the trap. But it's hard to like much about Mitchum. His idea of being manly, aside from the hunting and fishing, is to shout his lines. He's best when he holds it back and only allows it to peep out once in a while.

"Home from the Hill" is a 1960 big, sprawling film about the Hunnicut family, led by Robert Mitchum. Eleanor Parker plays his unhappy wife, George Hamilton plays his unhappy son Theron, and George Peppard plays a ranch hand named Rafe. Luana Patton is Theron's unhappy girlfriend Libby.Captain Wade Hunnicut is the wealthiest and most powerful man in the Texas town in which he lives, but he's a philanderer, which has made his wife Hannah turn against him. She has basically raised their son Theron because she agreed to stay with Wade on that condition. When Theron reaches his late teens, though, Wade changes his mind and decides to make a man out of him. This means learning to use a shotgun, hunt, and learn something about women, though Rafe sort of schools him in that.Theron, however, finds out a family secret and grows to loathe his father and reject him. There are other complications as well concerning Theron's girlfriend Libby Halstead and her father (Everett Sloane).This film plays out like a big soap opera but it holds one's interest. The accents are a little broad - in one scene it almost sounded like they were playing a game of one-oneupmanship as to whose accent was the broadest.Younger people probably don't realize that George Hamilton had a film career. He was young, handsome, and could brood with the best of them. Today he parodies himself, having realized his limitations as an actor, though he's always been extremely likable. In this film, actually, he's quite good, in part thanks to Minnelli's direction.George Peppard, on the other hand, always took himself very seriously and turns in an excellent performance as Rafe, a man carrying around a lot of hurt but won't let anybody see it.Mitchum has a strong presence as Wade. He was a very charismatic actor and gives his character some real bite. Eleanor Parker has little to do, but her performance is that of a woman who, like Rafe, keeps the pain inside. It's a very subtle performance.The characters in this film are very well developed. It's a good script with fine direction by Vincent Minnelli, so you wouldn't expect less than very good-excellent.The ending of this film is satisfying, and the family drama rings true throughout. Recommended.

Robert Mitchum is a rich and powerful man. He's also a 'man's man'--tough, adventurous, a great hunter and one who likes to lead a manly life. However, he also has the morals of a sewer rat--and frequently sleeps with women--even though he's married (to Eleanor Parker). As a result, their marriage is VERY strained and they are distant. They have a son (George Hamilton) and the parents both want to shape him into their sort of man. As for Hamilton, he desperately wants to be respected by his father and be the manly sort. He has no idea what sort of reprobate his father is--that is, until he asks out a nice girl and her father flatly refuses to allow this. The pair decide to start dating on the sly.As Hamilton is molded into a man like his father, he's told by his father to be mentored by one of his most trusted employees (George Peppard). Eventually, however, Hamilton learns that this 'employee' is actually his dad's illegitimate son as well what sort of man his father really is--and it sends him off the deep end. When his girlfriend becomes pregnant, what sort of man will Hamilton turn out to be? And, what will become of this rich but no account family? And what about George Peppard--what about him?! This is a glossy soap opera, though it may not appear so when it begins. In many ways, it's in the same tradition as "Peyton Place" and "A Summer Place"--enjoyable, glossy, very well-acted and a bit trashy--but mostly enjoyable. It ended very well--very, very well. And, the film has a lot to say about what it means to be a man...a REAL man.