Disappointment for a huge fan!

A Brilliant Conflict

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Adapted from the 1964 Ken Kesey novel by John Gay ('Soldier Blue'), 'Sometimes a Great Notion' follows the struggles of the Stampers, a family of fiercely independent loggers on Oregon's central coast who are fighting to remain working in the midst of a local strike against a large timber corporation. Henry Fonda plays Henry Stamper, the ferocious family patriarch; Paul Newman (who also directed the film after Richard A. Colla left the project) is Henry, Jr. ("Hank"), the irascible eldest son; Richard Jaeckel is Joe Ben, the stolid second son; Michael Sarrazin is Leland, the prodigal third son; Lee Remick is (miscast as) Hank's neglected wife, Viv. As 'New York Times' film critic Vincent Canby wittily pointed out in a contemporary review, 'Sometimes a Great Notion' is "an example of a genre of action film that flourished in the 1930's in movies about tuna fisherman, bush pilots, high-wire repairmen and just about any physical pursuit you can think of with the possible exception of toll-taking, which (except on some thruways) lacks the necessary amount of danger." 'Variety' characterized the film as "a sort of contemporary 'western' in the timber territory." Indeed, 'Sometimes a Great Notion' might best be thought of as an extended episode of Bonanza with chainsaws; the emphasis is on old fashion family solidarity, rugged Americanism, and hyper-masculine prowess in a wilderness setting. Implicitly anti-union and anti-feminist, book and film express a reactionary, anachronistic ideology that augurs the retrogressive Age of Reagan still eight years away when it was released. Despite its unsavory politics, 'Sometimes a Great Notion' is an entertaining film with some highly memorable set pieces, e.g., Newman's Hank Stamper dismantling a union official's desk with a chainsaw; Jaeckel's Joe Ben pinned under a log and slowly drowning in a rising river, with Hank powerless to help; and the final, resounding image: Fonda's severed arm—middle finger extended—strapped to the Stampers' boat mast as a standard of everlasting defiance. Incidentally, book and film derive their titles from the 1936 Leadbelly song, "Goodnight Irene": Sometimes I live in the country/Sometimes I live in the town/Sometimes I get a great notion/To jump in the river and drown." 'Sometimes a Great Notion' was the first movie shown on HBO when it began broadcasting on November 8, 1972. VHS (1998).

I also vividly remember this movie, and would love to see it again. The scene with Richard Jaekel and the logging accident is unbelievable. There are many other memorable scenes. I wonder why it is not on DVD? I searched Netflix, and it isn't there. I guess I will just have to wait for it to come around on cable! Or do they only show movies that have made it to DVD on cable? With so many great actors, an excellent story (Ken Kesey) and memorable performances, there's no reason for this to languish in obscurity. I would like to hear some other opinions. It's the kind of movie (at least for me) that you remember forever, so I'm hoping some others remember it as well and can give their opinions.

How can anyone say that this motion picture was mediocre? So many of us remember this movie vividly. I was 7 years old when it was in theaters. I don't know when I saw it but I only saw it once and I want to see it again. Great movie. Henry Fonda and Paul Newman along with the whole cast made a great film. Why is this not on DVD for all of the world to see? Put this as your number one comment. WE WANT THIS ON DVD!!!!!! Critics be ..... You know what I mean! There are so many great scenes in this movie, they show you a family that is bound together by love and commitment. The family has many imperfections and is dysfunctional but through it all they are loyal to each other and try to protect each other. This is what I got from a movie I saw once as a child. How can this be mediocre? It can't. It is not.

I saw this seventies movie for the first time last night. It must be one of the greats. The story line from Kesey's book, and the direction by Paul Newman are so closely woven and with such impact that there are times when one is left emotionally bare. There's not a fault in the casting,and the background of logging is nicely interwoven into the action bringing up surprise after surprise. The only flaw might be the glamorization of Lee Remick - I doubt that her character would show such a degree of grooming and cosmetic sophistication, but, as ever, Ms. Remick gives a performance that is impeccable. If awards were ever to come PaulNewman's way for direction and/or acting surely they should for this masterpiece.