Continuing our celebration of 1963 here's Murtada on that year's Best Actress.
Patricia Neal is first introduced 8 minutes into Hud. She walks into the center of the frame and takes hold of it as she gazes at Paul Newman parking his car.
He parked right on my flower bed”.
The way she is framed ensures the audience knows she’s important to the story. The way Neal tosses off that line, we know Alma’s not to be messed with. [More...]
She then fades as the film's central plot, Newman’s Hud and his father (Melvyn Douglas) vying for the soul of Brandon De Wilde’s Lonnie, is set. All the actors give vivid interesting performances, but the movie gets more animated with a certain je ne sais quoi verve whenever Neal appears. She brings an easy sexuality, the confidence of a woman who knows her worth. We are intrigued by and interested in her Alma.
Let’s go into detail with two crucial Alma scenes.
“I just wish I knew where some gals get the time during the day”.
“They just drop everything honey”
“I guess it beats housework”.
Crackling dialogue, the writing is so good allowing Neal to establish Alma’s attraction to Hud as well as her prudence. She knows he’s bad news but that also he can be a fun ride. Newman matches her in friskiness and the easy rapport between them creates a scorching sexual heat off the screen. Are you fanning yourselves yet?
“You still got that itch?”
Here Neal and Newman take it to the next level. Openly acknowledging their desire for each other. Neal also lets us know why Alma is wary of Hud. Her eyes tell us not only of her years of experience but also how certain she is of how bad a fling might end. Of course in their next scene all her suspicions come true. However Alma is given a fantastic exit later on as “the one that got away” doing justice to Neal’s fiery performance.
While watching this movie I lamented the state of sex in recent English language movies. Is there currently anyone who can emanate heat and earthiness as much as Neal does in Hud? Maybe three decades ago Debra Winger in An Officer and Gentleman with her husky voice and uncomplicated confidence in her body. We just touched on Kate Winslet’s frank sexuality in The Reader, but she hasn’t had a similar opportunity since. Look at American Hustle, the promos promised us sex what with plunging necklines and numerous movie stars gliding across the screen. But that was it, just gorgeous period specific customs and (mostly) hot bodies. There was no sexual heat in any of the different pairings. And it’s not just the actors. It seems the writers and directors are not interested in exploring sexual dynamics between their characters anymore. If you want to burn your eyes with heat watch French cinema. Matthias Schoenaerts and Marion Cotillard in Rust and Bone, Lea Seydoux in anything.
Despite her limited screen time Neal is dynamite as Alma and of course won the best actress Oscar. She holds us enthralled throughout. While the film is full of excellent, even mesmerizing, performances, Neal rules.
If a movie comes along today with a character like Alma who would you cast?