MovieChat Forums > Sometimes a Great Notion (1972) Discussion > Any fans of this flawed but strong film ...

Any fans of this flawed but strong film out there?

posted 21 years ago by jmcody
12 replies | jump to latest

Granted, I see the film through the eyes of a native Oregonian who really appreciates the atmosphere and the production design of this film.

Granted too, I see this film throught the eyes of someone who believes that Kesey's Faulkneresque original novel is one of America's finest works of lit.

Also I have to take into consideration that my some of my forebears were loggers and very Stamperesque and therefore, I see the film on real personal terms.

And I should mention that I got to meet Kesey shortly before he died and he revealed that he really like the film and participated in its adaptation. His behind the scenes anecdotes were a real kick to listen to.

SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION is also one of the films that I remember seeing as a four year old in a drive-in somewhere so as a young film viewer it imprinted itself on my psyche.

I am a huge Paul Newman fan and I think he does a solid job working with a great ensemble here as well as delivering a fine performance. He also looks somewhat like my late maternal grandfather. Especially as he drinks OLYMPIA beer in this film like my grandfather did.

No this film isn't a classic. Not by a long shot. But I happen to enjoy it for the strong personal reasons I have listed above and in my review for this website. Just seeing if there are any other fans of this film out there.

Keep The Change Bob.

[–] twarnock 21 years ago

I have always loved this film - As an Oregonian also I will always remember the Newman/log scene. I would love to see this movie come out on DVD. I can't remember how long it has been since I saw it.

[–] robinbks 21 years ago

Saw this movie at the drive-in in 1971 I think. I was/am a big Michael Sarrazin fan. Thought the movie was underated also. I liked the book and thought the movie did a faithful adaptation of it. The scenery was breathtaking and the score was good. I thought the relationship between Hank, Henry and Leland Stamper was all well-played. Too bad Lee Remick didn't have a bit bigger role. She is always great and didn't seem to get to do much here. I still can not watch the drowning scene without one hand over my eyes. It's too heart-wrenching. I heard that that one scene is what made Paul Newman want to make the movie and I believe it.

There is an intersting story about the filming on this site. It is a daughter's account of her father's work as an extra on the set.
It is at http://www.lanecc.edu/library/inklings/bear/bear1.htm

[–] jmcody 21 years ago

I was only about 4 years old at the time and I remember the drowning scene most vividly.

I truly hope they include the Remick/Sarrazin stuff gets re-introduced in the DVD- which I hope comes out someday.

I'll check the article. Kesey himself told a great story about Newman- loaded with a bottle of Chivez Regal, racing back to the Hotel.

Keep The Change Bob.

[fart]

[–] jmcody 21 years ago

especially to the misshaps that can and do happen in logging. I really connect with the movie on a personal level. All my paternal grandmother's people were loggers. One great uncle died from having a tree "barber pole" on him.

Keep The Change Bob.

[–] eddy-28 20 years ago

I really enjoyed the film. It's a shame this film isn't out on DVD, but I would agree that Ken Kesey's novel and the film deserve a better look. I am a major fan of Richard Jaeckel and his character of Joe Ben who is pinned under water by a tree and slowly drowns was pure classic. Although Jaeckel was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, he lost to his friend and frequent co-star Ben Johnson for The Last Picture Show. On any rate, Sometimes a Great Notion is a memorable film. Paul Newman should be proud that there are fans out there who really appreciate his work on this film. People sometimes regard Newman as this is his least known film, but it is a fine work of art in motion pictures.

[–] frank3wa 20 years ago

Being a logger myself(8 years now) in Washington state, I really liked this movie. Now i need to read the book.

[–] jmcody 20 years ago

It is incredible. You can just smell the crummy and all the mildew of the Coast.

Its shifting Points of View and verb tense can throw a first time reader off a bit, but stick it out and you won't be disappointed. Watch out for the character of Indian Jenny. She sure adds a touch of the supernatural to the proceedings.

The Stampers are the Joads moved out west.

Keep The Change Bob.

"The Maestro says it's Mozart, when it sounds like bubblegum."

[–] shepardjessica-1 19 years ago

The book is even better - NEVER GIVE AN INCH by Ken Kesey. The film is undervalued, though, and Richard Jaekel deserved his Supp. Actor nomination.

[–] rtanner-6 17 years ago

In this little group of messages and replies, it is apparent that the film has affected some Oregonians and loggers. I grew up in a little Oregon town where at any given time the men were either working "in the woods" or "in the mill" (the planing mill). As an Oregonian too-long-removed - several decades removed - it is with some nostalgia that I read others' references to "barber pole" and "crummy," and I derive a certain satisfaction in knowing what they're writing about.

Several of my predecessors here comment on the power of the drowning scene. As I note in a separate posting, I too find that scene to be simply incomparable and unforgettable. It never lets you go.

[–] jmcody 17 years ago

Love you sharing your immediate connection with logger venacular. Judging from many of the posts on this intimate thread, this remains the film's strong power. It is truly a piece of regional literature. Which is precisely the reason I teach it in my English classes. The film that is. The book I certainly would but it is a bit too much for a high school freshman to tackle.

BTW: "crummy" and "show" are also used during wheat harvest out in rural eastern Oregon (the OTHER Oregon) (which Kesey also wrote about).

Keep The Change Bob.

"The Maestro says its Mozart, when it sounds like bubblegum."

[–] pbirmingham-3 17 years ago

I'm a big fan of this movie and have been trying to find it on DVD without success. Also trying to find out whether is ever will be made into a DVD. It is available on VHS (I gave my VCR away a long time ago) but a premium price.

[–] lizcarlo87 10 years ago

This is one of my favorite Paul Newman movies. I'm not native Oregonian but the family reminded me of my own.