YOUNGBLOOD HAWKE
US, 1964, 137 minutes, Black and white.
James Franciscus, Genevieve Page, Suzanne Pleshette, Eva Gabor, Mary Astor, Lee Bowman, Edward Andrews, John Emery, Don Porter.
Directed by Delmer Daves.
Youngblood Hawke is a lavish melodrama of the early '60s. It was written and directed by Delmer Daves who had made a number of excellent westerns in the '50s (Broken Arrow, 3.10 to Yuma, Cowboy) but who moved in the early '60s to melodrama like A Summer Place, Susan Slade. He also made The Battle of the Villa Fiorita.
This film is adapted from a Herman Wouk novel. In later decades it would be a mini-series (as Wouk's Winds of War). There is enough incident crammed into 21-4 hours for quite a substantial mini-series. It would be substantial in the sense of amount of plot ~ not necessarily in terms of quality. This film is soap opera in the stylish fashion rather than a solid drama. The cast is interesting - with Edward Andrews a stand-out as a caustic critic. The film has excellent Warner Bros. technical credits and a score by Max Steiner.
Entertaining enough in itself, it seems particularly farfetched and does not compare well with the full-blooded mini-series of later decades.
1. The popularity of soap opera? Perennial interest in the life of the rich, their struggles, scandals? Best-seller novels as bases for such films? The '60s treatment? Still enjoyable?
2. Production values: black and white photography, Kentucky, New York, the Bahamas? The background of Kentucky industry, the world of New York and arts and critics, theatre? The world of the poor, the world of the rich and fashionable? Real/unreal? Max Steiner's score?
3. The title and the focus on Hawke? His name, pride, family, role as an author, reputation, Image - and reality?
4. The screenplay and its compressing a best-seller novel into its length? Treatment of situations and characters, suggestions of motivation - more suited to mini-series?
5. Audience response to such melodrama, soap opera situations? The style, emotional response? Resolution of conflicts?
6. The opening situation: Hawke and his writing, driving the truck, relationship with his mother, her strength, his strength? The uncles and their double-dealings with wills? Deals? Family stubbornness? His mother and her pride, her not believing in his work, her adaptation to his celebrity, her disappointment in finding him with Frieda? Accepting his failure - support at the end?
7. James Franciscus's style as Youngblood Hawke: strong yet bland, pleasant? Dedicated to his mother? A hard worker, a workaholic? The writing of his novel and his belief in himself? The move to New York? His being well received by Jason Prince and his wife? By the critics, - especially Quentin Judd? His being assigned Jeanne for editing his work? Her arranging the apartment? Jeanne and the bond between them, her skill in helping him? Society and the encounter with Frieda? Her changing his apartment? His being caught up in the world of the celebrities - interviews etc.? Self-deception, glamour, relationships with the two women? His indecisiveness? His further work, lack of success, compromise? Going to the Bahamas - and the request by Irene Perry to write the play? His writing it - the scene of his reading it and the applause? The liaison with Freda, at home? Being caught by Paul - and Paul's admiration of him? The absence of Frieda's husband? Frieda going to the Bahamas? Jeanne and her devotion, the phone call, her going to the Bahamas and finding the two? Her decision to change firms, to become engaged? The build-up to the gaining of the printing house, his agent and his pushiness, the opening of the play, the publishing of the new novel? His uncles and the deals, the bank men and their hold? The cocktail party and Quentin Judd's denunciation? The humiliation, Hawke’s acceptance of it and admitting the truth? The failure of the play? The news about Paul's suicide? The reviews? His opting out - going home to complete the novel for financial success? Completing his work, collapsing in the snow, his illness? Frieda's visit and his rejection of her? His mother and Jeanne? The rather pat resolution? A portrait of a popular novelist - credible or not?
8. Jeanne as pleasant, skilled at her work, attracted to Hawke, arranging the apartment, their collaboration, her falling in love, being hurt by him, seeing the relationship with Frieda, going to the Bahamas, seeing the truth about him, still believing in him, her reaction to Judd's denunciation, her going to him in the hospital? His choice of her? Did he deserve her?
9. The contrast with Frieda - at home, place in society, her children and their manners, her husband and his wealth, the beginning of the affair, the apartment, the liaison at home, Paul and his catching the couple, his admiration for Hawke? Frieda going to the Bahamas? Her taking on the new novelist when he rejected her? Paul and his knowing the truth? His suicide - the school, covering it up, the note and the mockery that he received? Her decision to leave her husband? Her husband and his undermining the publishing house to gain revenge? Her going to Hawke in the hospital - his rejection of her?
10. Quentin Judd as a self-opinionated critic yet with insight, his speeches, their accuracy timing and directness?
11. Irene Perry and the actor their faith in Hawke, the writing of the play, the Bahamas, rehearsals, the failure and their ability to accept it?
12. Paul and his sensitivity, his going to school, the letter and the truth, the pathos of his suicide?
13. The world of publishers, agents, deals, double-dealing, hypocrisies?
14. An atmosphere of unreality - yet enjoyment? Soap operas taking basic human values and presenting them in an entertaining if melodramatic way?
