The sort of movie which is obviously well made and I think if I'd seen it when it came out I would've loved it but it's a little annoying to be honest. I'm not a massive Paul Newman fan. I like him - I mean who doesn't like him - but it's just such a loving star vehicle.
The character is a real shit head - he tries to rape Patricia Neal, he suggests having dad Melvyn Douglas ruled incompetent, he wants to sell diseased cattle.
But he's also handsome and charismatic, a cat nip to the ladies (who include Yvette Vickers), Neal admits to being attracted to him and isn't that upset by the attempted rape. And the "moral centers" of Melvyn Douglas and Brandon de Wilde are so dull especially de Wilde.
Superb performances by Newman, Douglas and Neal. De Wilde is serviceable. The film has a fantastic sense of place: the modern day west, with its silly rodeos and talent shows involving kids, and cattle round ups, dingy diners, bored housewives, brawls. Beautifully shot.
John Ashley is billed sixth but I couldn't spot him in the film.
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