Sadly Over-hyped

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

HOME FROM THE HILL participates in a tradition of Fifties melodrama that encompasses most of the work of Douglas Sirk for Universal Pictures.Set in an unnamed Southern town, it focuses on patriarch Wade Hunnicutt (Robert Mitchum) trying to maintain his authority over wife Hannah (Eleanor Parker) and son Theron (George Hamilton). His moral authority has been undercut by his private life; he has been far from faithful and one of his affairs led to his producing an illegitimate child Rafe (George Peppard), who now works as Wade's full-time factotum. Vincente Minnelli's film centers on the conflicts within the family that inevitably lead to tragedy and reconciliation.For historians of late Fifties and early Sixties social history, the film is a fascinating text. Wade embraces the patriarchal ideology in which men are inevitably perceived as breadwinners while their spouses stay at home and bring up the children. He is supported in this belief by Theron's erstwhile girlfriend Libby (Luana Patten), whose principal ambition consists of wanting to "settle down," have children and enjoy the confines of her newly-fitted kitchen.Yet the film shows that belief being challenged by Theron, who begins by wanting to emulate his father's ideals of strength and masculinity (by hunting down a wild boar) and thereby escape what he perceives as the destructive feminizing influence of Hannah. In a traditional society any hint of feminine instincts automatically destroys a man's reputation. As the action unfolds, however, and Theron discovers the truth about his father, so his concepts of gender change; in the end he rebels and walks out of the house altogether. This kind of stand taken by the old against the young is traceable back to REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955).Yet Minnelli suggests that such rebellions are in fact futile. It is better to maintain one's belief in the power of marriage and the family as the basis of social stability. This is precisely what Rafe believes in; hence his decision to marry Libby, even though Libby has become pregnant before marriage. Rafe is identified as the film's moral center; despite the disadvantages he experienced as a child (when his father refused to acknowledge his existence), he grows up to be a firm believer in marriage and legitimate children.Shot in Cinemascope, HOME ON THE HILL makes considerable use of cinematic depth, especially in the way it photographs the characters talking to one another in over-stuffed rooms. There is a clever use of symbolism: when Wade talks about the future of his family to Hannah, Minnelli photographs Hannah next to one of Wade's hunting trophies hung on the wall, suggesting that she represents little more than another trophy to her husband. It is his self-interest and moral myopia that lie at the heart of the film's social conflicts.With an operatic score (by Bronislau Kaper) underpinning many of the film's dramatic moments, HOME ON THE HILL is the kind of overblown melodrama that simply doesn't get made any more, with emotions worn on the sleeve and the actors playing their roles for all they are worth. The film might be long, but it is great fun to watch.

Good movie with acceptable protagonist quartet such as Robert Mitchum , Eleanor Parker , George Hamilton and George Peppard ; all of them playing an enjoyable story with gritty subject matter . It deals with Captain Wade Hunnicutt (veteran Robert Mitchum) , he is a Southern landowner in a Texan town ; he is also a known womanizer who has relations with many of the local ladies , which has turned his spouse Hannah (enjoyable Eleanor Parker) against him . She has brought up their son Theron (a very young George Hamilton) to be dependent upon her ; as he approaches 18 and he reaches adulthood , he then asks his father to teach him to be a man and he is soon fishing and hunting . Wade insists on taking over his upbringing , initiating him in his way of life . But Wade has conflicts with his wife , son and foreman Rafe . Meanwhile , Theron falls in love for the shopkeeper (usual secondary Everett Sloane)'s daughter (Luana Patten ,though Shirley Knight tested for the role of Libby) . However , he has the door slammed in his face by the girl's daddy . Theron is under the watchful eye of Rafe (George Peppard) , Hunnicutt's loyal employee who hides a dark secret to affect whole family . As Theron learns the family secrets, he is upsetting and decides to make his own way in life . It all leads to death , family confrontation , murder and tragedy.This is a pensive examen of a dysfunctional family in ¨Soaper¨ style and it contains emotion , thrills , imaginative sidelights , interesting dialog ; though overlong and sometimes static . It depicts the stormy events take place into a family whose womanizer father , subsequent gossips and other sorrowful happenings lead to fateful as well as tragic deeds . Very good acting by Robert Mitchum as a surly as well as rich father , the wealthiest and most powerful citizen in his town and Eleanor Parker as embittered wife who lives in the same house but are estranged and living separate lives ; however , these roles were first suggested as a vehicle for Bette Davis and Clark Gable . The picture is noteworthy for giving George Hamilton his first big break , plus George Peppard is top-notch as a foreman with good heart . Furthermore , a gorgeous Luana Patten , an attractive actress who being a little girl usually played for Walt Disney Productions , unfortunately , she early died . Fine support cast giving brief but nice acting such as Everett Sloane , Ray Teal , Dub Taylor , Constance Ford , Anne Seymour and Denver Pyle , among others . Colorful and glowing cinematography filmed in Panavision by Milton Krasner . The majority of location filming took place in Oxford, Mississippi, near the University of Mississippi campus and in Clarksville, Texas . Rousing and sensitive original musical score by Bronislau Kaper . This melodrama , typical and brilliant MGM , was well produced by Sol C. Siegel and Edmund Grainger ; being efficiently directed by Vincente Minelli . Vincente was an expert on musicals , being hired by MGM for many years . After working on numerous Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland vehicles , usually directed by Busby Berkeley , Arthur Freed gave him his first directorial assignment on ¨Cabin in the sky¨ (1943), a risky screen project with an all-black cast . This was followed by the ambitious period piece , the classic ¨Meet me in St. Louis¨ (1944) whose star Judy Garland he married in 1945 . Many of his films included in every one of his movies features a dream sequence such as ¨Four horsemen of Apocalypse¨ . Employing first-class MGM technicians , including Erich Von Stroheim , Minnelli continued directing musicals as ¨The band wagon¨ (1953) , ¨Kismet¨, ¨The pirate¨ , ¨ An American in Paris¨ , ¨Brigadoon¨ as well as melodramas as ¨Some came running¨ (1958) , ¨Madame Bovary¨, ¨The sandpiper¨ , The home from the hill¨ and urban comedies like ¨Designing woman¨ (1957), occasionally even working on two films simultaneously . In his last average film titled ¨Nina¨ worked with his daughter Liza Minnelli . Rating ¨The home from the hill¨ : Better than average , it's a good story though sometimes falls plain , well worth watching .

In 1960s Texas, real estate tycoon Robert Mitchum ("Captain" Wade Hunnicutt) is wounded, by the husband of one of his many feminine conquests, during a hunt. Young handy-man George Peppard (as Raphael "Rafe" Copley) comes to Mr. Mitchum's aide. Nobody talks about the fact, but Mr. Peppard is Mitchum's 22-year-old illegitimate offspring. Mitchum employs Peppard, but does not officially recognize him as a son. Mitchum's "legitimate" son and heir is gangly good-looking 17-year-old George Hamilton (as Theron Hunnicutt). Peppard chain-smokes, swings a rifle, and does other manly things. Mitchum beds women.But, young Mr. Hamilton is known as a "mama's boy." He gets his main nurturing from mother Eleanor Parker (as Hannah). Though still sexy, Ms. Parker keeps her bedroom door locked. The film top-bills Mitchum and Parker, but deals mainly with the "coming of age" story concerning Hamilton's character, how it effects others in the cast, and uncovers buried emotions. Described as "wet behind the ears," Hamilton is taught how to hunt "like a man" by brotherly Peppard. Then, he is encouraged to ask pretty Luana Patten (as Elizabeth "Libby" Halstead) out for a date. Hamilton figures out what to do with her on his own...Beautifully adapted by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr., from a William Humphrey story, "Home from the Hill" is a surprisingly effective indictment of illegitimacy. Director Vincente Minnelli manages the material exceptionally well, bringing the characters and situations to life; this is absolutely necessary, since the basic story is very often told. Known mostly for his musicals, Mr. Minnelli received award nominations from the "Director's Guild" and "Cannes Film Festival".His theatrically poetic performance won Peppard a "Supporting Actor" award from the "National Board of Review". This group placed the picture at #7 for the year and gave Mitchum a combined "Best Actor" award for "The Sundowners" and "Home from the Hill". Peppard was also nominated by the British Academy and "Film Daily" in supporting and newcomer categories. The later noted Ms. Patten in the juvenile category, but "The New York Film Critics" polled her at #8 as "Best Actress".In the critics' mind, Hamilton seemed to be playing second fiddle to Peppard, but he had just received similar accolades, for "Crime & Punishment, USA" (1959). Hamilton makes you believe he is the naive teenager he is playing. Watch Hamilton in the scene he plays with mother Parker, after several hours on a picnic with girlfriend Patten. From the moment he walks in the door, Hamilton leave you with no doubt about what the couple has been doing. Now, that's "method" acting.******** Home from the Hill (3/3/60) Vincente Minnelli ~ George Hamilton, Robert Mitchum, George Peppard, Eleanor Parker

If you read a synopsis of the movie, you'd say ho-hum. A loveless marriage. An unacknowledged illegitimate son. An unwanted pregnancy. A scandal-mongering small town. But, thanks to good writing, direction, production values, and acting (especially by Robert Mitchum and George Peppard), this movie holds your interest for its 2 1/2 hour length.I was impressed by the two hunting scenes, finding them vivid and exciting, even if, as one reviewer says, they were not really shot in the wild.George Hamilton starts out as a mama's boy, soft and overly sensitive, and after learning to shoot and hunt and tracking down a fierce wild boar, he still seems like a mama's boy. Blame it on his facial expression, perhaps.The Robert Mitchum character's insistence on his son's cultivating manly virtues (for want of a better term) and abandoning boy's preoccupations like stamp and butterfly collecting is likely to offend some viewers, but he is only being true to the background portrayed in the story.