Here's a classic scene from Hud, written by the (wildly, unabashedly liberal) husband-and-wife team of Irving Ravetch & Harriet Frank Jr. (Norma Rae). Ravetch, 89, died yesterday, leaving behind his wife. As the old man, Melvyn Douglas won the Best Supporting Actor. Patricia Neal won Best Actress. Cinematographer James Wong Howe won too, and you can see why in this scene. That closing close-up of Newman. Sweet lord. And look at the initial framing of this scene—the old man on the stairs, the boys below; the camera way back in the corner. Directed by Martin Ritt (Sounder, Norma Rae). Movie gods all. (Chuck Wilson)
