Hud (1963)

In my ever-growing film collection, I have never previously felt the need to add the above film, despite its being nominated for seven Academy Awards and winning three.  One of the nominations that it did not win was for Paul Newman as best actor in the title role, and I suspect this is the source of my unease.  He plays the amoral anti-hero with such skill -- a womanizer, a bad son to his virtuous Dad (Melvyn Douglas), a sorry example to his teenaged nephew (the grown-up lad from "Shane", Brandon DeWilde), and a brutal would-be rapist of family housekeeper (Patricia Neal ) -- that one is enchanted by  his screen charisma but still hates him as a character.  Beautifully photographed in sparkling black and white by cinematographer James Wong Howe (an Oscar winner along with Douglas and Neal), the barrenness of the landscape reflects the dead-endedness of Newman's life.  When foot and mouth is found on their  farm, the final disintegration of this dysfunctional household becomes inevitable -- and sad.