Sometimes a Great Notion (1970)

A family of fiercely-independent Oregon loggers struggle to keep the family business alive amidst changing times.

Director:

Paul Newman

Writers:

Ken Kesey (novel), John Gay (screenplay)

Stars:

Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Newman	...	Hank Stamper
Henry Fonda	...	Henry Stamper
Lee Remick	...	Viv Stamper
Michael Sarrazin	...	Leeland Stamper
Richard Jaeckel	...	Joe Ben Stamper
Linda Lawson	...	Jan Stamper
Cliff Potts	...	Andy Stamper
Sam Gilman	...	John Stamper
Lee de Broux	...	Willard Eggleston
Jim Burk	...	Biggy Newton
Roy Jenson	...	Howie Elwood
Joe Maross	...	Floyd Evenwrite
Roy Poole	...	Jonathan Stamper
Charles Tyner	...	Les Gibbons
Bennie E. Dobbins	...	Bit Part (as Bennie Dobbins)

Storyline

Hank Stamper and his father, Henry Stamper own and operate the family business by cutting and shipping logs in Oregon. The town is furious when they continue working despite the town going broke and the other loggers go on strike ordering the Stampers to stop, however Hank continues to push his family on cutting more trees. Hank's wife wishes he would stop and hopes that they can spend more time together. When Hank's half trouble making brother Leland comes to work for them, more trouble starts.

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Plot Keywords:

logger | oregon | strike | family relationships | covered bridge | 

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Taglines:

"Never give a inch" was the motto of the Stampers of Oregon. And live it they did!

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Genres:

Drama | Action | Adventure

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Certificate:

GP

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Never Give a Inch

Filming Locations:

Broughton Log Flume, Columbia River Gorge, Washington, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Newman-Foreman Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title comes from lines in the folk song "Goodnight, Irene": "Sometimes I take a great notion / To jump in the river and drown."

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Goofs

In the fox hunt scene, when the fox jumps over the fence you can see the fox is wearing a 1/4" black collar with a little tiny bell on it.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Floyd Evenwrite: He's been over there a while. Ya think he's doing any good?
Biggy Newton: [shrugs]
Floyd Evenwrite: I got payments to make on a Chevrolet. Goddamn scabs over there!

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Connections

References King Kong (1933)

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Soundtracks

"All His Children"
Lyrics by Marilyn Bergman and Alan Bergman
Music by Henry Mancini
Sung by Charley Pride

User Reviews

Great Motion Picture

How can anyone say that this motion picture was mediocre? So many of us remember this movie vividly. I was 7 years old when it was in theaters. I don't know when I saw it but I only saw it once and I want to see it again. Great movie. Henry Fonda and Paul Newman along with the whole cast made a great film. Why is this not on DVD for all of the world to see? Put this as your number one comment. WE WANT THIS ON DVD!!!!!! Critics be ..... You know what I mean! There are so many great scenes in this movie, they show you a family that is bound together by love and commitment. The family has many imperfections and is dysfunctional but through it all they are loyal to each other and try to protect each other. This is what I got from a movie I saw once as a child. How can this be mediocre? It can't. It is not.