Sometimes a Great Notion (1970)

Director:

Paul Newman

Writers:

Ken Kesey (novel)
John Gay (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 December 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Action | Adventure

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Logger | Oregon | Strike | Family Relationships | Covered Bridge

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

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)
Alan Gibbs	...	Bit Part
Mickey Gilbert	...	Bit Part
Dick Hudkins	...	Bit Part
Terry Leonard	...	Bit Part
Fred Lerner	...	Bit Part
Gary McLarty	...	Bit Part
Hal Needham	...	Bit Part
J.N. Roberts	...	Bit Part
Dean Smith	...	Bit Part
Fred Waugh	...	Bit Part
Fred Zendar	...	Bit Part
Jon Morgan Woodward	...	Bit Part (as stamper kid)

Directed by
Paul Newman

Writing credits
Ken Kesey		(novel)
John Gay		(screenplay)

Produced by
Frank Caffey	....	associate producer
John Foreman	....	producer (as John C. Foreman)
Paul Newman	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Richard Moore		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bob Wyman

Art Direction by
Philip M. Jefferies		(as Philip Jefferies)

Set Decoration by
William Kiernan

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Jim Markham	....	hair designer: men
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist (as Monte Westmore)
Gae Clark Butler	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
John Inzerella	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Arthur S. Newman Jr.	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mickey McCardle	....	assistant director
Michael D. Moore	....	second unit director (as Michael Moore)
Paul J. Crossey	....	dga trainee (uncredited)
Tom Joyner	....	second assistant director trainee (uncredited)
Harvey S. Laidman	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Gene Marum	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Fred Chapman	....	assistant prop master (uncredited)
Pat O'Connor	....	prop master (uncredited)

Sound Department
James R. Alexander	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound
Don Sharpless	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ben McMahan	....	special effects (uncredited)
Don Wolz	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt coordinator (as James Arnett)
Stan Barrett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Burk	....	stunts (uncredited)
Everett Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carol Daniels	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alan Gibbs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Hudkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Leonard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Lerner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary McLarty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunts (uncredited)
J.N. Roberts	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Waugh	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert J. Banks	....	gaffer (uncredited)
William N. Clark	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Lloyd Isbell	....	key grip (uncredited)
Michael D. Margulies	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Rexford L. Metz	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Frank Shugrue	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norma Brown	....	costumer (uncredited)
Ron Dawson	....	costumer (uncredited)
James Linn	....	costumer (uncredited)

Other crew
Dave Bowden	....	technical advisor
Dean Fillmore	....	technical advisor
Annabelle King	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Harold Mendelsohn	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Marshall J. Wolins	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• Newman-Foreman Company

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1972) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1972) (USA) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Universal Vault Series)
• Shout! Factory (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)

Other Companies

• Cinematique  cosmetics
• Universal Title  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

"Never Give a Inch" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

114 min | Portugal:108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Broughton Log Flume, Columbia River Gorge, Washington, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

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."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: 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.

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!

Movie Connections:

References The Ballad of Josie (1967)

Soundtrack:

All His Children

Sometimes a great movie!

I saw this seventies movie for the first time last night. It must be one of the greats. The story line from Kesey's book, and the direction by Paul Newman are so closely woven and with such impact that there are times when one is left emotionally bare. There's not a fault in the casting,and the background of logging is nicely interwoven into the action bringing up surprise after surprise. The only flaw might be the glamorization of Lee Remick - I doubt that her character would show such a degree of grooming and cosmetic sophistication, but, as ever, Ms. Remick gives a performance that is impeccable. If awards were ever to come PaulNewman's way for direction and/or acting surely they should for this masterpiece.