First of all, the Paul Newman version has been one of my absolute favorites for most of my life. That said...
For my money, only Don Johnson and Cybill Shepherd were right for their roles. As Ben Quick, Johnson had many of the qualities that Paul Newman exhibited in the same role more than 20 years before. And Cybill Shepherd was a worthy successor to Lee Remick. However Jason Robards was horribly mis-cast as the overbearing and intimidating patriarch of this clan and Judith Ivey was simply too light for her role as the woman to whom Ben Quick was drawn. And I felt no sympathy for William Russ in the part of the son. This is where everything collapses for me.
For my money, only Don Johnson and Cybill Shepherd were right for their roles. As Ben Quick, Johnson had many of the qualities that Paul Newman exhibited in the same role more than 20 years before. And Cybill Shepherd was a worthy successor to Lee Remick. However Jason Robards was horribly mis-cast as the overbearing and intimidating patriarch of this clan and Judith Ivey was simply too light for her role as the woman to whom Ben Quick was drawn. And I felt no sympathy for William Russ in the part of the son. This is where everything collapses for me.