A slow first half and a lack of interesting (with the exception of scene-stealing Richard Boone) or likable characters keep Hombre from rising above mediocrity, though I must admit there isn't a lack of nuance to them or the story itself.
Paul Newman is cool, calm, and collected as John Russell, a white man raised by Apaches. He's discriminated against by fellow passengers on a stagecoach but when it's robbed and they're all put in a dangerous situation, the passengers look squarely on him for help.
Newman's cold performance and sparse dialog keeps the viewer from getting inside his head and finding out what makes him tick and in the end I really didn't warm up to him. That being said, he was the most likable person in the movie! Everyone else was scum!
One thing I found puzzling was Cameron Mitchell's character appeared to be set up to play a larger part in the desert drama but he was written out early leaving Boone with a few cardboard cutout bandits as backup. Those turn of events didn't make much sense to me.
I've heard others say that Mitchell's scenes were cut so the combined power of the two heavies wouldn't threaten to outshine the laid back performance by Newman. That sounds plausible to me!
The one thing I really enjoyed about Hombre was the climax at the old mine. That alone made the film worth viewing
Paul Newman is cool, calm, and collected as John Russell, a white man raised by Apaches. He's discriminated against by fellow passengers on a stagecoach but when it's robbed and they're all put in a dangerous situation, the passengers look squarely on him for help.
Newman's cold performance and sparse dialog keeps the viewer from getting inside his head and finding out what makes him tick and in the end I really didn't warm up to him. That being said, he was the most likable person in the movie! Everyone else was scum!
One thing I found puzzling was Cameron Mitchell's character appeared to be set up to play a larger part in the desert drama but he was written out early leaving Boone with a few cardboard cutout bandits as backup. Those turn of events didn't make much sense to me.
I've heard others say that Mitchell's scenes were cut so the combined power of the two heavies wouldn't threaten to outshine the laid back performance by Newman. That sounds plausible to me!
The one thing I really enjoyed about Hombre was the climax at the old mine. That alone made the film worth viewing