Joe Ben and Jan are born-again Christians and extremely nice people. Otherwise the family has a veneer of harmony. He pushes himself and his clan to the limit and neither Hank nor Joe Ben will openly challenge him. The old bull Henry dictates all he's so difficult that he drove away two wives. The family pecking order is a pure patriarchy. His idea of independence means doing whatever he wants, and to hell with the rest of the world. Henry Stamper never got help from anybody (or so he sees it that way) and feels no obligation to help his union neighbors. Sometimes a Great Notion is about how family identity clashes with social values. It was provided not by Henry but by his brother Hank - who slept with Leeland's mother when he was 14. One reason that Leeland got an education was the monetary support from home. A subtle conflict forms between Hank and Leeland. His talks with Viv cause her to question her own passive role as Hank's wife. Leeland takes the expected guff for his long hair and impresses his brothers by his willingness to learn and work hard. Leeland's presence changes the family dynamic, as his mother committed suicide and he may be hiding a deep grudge. Arriving from back East is a third son, Leeland (Michael Sarrazin), whose mother (Henry's second wife) fled the family years ago. In this family Henry's word is law: Hank and Joe Bob go along with Pop and their wives stay out of the issue entirely. The company employees are on strike but Henry Stamper keeps working, convinced that he's not responsible for the jobs of his neighbors. ![]() The Stampers are 'gyppo loggers', independents that cut and sell wood by volume rather than work for a logging company for a wage. Old Henry Stamper (Henry Fonda) runs the Stamper clan, which consists of his two sons Hank and Joe Ben (Paul Newman & Richard Jaeckel) and their respective wives Viv and Jan (Lee Remick and Linda Lawson). The story is set in the beautiful woods of the Northwest. It also takes an honest look at the divisive topic of labor union strikebreakers. The picture can boast a great cast fully engaged in a compelling drama with strong elements of action and danger. The title is a lyric from the folk song Goodnight Irene, with the 'notion' being to "jump into the river and drown." One character has contemplated suicide, and an entire family fights to keep their house from being swallowed by an ever-widening river. After the original director dropped out Newman finished and signed the film as his second directorial effort. All had good qualities, but the most promising was 1970's Sometimes a Great Notion, an adaptation of a novel by Ken Kesey, acclaimed author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Foreman made one movie after another that didn't click: WUSA, In the four years between his big hits Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, top star Paul Newman and his producer John C. Written by John Gay from the novel by Ken Kesey Starring Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick, Michael Sarrazin, Richard Jaeckel, Linda Lawson, Cliff Potts, Lee de Broux, Roy Jenson, Charles Tyner. Color / 2:35 enhanced widescreen / 114 min. Thanks again for sharing.1971 but really 1972. The most powerful line in the book and the movie is the line from Viv “Can’t you just stay home.” Many times when I was faced with some of the violence and vandalism with the unions I had my own wife ask me the same question and each time it all boiled down to the very same answer that Henry gave. ![]() Good men are both well hated and well liked and sometimes it is good to remember that. You will never beat the weather, old worn out equipment and people who just want to see you fail. Unfortunately I have to much first hand knowledge with some of the same problems as the characters, the good news is that it was always refreshing to see that sometimes you still win you have to keep swinging no matter what. Some of the lines to this day still echo in my mind when things go wrong at the job and every thing seems like it is a up hill battle. ![]() There are so many nuggets of truth to Ken Kesey,s work. The next time as a owner of a non union construction company that was doing hand to hand battle with the unions. The next time as a logger who was struggling with break downs, bad luck and help. Thanks for sharing the link, this is the first time I have seen the whole movie, I have read the book 3 times over the last 30 years each time it has meant something different to me.
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