Youngblood Hawke

Handsome blond James Franciscus (as Arthur Youngblood Hawke) goes from small town Kentucky truck driver to successful New York City novelist. Nice editor Suzanne Pleshette (as Jeanne Green) desires Mr. Franciscus, but sexually arousing older woman Genevieve Page (as Frieda) turns the sheets in his bed. The problem is that Ms. Page is married to a millionaire and finds it difficult to give up her lifestyle, although Franciscus seems to be the most tempting in a string of hunky young lovers. Both Page's son Pat Cardi and Franciscus' mother Mildred Dunnock walk in on their passionate embraces...

Franciscus and Page are attractive and passionate in this trimmer, happier version of Herman Wouk's novel, but Ms. Pleshette is sadly underused. The story features the typical corrupting influence of life in the fast lane, with a stinging indictment of adultery. "Youngblood Hawke" benefits mostly from beautiful black-and-white photography by Charles Lawton, directed with occasional brilliance by Delmer Daves. In hindsight, the lack of expected Technicolor for this type of film is a plus. In small roles, golden age movie star Mary Astor and glamorous Eva Gabor contribute to the overall glossy look.

****** Youngblood Hawke (11/4/64) James Franciscus, Genevieve Page, Suzanne Pleshette, Mildred Dunnock

Talented rube from a mining town in Kentucky pens a novel ("Alms For Oblivion"!) and apparently has it accepted by the very first publishing house in New York City that he sends it to. Writer-director Delmer Daves, who adapted his screenplay from Herman Wouk's bestseller, keenly understands the awe and wonderment a trip to the big city can hold for a country kid--and he also handles the circling society sharks and poison-pen critics with aplomb. However, this two hour-twenty minute melodrama is teeming with ridiculousness, some of which is so absurd that one can only scoff. This is the kind of movie in which book reviewers actually turn up on television, or are invited to stand up and read their critiques at major galas. Daves hopes to underline the notion that a few bad reviews can destroy a book's chances at finding an audience (or automatically cause a play to fold), but it's a nonsensical extension of circumstances--and this approach is applied throughout the film, from characters to situations. "Youngblood Hawke" (bad title!) is a glossy, fairly well-acted keg of soap, but not the involving guilty pleasure you may be hoping it'll be. It's too overripe to take seriously, and too slow to be viewed as camp (though it certainly comes close). ** from ****

James Franciscus had the role of his career (yes, even greater than Beneath the Planet of the Apes!) as a Kentucky truck driver who comes to New York City to make it as a novelist. I'm not being facetious about Franciscus: he never looked more handsome, and he plays his role with a disarming blend of cockiness and vulnerability. He has perhaps the most soulful and expressive eyes of any blond-haired actor in the movies.

Suzanne Pleshette plays his patient editor with her usual warmth and intelligence, and Genevieve Page is elegant and fascinating as the society woman who "keeps" him. Edward Andrews is witty and menacing as a literary critic, and Mary Astor is totally believable as a veteran stage actress. Everybody shines in the all-star cast.

Delmer Daves took Herman Wouk's mammoth bestseller (what's new?) and wisely made some changes in his screen adaptation. In the novel, Youngblood Hawke is a brawny, average looking man where Daves gives us a beautiful, cerebral hero. Now for a glossy, unabashed soap opera, eye candy can sure help 137 minutes pass a little more pleasantly! Another of Daves' departures from the novel is in permitting more of the leads to remain alive by the end; by doing this, Daves is giving us our cake and letting us eat it. Frankly, I *devour* it on average of once a month!

This film was the last of Delmer Daves' potboiler masterpieces - an enormously entertaining blend of class and trash.

Youngblood Hawke is one of those movies that has great promise, just like the movie's namesake. It starts out with the usual story of small-town young man makes good in the big city. He writes The Great American Novel while driving his coal truck in his small hometown in Kentucky, then gets called up to the big leagues in the publishing world of NYC. James Franciscus plays the too-good-looking-to-really-be-a-novelist looking for his next big seller and winds up in the arms of Genevieve Page, who is a married arts benefactor. Meanwhile, his hard-at-work editor, played by Suzanne Pleshette, has feelings for him too. There is a subplot involving his mother and uncles fighting over mineral rights to her land that complicates things but really prove to be inconsequential. It could have been cut out in a twenty-minutes too long movie. Will Youngblood be the same fresh faced writer from a small town, or a philandering hack corrupted by the big city? Watch and see. If you've seen a fair amount of 60's TV shows, you'll definitely be playing the "I know who that is!" game that will keep you going during the drawn out dialogue. The attractive leads all deserved to be shot in color in this movie. But instead we get a black and white movie where especially Pleshette's gorgeous blue eyes don't get the love they deserve. There is a running line in the movie where Franciscus and Pleshette's characters argue about smoking too much, which is interesting and sad considering in real life both died due to illnesses derived from being chain smokers.

In the popular subgenre of "cads are irresistible" comes another perfect Paul Newman vehicle: Youngblood Hawke. By 1964, there were plenty of competing actors, and Warren Beatty had been signed to play the heartless bad boy with a charming Southern accent. When he dropped out, Stuart Whitman, George Peppard, and Terence Stamp were considered before James Franciscus was cast. What a cutie pie! If you have pictures of Randolph Scott and Richard Chamberlain on your wall, you'll be in love once you see this movie.

James plays a backwater hick who's written a novel. It's unrealistic, but his dream becomes a reality as his book quickly gets snatched up by a publisher, Lee Bowman, and editor, Suzanne Pleshette. He starts off wide-eyed and innocent, but once fame and fortune go to his head, he turns into a selfish cad. He starts up a torrid affair with Genevieve Page, which really isn't interesting. Not only is there no motivation in the script, but Genevieve carries no chemistry in her performance. James's character is incredibly unlikable, since he constantly makes the wrong choice and hurts people who try to love him. He's also quite spineless. Whenever someone criticizes his work, he agrees with them, and whenever Genevieve crooks her finger, he succumbs even when he's vowed not to. Even though she's a married woman with children. When Genevieve suggests James enter into a business deal with her husband, Kent Smith, he agrees. When she sets him up in a penthouse suite, he quickly ditches the place Suzanne had found for him earlier in the film.

Since sections of the film are a bit uneven, I can only imagine that the original novel is quite lengthy and complicated. After all, it's a Herman Wouk book. The running time is long, but I'm sure swaths of the novel were cut out. This isn't really a movie I'd care to watch again, but if you think James is cute, you'll probably want to watch it. Suzanne fans will be wasting their time since she's made out to be the undesirable one; and I can't imagine anyone being a fan of Genevieve.