Hot Spell

Shirley Booth was one of those few actresses that could break your heart with a glance over the shoulder, a flutter of the hand, a stumbling voice.

Like Geraldine Page in "A Trip To Bountiful," Cecily Tyson in "A Woman Called Moses" or Jessica Tandy in "The Gin Game," her performance stays with you for years afterward.

I pitied her in this film - a cheating husband; children who tried their best to protect her from the truth while covering for their dad. She was a woman who lived in the past, longing to return to the happier times in her life in a small town where she first met her husband and a town, New Paris, where she had good friends and family.

Anthony Quinn was like a lot of men, who are addicted to sex and loose women. His wife, heavy-set and clinging was quite aware that she could not compete with the younger, shapelier girls her husband craved.

Eileen Heckart was wonderful as her good friend who tried to give her hope, but knew it wasn't possible, that her friend was doomed to failure with this man.

I believe this movie was from a novel by Lonnie Coleman called "Next of Kin," which I thought was a better title for the film. Hollywood had a tendency to "soup up" titles to make them sound sexy to draw in customers. They did the same thing with Joanne Woodward's "The Stripper," which was based on a Broadway play called "A Loss of Roses," clearly a much better title and probably the reason that the picture didn't get much respect.

One of Shirley Booth's four starring motion pictures, HOT SPELL is the least remembered, least acclaimed of the quartet but nevertheless is a quite engrossing drama with yet another brilliant performance from it's star. Quite obviously derivative of Tennessee Williams and William Inge dramas, nevertheless the movie has much merit of it's own.

Shirley Booth stars as a New Orleans housewife who lives in denial. She has a lousy, cheating husband (Anthony Quinn) and three rather selfish, not particularly loving children in their teens and early twenties but in her eyes they are all one happy family. She does acknowledge something in amiss though and frequently pines for the days they lived in rural Louisiana in the (fictional) town of New Paris back when the children were younger. Eventually Shirley's fantasy world comes crashing down and opens her eyes not only to the present but to the past.

Shirley Booth is brilliant in this movie, her most poignant screen turn next to her Oscar-winning COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA. She also has a wonderfully comic scene though with neighbor Eileen Heckart (great performance) as a local gal who tries to loosen her up, relax and have a beer and say "hot damn". Of the three children, Earl Holliman stands out as the hardened elder son who sees his father Quinn all too clearly and hates him with a controlled passion yet fails to acknowledge his own flaws. Shirley MacLaine is not particularly good as the burgeoning floozy daughter and Anthony Quinn is a bit tiresome as pig of a husband but Shirley Booth is always worth seeing and this engrossing little drama is a fine showcase for her.

"Hot Spell" is an extremely painful movie to watch....so if you are feeling depressed you might want to think about seeing something else. The story is about a family that is a total wreck due to a petulent jerk of a husband....and the wife tries desperately to convince everyone, especially herself, that she has a good life.

The story begins with Alma (Shirley Booth) running about town meeting with her grown children to organize a birthday dinner for her husband, John Henry (Anthony Quinn). It's obvious that she is desperately trying to make sure everything is perfect. Once John Henry arrives home, however, it's obvious he's a disease....an ugly, selfish jerk who enjoys destroying those around him and cheating on his wife...because it's all about him. It's truly painful seeing the man emotionally mistreat them all...and his wife, through it all, keeps a stiff upper lip and convinces herself that life with this jerk is great. Her kids, also, are part of this game...deluding each other into thinking they have a functional family. You know that sooner or later, something's gotta give.

In some ways, "Hot Spell" is similar to "Death of a Salesman". Both are about men with an inflated view of themselves and who represent the worst of fathers...a man who is emotionally stunted and selfish. Watching him and the way his family reels as a result of his whims is pretty sad to see. And, like "Death of a Salesman", an excellent portrait with some wonderful dialog....though painful throughout and draining. Because of the excellent writing and some amazing actors, it's a very good film....painful...but good. And, it's so painfully realistic...I never want to see this movie again!!

"It takes an awful lot of energy to fool yourself"...and this pretty much sums up this film.

I have a tape of this film that I haven't seen in about 8 years. Therefore, plot details have escaped me. But, in short, it's a rather sad tale of a small, small-town family whose patriarch, played by Anthony Quinn, has a mid-life crisis and philanders about while his sad, lonely wife, played with typical sensitivity and pity by Shirley Booth, sits at home, overlooking his transgressions. I remember enjoying the whole film, including Shirley MacLaine's turn as their daughter. However, one scene which stands out takes place between Eileen Eckhart and Shirley Booth. It's in the middle of the afternoon, and Eckhart teaches Booth how to drink in, I believe, Booth's kitchen. It is quietly HYSTERICAL, and proves how wonderful Eckhart was as an actress. This scene could have gone on another five minutes, it was just so entertaining.

A husband is struck by mid-life crisis, torn between his obligation to family and self. He decides there must be something more to life, seeks happiness with another woman. This is the basic plot, but there are meaningful little scenes that highlight conflicts. Ordinary people, ordinary fates. No fantasy. A family of five loners clinging to each other, friendless, desperately seeking warmth and affection outside the nest. Then there is the oppressive nostalgia for the radiant past that vanished. Things seemed more meaningful back then. The future has come and gone. One is desperate to make the most of the little time one has left. One knows it's "now or never". The difference between drama and melodrama is that drama deals with real issues in a serious manner. Every scene stands on its own two feet and is not just killing time for the final twist of the plot. The emphasis is on the how, not the what. A melodrama on the other hand, hinges on some unique revelation or twist of the plot. If you know the ending there is no point to watching the movie. Movies whose ending may not be given away are invariably lousy. "Hot Spell" is definitely not a melodrama.