Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man (1962)

Outstanding 1962 film. There seemed to be a "Diary of Anne Frank" connection here with Richard Beymer and Diane Baker appearing in that magnificent 1959 film and Susan Strasberg, who appeared in the Broadway play as well.Common themes are displayed in the film as in much of Hemingway's writings-World War 1, tragic ending romance, a wandering man in search for identity and moral behavior. The latter was well executed by Beymer, who is absolutely terrific here.An all-star cast adds to this wonderful film. Jessica Tandy is memorable as the embittered, religious mother and Arthur Kennedy, her husband again shows what an underrated actor he was, as the conflicted doctor.Paul Newman is well used in the bit part as a punchy ex-prize fighter, and along the way, Fred Clark, Dan Daily, Eli Wallach and Ricardo Montalban give memorable turns in this great film.A story of coming of age is so very well done. Facing adversity when you grow older is a theme here, as well as that it makes you a stronger, more vibrant person.

"Ernest Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man" is one of the many motion pictures I saw during my adolescence in one of the cinemas in the neighborhood where I grew up, the colonial part of the city of Panamá. Somehow I completely forgot what it was about. Last night I sat to check the opening credits for nostalgia reasons. The film began and although I am not a Franz Waxman specialist, I instantly said to myself "Waxman...", and it was him!, his music, so instead I ended watching the complete film again. I was surprised to find out it is an entertaining road movie, and have no explanation why I could not remember a single scene from it. Maybe I was too young to care about the ideas being voiced, even if they were neither too profound nor developed enough. Maybe Richard Beymer (as Nick Adams), Susan Strasberg and Diane Baker (as his love interests) were neither strong nor charismatic young performers to watch a whole film with them as leads... This of course is not true considering, for examples, their contributions to "West Side Story", "Taste of Fear" and "Strait-Jacket", respectively, but I realized that it was mostly the fine performances by the rest of the cast what smoothly carry the narration along. In the first act, Arthur Kennedy as Nick's father is very good; then Paul Newman, Juano Hernández, James Dunn, Dan Dailey and Fred Clark give strong support during Nick's trip from Michigan to New York; Ricardo Montalbán and Eli Wallach follow during the third section, and Jessica Tandy does her fine act as a bitter mother (repeated a year later in "The Birds") in the resolution. Thanks to good art direction evoking the first years of the 20th century and beautiful location shooting in Italy and Wisconsin, one can overlook the carelessness of Academy Award- winning cinematographer Lee Garmes here and there, with shadows of the camera and light equipments all over the place in different scenes. But most of all it is a film dominated by good acting. Martin Ritt was an excellent director of actors and it is quite evident in this film, which also covers some of the social and political issues he would later treat at length in his filmography, mostly in "Hud", "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold", "The Front", "Norma Rae", "Sounder", "Conrack", and "Stanley and Iris".

Holy smokes, what movie are you people watching, because it sure isn't this one. Maybe if I'd seen it when I was ten I would have been taken with it - that's what seems to happen. Someone sees something when they're young and because they liked it or it touched something, the film becomes a "timeless classic." It's never been a timeless classic and it never will be. It's too long, it episodic in the worst way, and it gives lethargy a whole new name. It was a critical and box-office failure but NOW - now it's a "timeless classic." Not for this kid.That said, there are some nice performances, a lovely score by Mr. Waxman, and it's well photographed. The DVD presentation is top notch.

I saw this movie in junior high and high school on television. I loved it very much, and it actually got me interested in Hemingway's Nick Adams stories. Jessica Tandy is at her best in this film as Nick's long suffering mom. Arthur Kennedy is good , too. It may not have won any Oscar's--the simplicity and innocence of such coming of age stories are not always artsy-artsy enough for the Hollywood crowd--but in its quiet way this is a great film. Michael Pollard as George is wonderful. Most will remember him as Moss in BARNEY AND CLYDE but he plays wonderfully opposite Beymer's Nick. Paul Newman was great as the boxer. The reason I liked this movie so much was because it was not a typical Paul Newman role. Whoever guessed that Newman can really act? He proved it in this small part. I love the film. I only wish it was available on DVD--director's cut--if it is will somebody let me know. I really don't want to buy the entire HEMINGWAY COLLECTION now being sold to get a DVD of this timeless film classic