Hud 4K 1963

The film tells the story of life on the Bannon ranch in Texas.

Homer Bannon is the elderly owner of the ranch, where he raises cattle. Homer’s son, Hud, and his nephew, Lonnie, also live on the ranch. Lonnie’s father died in a car accident some time ago. The all-male cast is joined by the housekeeper, Alma Brown.

Every character in this film has their own story.

Old Gomer is an “old-school” man—conservative and domineering. He’s used to living the old-fashioned way. Gomer constantly scolds his son Hud for being partly to blame for his brother’s death and for being selfish.

Lonnie is a young man who craves adventure but is afraid of it. He loves his grandfather and helps him with everything. Lonnie tries to live by the rules, just like his grandfather.

Hud, on the other hand, is selfish and unaccustomed to following rules. He loves women. He has affairs, including with married women; he drinks; and, to some extent, leads an immoral lifestyle. He is dissatisfied with the order of things his father enforces. Hud himself understands all this, but he doesn’t want to change.

Alma is a housewife who works at the Bannon ranch. She’s no stranger to Hud’s antics. She’s already been through a failed marriage. She’s the strongest character in this film. As Hud put it, “the only one who didn’t go along with it.”

The film depicts the relationships between these people during their most difficult period, just as a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak begins on the farm. For Gommer, the prospect of culling the herd he’s raised his entire life is tantamount to death. Hud, however, sees the situation in a completely different light.

This is where the real drama unfolds, which will subsequently lead to a series of tragic events.

The film is based on the novel by Larry McMurtry, who later adapted Annie Proulx’s short story “Brokeback Mountain” for the big screen.