< The Long, Hot Summer >-- A sweet summer tale

I won't say <The Long, Hot Summer> is my favorite Paul Newman movie,

because there are <Cool Hand Luke>, <The Hustler>, <The Sting>, 

and <Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid> etc.

However, this movie nonetheless is very enjoyable, with vivid characters and a bit fairy tale like story.

You get Ben Quick (Paul Newman), 

a smart, but seemly notorious young man,

who just moves to the new town and is looking for a job.

Clara Varner (Joanne Woodward), 

the daughter of the richest man in town,

who is very clever, and nice, 

but always try to hide her real feelings toward Ben.

And Jody Varner (Anthony Franciosa),

brother of Clara,

who tries to please his father for his entire life,

and becomes mentally disturb when he thinks Ben 

is taking over his father's love.

These and the other characters make up a dynamic family tale,

through hatred, jealousy, and eventually redemption and forgiveness.

Like the hot, humid summer,

which makes people feel annoying and impatient,

but when the weather slowly gets colder,

people begin to miss those days under the burning sun.

Because it makes up so many precious memories

that are sweet and also a little bit bitter inside. 

I like Paul Newman a lot ever since I watched <The Sting> and <Cool Hand Luke>.

Not only because of his beautiful blue eyes and the handsome face,

but also the charismatic he embodied.

No matter what roles he played,

he gave them lives and passions,

and he made people believe that he was that particular character.

I do not know the exact reason,

but I always feel a little bit regret for not really knowing him a lot

before 2008 when he passed away...

He brought so much of great things to the world for all the people!

And my mission is to try to watch all of his movies!!

< All About Eve >-- A cruel and cold world

<All About Eve> is a 1950 classic directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 

starring Bette Davis and Anne Baxter.

It tells a story about how a young woman Eve (Anne Baxter),

uses the famous actress Margo (Bette Davis) and her friends' kindness,

in order to achieve her own fame and to fulfill her own ambition.

I love the whole movie, especially the last scene, which strikes me deeply.

After using all kinds of methods, 

Eve finally becomes the youngest award winner for high achievers in stage performances.

When she goes back to her room, she discovers a high school girl waiting for her,

Phoebe, who claims as her biggest fan.

Eve allows her to stay.

Later on, Phoebe helps her answers the door,

when the award Eve forgotten was being brought back.

She then enters Eve's room, and finds a beautiful dress on the bed.

She tries it on, holding the award, and looking at the trifold dressing room mirror.

Gracefully she bows to different directions, like she is the one who receives the award.

This scene not only reminds us about Eve not long ago, 

but when the mirror reflects multiply images of Phoebe,

they are also telling us that there are millions of people who can sacrifice and use others,

just to make sure they can fulfill their own desires. 

This movie some how reminds me about our present world.

When I see news about people faking accidents in order to get money

by deceiving kind people who try to help them,

I feel sad for them and for the world.

This is suppose to be a world that people help each other when they are in need,

but some take advantages of this and benefit themselves.

Just like Eve, who makes up lies in order to gain people's sympathies,

and turns back to use their kindness on achieving her goals.

I think I can understand slightly about why people become so cold to each other.

There are a lot of people who may heard or even encounter these schemes,

and these make them afraid of helping people.

Because they do not know rather those people really need help or just faking,

in order to protect themselves, a lot of people will choose not to help.

Sadly, there may be people who truly need help, 

but were being viewed as possibly pretending.

To fill our world with more love and kindness,

we need to repay those who help us,

and try to help more people around us.

Let people gain the confidence back for helping others.

My cartoon-like drawing for my favorite scene in <All About Eve>