OVERLAY REPORT

In the 1963 film *Hud*, the main character is **Hud Bannon**, portrayed by **Paul Newman** in an iconic, Oscar-nominated performance. Hud is the quintessential "antihero"—a charismatic, cynical, and morally bankrupt Texas rancher who stands in sharp contrast to his principled father, Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas). Hud is defined by his "barbed-wire soul," his hedonistic lifestyle, and his complete disregard for the traditional ethics held by his father. Below are his most memorable lines, which highlight his world-weary cynicism and his "every man for himself" philosophy. ### 1. On Integrity and Modern Society Perhaps the most famous exchange in the film occurs when Hud’s father, Homer, confronts him about his unethical plan to sell diseased cattle to unsuspecting neighbors to save the ranch. * **The Line:** *"This country is run on epidemics, where you been? Price fixing, crooked TV shows, inflated expense accounts. How many honest men you know? Why, if you separate the saints from the sinners, you're lucky to wind up with Abraham Lincoln. Now I want out of this spread what I put into it, and I say let us dip our bread into some of that gravy while it is still hot!"* * **Specific Detail:** This monologue captures the "New West" sentiment that Hud embodies—the idea that the world is inherently corrupt and that traditional honor is an obsolete burden. ### 2. On Relationships and Women Hud's interactions with the housekeeper, Alma (Patricia Neal), are filled with a predatory yet magnetic tension. His lines here reveal his callousness toward intimacy. * **The Line:** *"The only question I ever ask any woman is: 'What time is your husband comin' home?'"* * **The Line:** *"Honey, don't go shooting all the dogs just because one of them's got fleas."* * **Specific Detail:** The first line is Hud’s blunt mission statement regarding his many affairs with married women in town. The second is his response to Alma when she suggests that all men are "heels." ### 3. On Self-Preservation Hud acts as a dark mentor to his teenage nephew, Lonnie (Brandon deWilde), often offering advice that encourages the boy to abandon his grandfather’s morals. * **The Line:** *"If you don't look out for yourself, the only helping hand you'll ever get is when they lower your pine box."* * **Specific Detail:** This line serves as Hud’s core philosophy. It represents his belief that loyalty and altruism are illusions and that the only certainty in life is death and isolation. ### 4. On the Law When Homer scolds Hud for shooting buzzards (which was illegal at the time), Hud’s response perfectly encapsulates his rebellious nature. * **The Line:** *"Man, I always say the law was meant to be interpreted in a lenient manner. And that's what I try to do. Sometimes I lean to one side of it, sometimes I lean to the other."* ### 5. On His Father’s Disapproval Throughout the film, Hud is haunted by the fact that his father blames him for the death of his older brother, Norman. In a rare moment of drunken vulnerability, he lashes out at Homer’s self-righteousness. * **The Line:** *"Don't let that worry you none [that I'm unprincipled]. You got enough [principles] for both of us."* * **The Line:** *"My mama loved me, but she died."* * **Specific Detail:** The second quote is one of the few times Hud acknowledges the emotional vacuum in his life, suggesting that his cruelty is a defense mechanism built against a father who has never loved him. ### Summary of Character Impact While the film’s creators intended Hud to be a cautionary tale about the death of American character, Paul Newman’s performance was so magnetic that many young audiences at the time actually idolized the character. The film ends with Hud entirely alone on the ranch, waving off his nephew and cracking a beer—a final image of a man who chooses his own isolation rather than change his ways.