Shirley Booth made so very few big screen appearances she was certainly fortunate in her choice of roles. Primarily a stage actess, Booth got an Oscar for
recreating one of her stage successes in Come Back Little Sheba. In doing
Hot Spell the parts of Mrs. Delaney and Mrs. Duval are so similar her casting was
a necessity.
Meet the Duvals a group of five people all related and going in different directions. Like in Come Back Little Sheba, Booth is this dowdy late 40 something wife and mother who seems to be losing all around her. Two sons Earl Holliman who just got out of the army is itching to make it big in some kind of get rich quick scheme. He's a chip off the old block and he and Anthony Quinn as the father are so much alike they butt heads constantly. Son Clint Kimbrough is a quiet sort, does a lot of reading and is at a loss with what to do for a career. Daughter Shirley MacLaine might achieve every woman's dream and marry a doctor. But it will take years for boyfriend Warren Stevens to get to that goal and MacLaine really wants to leave the nest.
All of this and Anthony Quinn who has had several affairs in his marriage now is tired of the pretense and wants to leave. Booth is totally at a loss because home and hearth mean everything to her.
Hot Spell is a well cast and well directed drama about some very ordinary people in crisis. Mainly the passion has left the Duval marriage years ago and Quinn wants out. Booth wants things the way they were. and that can never be.
Some similarities here to Death Of A Salesman as well as Come Back Little Sheba. Fans of Shirley Booth and Anthony Quinn should enjoy Hot Spell.
So will many others.
Meet the Duvals a group of five people all related and going in different directions. Like in Come Back Little Sheba, Booth is this dowdy late 40 something wife and mother who seems to be losing all around her. Two sons Earl Holliman who just got out of the army is itching to make it big in some kind of get rich quick scheme. He's a chip off the old block and he and Anthony Quinn as the father are so much alike they butt heads constantly. Son Clint Kimbrough is a quiet sort, does a lot of reading and is at a loss with what to do for a career. Daughter Shirley MacLaine might achieve every woman's dream and marry a doctor. But it will take years for boyfriend Warren Stevens to get to that goal and MacLaine really wants to leave the nest.
All of this and Anthony Quinn who has had several affairs in his marriage now is tired of the pretense and wants to leave. Booth is totally at a loss because home and hearth mean everything to her.
Hot Spell is a well cast and well directed drama about some very ordinary people in crisis. Mainly the passion has left the Duval marriage years ago and Quinn wants out. Booth wants things the way they were. and that can never be.
Some similarities here to Death Of A Salesman as well as Come Back Little Sheba. Fans of Shirley Booth and Anthony Quinn should enjoy Hot Spell.
So will many others.