Based on The Hamlet (1940), Faulkner's first volume of his Snopes trilogy, the film's all-star cast includes Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Lee Remick, and Orson Welles. The title was not the only component to undergo a transformation from page to screen, as Faulkner's main character, played by Paul Newman, changed names from ‘Flem Snopes' to ‘Ben Quick.' Newman captivated audiences with his portrayal of a man determined to enter into polite society through marriage to the daughter of the wealthy Will Varner. Newman's success derived in part from the screenwriters', Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank, Jr., concerted efforts to keep the character of Ben Quick true to Flem Snopes' ruthlessness while still retaining some humanity. For example, the book's Flem sells unbroken horses to the townspeople of Frenchman's Bend-swindling most of the village in the process. In the film, Ben also sells horses, but when an overwrought wife of one of his victims begs him to refund the money, he obliges.

Filming occurred in Clinton, Louisiana due to its small-town atmosphere and similarities with the landscape described by Faulkner. Newman checked into the local hotel a few days prior to the first shoot in order to study the speech patterns and customs of the people, ironically signing the guestbook as ‘Ben Snopes.' His research reaped rewards in the form of the "Best Actor" award at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival.    [go to page 5 >>]