The Stampers are 'gyppo loggers', independents that cut and sell wood by volume rather than work for a logging company for a wage. Old Henry Stamper (Henry Fonda) runs the Stamper clan, which consists of his two sons Hank and Joe Ben (Paul Newman & Richard Jaeckel) and their respective wives Viv and Jan (Lee Remick and Linda Lawson). The story is set in the beautiful woods of the Northwest. It also takes an honest look at the divisive topic of labor union strikebreakers. The picture can boast a great cast fully engaged in a compelling drama with strong elements of action and danger. The title is a lyric from the folk song Goodnight Irene, with the 'notion' being to "jump into the river and drown." One character has contemplated suicide, and an entire family fights to keep their house from being swallowed by an ever-widening river. After the original director dropped out Newman finished and signed the film as his second directorial effort. All had good qualities, but the most promising was 1970's Sometimes a Great Notion, an adaptation of a novel by Ken Kesey, acclaimed author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Foreman made one movie after another that didn't click: WUSA, In the four years between his big hits Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, top star Paul Newman and his producer John C. Written by John Gay from the novel by Ken Kesey Starring Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick, Michael Sarrazin, Richard Jaeckel, Linda Lawson, Cliff Potts, Lee de Broux, Roy Jenson, Charles Tyner. Color / 2:35 enhanced widescreen / 114 min.
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