Howard Hawks 1955-1977 (The Old Man is Still Alive, Part 4)

In the 1960s, many American directors saw their fortunes turn after they notched massive hits. In the case of Howard Hawks – a director who had thrived in virtually every Hollywood genre since the late silent era– the undisputed masterpiece of Rio Bravo gave way to four poorly-received efforts, each of which bared the marks of a dying studio system, if they weren’t compromised by the literal dying off of the previous generation of stars. In the middle of this run, Hawks made Red Line 7000, a car racing drama which was at once familiar and personal to Hawks, and also totally foreign in that it was a movie set in the 1960s, infused with ‘60s sexual politics, and built around future New Hollywood star James Caan.

(00:00) Intro (01:33) The Auteur Theory (10:53) Hawks the Man's Man and the Hawksian Woman (15:03) Need for Speed (18:20) William Faulkner in Ancient Egypt (21:45) Megalomania (26:38) European Exile (29:03) Rio Bravo (32:11) On Safari for Hatari! (38:16) Man's Favorite Sport (42:25) Hawks's Sexual Revolution Movie (51:42) The Worst Night of Hawks's Professional Life (54:36) El Dorado (57:43) Accusations of Manipulating/Abusing Women (01:03:49) "It must be a nation of morons." (01:09:09) Hawks Dies After Tripping Over Dog