From Kentucky coal trucks to Manhattan book parties, one man's literary rise and reckoning.
YOUNGBLOOD HAWKE
He was young and crude, some kind of country-boy joke, but a woman could feel him across a room.
Kentucky-born Youngblood Hawke heads to New York City to pursue his literary ambitions. Taking the jet set by storm, he finds his dreams remain just out of reach.
Proof that publishing was never just about prose—or who you know in Kentucky.
From coal dust to cocktail chatter, Youngblood Hawke sketches the journey of a small-town writer hitting Manhattan's literary scene. Delmer Daves directs James Franciscus as the titular Hawke, whose pen name is almost as bold as his ambition. With a cast including Suzanne Pleshette and Eva Gabor, it's a drama of egos, family feuds, and book deals set against the smoky backdrop of mid-century publishing.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Youngblood Hawke is a 1964 American drama film directed by Delmer Daves about a Kentucky-born truck driver who becomes a celebrated novelist in New York City while navigating family struggles and literary ambition.
- Director
- Delmer Daves
- Writers
- Delmer Daves, Herman Wouk
- Release
- 1964
- Runtime
- 2h 17m
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English
- Genres
- Drama
Synopsis
As such, Arthur moves to New York City while he works on the necessary rewrites and contemplates his next novel, which he knows can and will pour out of him. Even before that first novel, Alms of Oblivion, is published, Arthur is the toast of certain literary circles in New York. Naive to the ways of the business, he gets caught up in this new life, in having to deal with the publishers, agents, managers, lawyers, critics, theater people who want him to translate the work into a play, and movie types who want to purchase the movie rights. He has to decide.
Why Cult
Follow Arthur Hawke from Kentucky coal country to New York's publishing elite, as he navigates the perilous climb from truck driver to novelist.
Experience the drama of 1960s New York City, where a young author finds himself swept up in jet-set parties and high-stakes publishing intrigue.
Arthur's struggle to protect his widowed mother's rights against scheming relatives adds a layer of familial tension to his literary pursuits.
Suzanne Pleshette, Eva Gabor, and Mary Astor round out a cast that brings both glamour and gravitas to Youngblood's journey.
Cast & Crew
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Scene Gallery
Trailers & Clips
Questions from the Vault
What is Youngblood Hawke about? +
Youngblood Hawke follows Arthur Hawke, a Kentucky coal truck driver who becomes a novelist in New York City while contending with family disputes and the literary world.
When was Youngblood Hawke released? +
Youngblood Hawke was released in 1964.
Who directed Youngblood Hawke? +
Delmer Daves directed Youngblood Hawke.
How long is Youngblood Hawke? +
Youngblood Hawke has a runtime of 137 minutes.
What genre is Youngblood Hawke? +
Youngblood Hawke is a drama.