The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

3/30/2026

**_Loneliness and the need to connect with others in the Deep South_** This was based on Carson McCullers’ first novel, which she wrote when she was only 23 years-old. It’s a Southern Gothic reminiscent of Brando’s “The Fugitive Kind” mixed with a little of James Mason’s “Lolita.” The story revolves around a deaf-mute man (Alan Arkin) renting a room in a new town and his relationships with several troubled people, including the teenage girl of the house, played by Sondra Locke in her first feature film. While Sondra looks about 17, she actually turned 23 during shooting and is excellent in the role. The relationship of the two protagonists brings to mind future movies, like “Lawn Dogs,” “My First Mister” and “Ghost World, not to mention “Lost in Translation,” which all explore the