The Long, Hot Summer is a 1958 American comedy-drama film directed by Martin Ritt. The screenplay was written by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr., based in part on three works by William Faulkner: the 1931 novella "Spotted Horses", the 1939 short story "Barn Burning" and the 1940 novel "The Hamlet." The title is taken from "The Hamlet", as Book Three is called "The Long Summer". Some characters, as well as tone, were inspired by Tennessee Williams' 1955 play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", a film adaptation of which – also starring Paul Newman – was released five months later.