It’s an exploration of a disturbing individual. I won’t reveal specifics, but that’s essentially what the film presents. The narrative unfolds smoothly. There are four central figures initially; however, the actress portraying the woman, Patricia Neal, exits relatively early on. The remaining characters include Hud, portrayed by Paul Newman, his father, played by Melvyn Douglas, and his nephew, Brandon de Wilde. Hud is exceptionally cruel and self-centered. His father attempts to guide him toward improvement. Initially, we witness this through the nephew’s perspective of naivete, initially perceiving Hud as a misguided but ultimately harmless individual; however, he's no heroic figure for Brandon de Wilde. They own a ranch, and Hud’s brother met with an unfortunate fate, which Hud appears to disregard. It becomes clear that Hud isn't concealing his emotions. He informs his father that if the livestock contracts a disease, they should sell the meat without disclosure, despite both of them being fully aware that such action would spread the illness throughout all herds in the region. As his father observes, "Hud is an unprincipled man." The film largely focuses on the nephew’s realization of Hud's true nature. This revelation proves disheartening for the nephew, but ultimately contributes to his personal growth. It isn’t a particularly uplifting movie, yet it doesn’t elicit intense negativity either, because the nephew represents a source of optimism.

Source on TMDB