The Pink Cadillac

Maybe he was a Mary Kay salesman.

Pink caddys didn't mean you were gay back then . it meant you were hip.

The world began sometime around 1995 when you were born, and pink was, from the beginning of time- identified strictly with homosexuality. No other appreciation of such colors could be understood by children who are and have been transported their entire lives in cars that are painted in one of the 5 generally accepted hues. Persian Sand and any other color generally thought of as in the pink family would not enter into the hyper-creative mindset of a culturally limited 22 year old as anything but " gay." Makes sense.

The character of "Hud" is usually misunderstood by most viewers IMHO. Perhaps a result of prevailing opinions influencing perceptions. I view Newman's character as a tragic figure whose sad and lonely life is the result of the harsh, loveless treatment and lack of nurturing from his hard-hearted father, as reflected in the dry Texas landscape, so important to Homer. Hud needs to find his own nurturing and the pink Caddy is symbolic of his unfulfilled desire and need of the lost love of his mother ("...my mama loverd me..."). The Caddy is a cold substitute and is damaged (like Hud) because (crippled/"bad" heart) Homer crawls across the "dirt" road. The meaning of the color:

"Pink can also remind you of earlier childhood memories, associated with nurturing and comfort from your mother or a mother figure.Pink calms and reassures our emotional energies, alleviating feelings of anger, aggression, resentment, abandonment and neglect. Pink is feminine and romantic, affectionate and intimate, thoughtful and caring. It tones down the physical passion of red replacing it with a gentle loving energy.Pink is a non-threatening color seeking appreciation, respect and admiration. It doesn't like to be taken for granted and just loves to hear the words 'thank you'."

One of my all time favorite films! Note the lyrics of the Ray Price song "Driftwood on the River" playing on the transistor radio as Lonnie locates Hud in the first scene. They can provide a sense of Hud's inner feelings which the film so beautifully and sadly portrays.

Alright, what in the hell did I miss? The movie I watched was black & white, and his Cadillac was most definitely a shade of grey, like everything else.