"King of the Hill" was Steven Soderbergh's third film, following "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" and the inscrutable "Kafka." Compared to these films, "King of the Hill" is a small and straight-forward tale of the Depression. Jesse Bradford ("Swimfan") stars as Aaron Kurlander, a bright youngster in 1933 St. Louis. His family is impoverished, although his salesman father (Jeroen Krabbe) manages (barely) to keep them fed and housed. However, when the family's fortunes take a down-turn, they decide to send Aaron's younger brother to live with relatives. Then Aaron's mother has a relapse of TB and goes to a sanitarium. Finally, his father gets a traveling salesman job and leaves. So, Aaron finds himself alone in their apartment trying to fend for himself.
Based on a memoir by A. E. Hotchner, "King of the Hill" is a cruel film. Anyone who has ever been mistreated as a youth is likely to wince at scenes depicting Aaron's hurt at being left behind or his painful attempts to cover up his poverty from his wealthy classmates. The film is outstanding at every level - directing, acting, cinematography. Jesse Bradford has gone on to a career as a bit of a vapid teen idol, but his performance here is as wise and deep as any I've seen from a child. Adrien Brody also has one of his earliest roles as Aaron's older "mentor." Finally, watch for Lauryn Hill as the gum-popping elevator operator.
As of this writing, "King of the Hill" has not been released on DVD. That such a terrific film has been so overlooked is nothing short of criminal. It's obviously a small film, but by focusing on one boy, "King of the Hill" is able to portray the horrors and desperation of the Depression far more vividly than many "bigger" dramas, such as "Ironweed." Most highly recommended.
