WANDA NEVADA

US, 1979, 107 minutes, Colour.
Peter Fonda, Brooke Shields, Henry Fonda, Fiona Lewis, Luke Askew.
Directed by Peter Fonda.

Wanda Nevada is a road film starring and directed by that veteran of road films (Easy Rider), Peter Fonda. He is teamed with the young Brooke Shields - a precocious young actress, especially in her roles of the late 70s, including Pretty Baby, King of the Gypsies, Just You and Me Kid. There is a guest spot by an almost unrecognizable Henry Fonda as an old prospector.

The film generally stays with realism - but there are some mysterious, mystical touches with an Indian warrior killing prospectors in the grand Canyon. It is hard to tell where fantasy ends and the realism begins. Mildly entertaining in its way - Shields and Fonda prove an unlikely couple. However, there are some interesting background sequences of life in Nevada and Arizona.

1. Interesting road film? Arizona and Nevada? The strange couple? The mystical and the real?

2. The Nevada and desert settings? The Grand Canyon? The roads and the old towns? The musical Score?

3. The title, the focus on Wanda - Brook Shields, her age, precocious? Her beauty? The orphanage, changing the name, wanting to be a star? In the diner, the gamblers, her being bet on? Bail getting her in the poker game? Her going on the road with him, their clashes, the motels and the arrangements, a little girl - yet grown up? Not wanting to go back to the orphanage? With the games, being in the car? The map and the old prospector, taking his money belt? The villains pursuing them, in the car? Going to the canyon, buying the gear, going down into the canyon, the prospecting? Meeting the old prospector - and the legends of the Indian fighter? The archaeologist and his taking her, advantages, his death? The pursuit of the gamblers and their deaths? Back on the river - violence? Her being taken back by the reporters, the Englishmen and the magazine photo story? At the orphanage, running away with a revived Bail? Falling in love with Beau? Plausible character - plausible story or not?

4. Bail, the gambler, the deck of cards, shooting his opportunity? On the road, taking Wanda with him? His exasperation with her, in the motel, leaving her the money? Her going with him? The gambling games and her hanging around? His attraction, falling in love? The gamblers, the old man with the map? His saving Wanda - and their buying the gear? The prospecting? The pursuit? His on again, off again relationship with Wanda? The archaeologist? The violence and deaths? On the boat? His revival and going off with Wanda?

5. The gamblers of Nevada, in the diners, cheating, violence and Deaths? Buying people? The odd couple gambling, their violence, murdering the old prospector? Pursuing Wanda and Beau? The comic side of their relationship? Driving, crashing? In the valley, the confrontation, their deaths?

6. The archaeologist, his work in the canyon, wanting Wanda, his advances, being killed? The journalist, her photography, friendship with Wanda, relationship with Beau?

7. The old prospector and his boasts, the map, his death? Henry Fonda as the old prospector in the canyon - the old timer and his wisdom?

8. The mystery element with the Indian, protecting the gold, protecting Wanda?

9. Popular entertainment? Characters? Gambling, the road and violence?