THE WILD AND THE WILLING

UK, 1962, 112 minutes, Black and white.
Virginia Maskell, Paul Rogers, Ian Mc Shane, Samantha Eggar, John Hurt, Catherine Woodville, John Standing, Jeremy Brett.
Directed by Ralph Thomas.

The Wild and the Willing is a rather unusual drama from the production team of Betty Box and Ralph Thomas. They specialised in comedies and melodramas like Doctor in the House and A Tale of Two Cities in the '50s. They went more serious in the '60s and this is one of their attempts to join the more realistic, 'kitchen sink' melodramas of the period. It was the time of Tony Richardson, Karel Reisz, Lindsay Anderson and their dramas like Look Back in Anger, This Sporting Life.

This is a film about a rebellious generation, the post-war generation given so many opportunities, especially for study, and seeming to fritter away the opportunities irresponsibly. The film also shows the frustrations of the older generation, especially in the character of Paul Rogers as the university tutor. He has a philandering wife in the form of Virginia Maskell - echoes of Vivien Leigh's strange role in A Yank at Oxford. The film is principally interesting for its young cast, many of whom were introduced here, especially Ian Mc Shane, Samantha Eggar and particularly, John Hurt. The film is still quite striking - and reminds us that a lot of the issues which came to a head in the '70s had their origins in the '60s.

1. Interesting and satisfying drama? A British realistic look at the early '60s, the generation gap, the education gap, irresponsibility and the exasperation of the parent generation. The film as echoing the early '60s? How realistic does it seem? Dated? The continuity of later movements with this kind of reaction?

2. Black and white photography? The use of the city of Lincoln and its university for authentic locations? university halls, rooms, pubs, the streets? The styles and manners of the '60s? The realism and frankness - especially in language, sexuality? The musical score? The cast (especially in the light of their later careers)?

3. The title, its tone? Youth and the times? Indication of themes?

4. The atmosphere of the '60s and the generation gap, education gap? The stability of the '50s loosening? The reaction against staid manners? The struggle for post-war rehabilitation? The style of changes in the '60s? For better, worse? Later demonstrations and reaction? The relevance of this film? The pessimism of its ending and final lyrics: 'Bloody hell'?

5. The picture of youth, education opportunities, the post-war babies and their education? Their not having experienced the suffering of their parents? Affluence and boredom? Reaction and the critique of the older generation?

6. The English traditions of university and study? The lectures, tutorials, papers? Relevant and irrelevant topics? Students being bored? Brilliant students not working at their best? The staff and the administration and their old style? Hopes for their students? Impositions of rules and expectations? Lack of ambition, especially in the academic world? The seeming irrelevance of the educational establishment?

7. The character of the professor and his bitterness? His tutorials and their seeming irrelevance? The parties and the pretentious talk? His hopes to guide a brilliant student to success? The brilliant student as surrogate for his own ambitions? His wife and her boredom? His permissiveness and wanting to do the decent-appearing thing? His awareness of his wife and her infatuations, affairs, drinking, her flaunting herself for him to correct her and stand up for her? His inability to be violent? The crisis in the marriage, with Harry as the exemplary student? His standing up for his status as a student while loathing him? A dramatisation of inability and ambition?

8. The sketch of the students - their capacity for study, the boys and the sowing of wild oats, the drinking, relationship with the girls? Rivalries? Adolescent behaviour? Fun and games? Ragging? The stunt and its tragedy? Experience and growth? The behaviour of this generation when it became adult and parent?

9. The focus on Harry? In himself, his poor background, relationship with Sarah and her criticisms of him as well as explaining his background? The chip on his shoulder? Drinking? Friendships? The friendship with Reggie? Rivalries? The clashes with Gilbey? The friendship with Phil and support of him? The innuendo about their relationship? His drinking? Study? His brilliance and slapping up papers quickly? The boredom at formal parties, reaction against pretension? His preferring dancers? The liaison with Josie? Calling her a good sport? Sexual relationship? His insensitivity to her response? The flirting with Virginia at the party, the dance? His response to Virginia's approaches? The beginning of the affair, the going to her home, bedroom scenes? His wanting to leave and break off? The build-up to the stunt? The motives for his climbing the tower? With Phil? The failure and Phil's asking his forgiveness in dying? The experience of the inquest and the judgment on him? The peer group reaction? The administration condemning him and his being sent down? The professor's standing up for him? His saying goodbye to Virginia and the professor? The sobering experience of being sent down? How well delineated his character? How credible? A symbol of the times? Strengths, weaknesses? His mouthing speeches about issues? The past and the future? His future?

10. The range of students: John and his ambitions, Dai and his being good fellow? Reggie and the background of British Empire, emerging nations, Africans being educated in England and returning home? The experience of England and being one of the boys? Arthur and his ordinariness and cowardice? The sporting sequences, the locker-room talk, the drinking, the rags, the songs? The opening song and the finale with Reggie singing? 'Bloody hell - Damn your eyes'? The picture of English students?

11. Josie as heroine? A nice girl? Her wanting to change? The liaison with Harry? His hurting her? Her trying to leave him? The contrast with Sarah and her ambitions? The role of the girls as supporting the boys? Pre-feminist days?

12. Phil as different? His infatuation with Sarah and her snubbing him? Sharing Harry's experience? Being spurned? His devotion to Harry and his decision to climb? Participation in the stunt? The apology at his death? The inquest and the reaction of the students? His parents taking Harry to tea and their gratitude towards him for helping Phil?

13. The climbing of the tower as realism, symbol? Suspense?

14. The background of English authority and administration and the application of the rules?

15. Insight into human values, human nature? Education and its privilege? Responsibility and irresponsibility? The film as a sign of Britain in trouble?