THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT
US, 1959, 84 minutes, Colour.
Audie Murphy, Joanne Dru, Gilbert Roland, Jim Backus, Sandra Dee, Peter Breck, Strother Martin.
Directed by Jack Sher.
The Wild and the Innocent is not a well-known Audie Murphy western. It comes at the end of the 1950s when his type of western was on the way out, being overtaken by television series. Murphy, the most celebrated American fighter in World War Two, portrayed his own life in the 1955 To Hell and Back. However, he was best known for a series of popular westerns – which are still quite interesting many decades later. He had a serious role in Joseph Mankiewicz’s The Quiet American, a version of Graham Greene’s story with Michael Redgrave.
Sandra Dee was at the beginning of her career and appears as a minor Gidget. Joanne Dru was a veteran as was Gilbert Roland. Jim Backus, the voice of Mr Magoo, has a good role as well. Strother Martin, a villain of many films, including the warden in Cool Hand Luke, has a supporting role.
Direction is by Jack Sher, a writer over many decades who directed a few films at the end of the 1950s including The Three Worlds of Gulliver.
1.A backwoods western? The trapper going into the city? City life in the west, 19th century style?
2.The location settings, the mountains, the town, the hotels, the parade and carnival? The musical score?
3.An Audie Murphy vehicle, his screen persona, his war hero background, the westerns of the 1950s? His being youthful-looking? As a trapper, with the family, singing, the accident with the bear? Going into town to sell? The encounter with the shopkeepers? Especially with the Forbes shop? His encounter with Rosalie, in the woods, taking her with him? Her getting dressed up? The encounter with the sheriff, his offering Rosalie a job in the dance hall? His innocence and naivety? His seeing Marcy, attracted to her, not knowing her background? The dance hall? The madam? The parade, his wanting to get rid of Rosalie, her following him? His encounter with the card cheats, his quick eye and seeing them cheat? The confrontation, the sheriff taking his side? The meeting with Marcy, in the woods, his declaration of love? Her reaction? The truth? Rosalie in the dance hall, his rescuing her, the confrontation with the sheriff, the shooting? Forbes and his support? His leaving, going out into the mountains, Rosalie following him?
4.Rosalie, out in the woods, her background, following Yancy? The job, her being scrubbed up? In the dance hall, the madam? Her earnings? The sheriff and his role? Her wanting to get out, pestering Yancy? Finally following him?
5.The sheriff, keeping order, owning the dance hall, his treatment of Marcy, the girls, employing Rosalie? The confrontation with Yancy, his death?
6.Marcy, the girls, Mrs Forbes refusing to serve her in the shop? The boyfriend, Yancy fighting him? The time with Yancy, the truth about her, his disillusionment?
7.Mr and Mrs Forbes, Mrs Forbes and her dominating her husband, his wanting to play in the band, his wanting to warn Yancy? The later help?
8.The men of the town, the introduction to Yancy, his fight with them? In the bar, the dance hall? The tricksters at the carnival with the cards? The ordinary people of the town, the celebration?
9.A 1950s glimpse of 19th century west?
