We often hear about the post-war boom. The idea was that things would now be pleasant for everyone, and everyone could enjoy it. But not everyone went along with it. Few productions made that clearer than "The Wild One".
It's hard to tell if László Benedek's movie merely sets out to show that there was an entire demographic disheartened by the widespread conformity, or if it sets out to make fun of them. Either way, it gave Marlon Brando one of his most iconic looks (hey, it appears on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), and his notable comment about rebellion.
Like Nicholas Ray's "Rebel without a Cause", this shows the underbelly of the supposedly idealistic '50s. And unlike the latter, which showed the roots of the protagonist's behavior, the tough guys here are simply out to make trouble. The movie has some intense scenes, probably as intense as they were allowed to be under the Hays Code.
I will say that the message at the beginning of the movie weakens it a bit - implying that this is a problem that society must solve - but there's no denying the effort that they put into the production, and that the cast put into their performances. Check it out if you get a chance. Watch for a young Jerry Paris (the neighbor on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" as one of the bikers).
It's hard to tell if László Benedek's movie merely sets out to show that there was an entire demographic disheartened by the widespread conformity, or if it sets out to make fun of them. Either way, it gave Marlon Brando one of his most iconic looks (hey, it appears on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), and his notable comment about rebellion.
Like Nicholas Ray's "Rebel without a Cause", this shows the underbelly of the supposedly idealistic '50s. And unlike the latter, which showed the roots of the protagonist's behavior, the tough guys here are simply out to make trouble. The movie has some intense scenes, probably as intense as they were allowed to be under the Hays Code.
I will say that the message at the beginning of the movie weakens it a bit - implying that this is a problem that society must solve - but there's no denying the effort that they put into the production, and that the cast put into their performances. Check it out if you get a chance. Watch for a young Jerry Paris (the neighbor on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" as one of the bikers).