The Wild and the Innocent (1959)

Director:

Jack Sher

Writers:

Sy Gomberg (screenplay) and
Jack Sher (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 May 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Charming tale of mountaineer-trapper Murphy's first taste "big city" life with young, sweet Sandra Dee in tow...

Plot Keywords:

Fur Trapper | Teenager

Cast

Audie Murphy	...	Yancy Hawks
Joanne Dru	...	Marcy Howard
Gilbert Roland	...	Sheriff Paul Bartell
Jim Backus	...	Cecil Forbes
Sandra Dee	...	Rosalie Stocker
George Mitchell	...	Uncle Lije Hawks
Peter Breck	...	Chip
Strother Martin	...	Ben Stocker
Wesley Marie Tackitt	...	Ma Ransome
Betty Harford	...	Mrs. Forbes
Mel Leonard	...	Pitchman
Lillian Adams	...	Kiri Hawks
Val Benedict	...	Richie
Jim Sheppard	...	Henchman
Edson Stroll	...	Henchman (as Ed Stroll)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #19210) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Soundtrack:

TOUCH OF PINK

not that wild but borders on infantile

Odd little films like THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT pop up from time to time and one has to wonder what brains trust bankrolled it. Surely it was the highroller from the backwoods who yearned to see a family sort of western with just a nasty touch of two older guys, 54 year old Gilbert Roland and 35 year old Audie Murphy, panting after 15 year old Sandra Dee. Or maybe it was some perverse producer who wanted to humiliate Murphy and dress him up as a sort of country bumpkin Stan Laurel lookalike. Still, there's a bit of harmless fun to be had here, especially if you are at a mountain top Drive-in with your best gal and a drop or two of moonshine to keep you company.