Wild River

[charliechaplinfan]

I've watched another film I had never heard about until I started reading a book about Montgomery Clift and decided to see as many of his films as I could. How have I missed this gem, it was directed by Elia Kazan, which in itself is enough to recommend it to me. Why is it not as famous as On The Waterfront or some of his other films?

There were two stories running concurrently in this movie. Two conflicts. You had the broader conflict of the Garths, headed by matriarch Ella (Jo Van Fleet), who was battling the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to retain their land from the TVA who wanted to buy it so that their dam could produce more electricity for the area. Then you had the eventual romance between TVA official Chuck Glover (Montgomery Clift), who was sent to the Garth homestead to convince the old lady to give up her land, and Carol Garth Baldwin (Lee Remick), a widowed young mother with two kids who was staying with her grandmother on the family property and had stayed there since her husband died. You have the conflict of the individual fighting against the state, and the more interpersonal conflict of two people on the opposite sides of the larger conflict who are fighting their feelings for each other. Both eventually give in, though Ella Garth gives into her dilemma, if you will, far more begrudgingly than Carol gives into to hers.

It's easy to feel pretty unsympathetic towards Ella and sort of did see her as a stubborn old lady with too much of a sentimental attachment to her home. I an sure after more viewings (there will be many more) than my heart will soften and I will perhaps even view the TVA as a bunch of mean bullies. They didn't come across that way to me, especially when a character like Monty Clift comes to the rescue of the organization (and to Carol's).

I could see the practicality of the TVA wanting to relocate Ella and have her land used for the dam project, so as to generate electricity and wealth for the common good. That is the major conflict in this movie: The right(s) of the individual versus the right(s) of the commonality. I found it difficult to chose sides. Change in our individual lives happens all the time, and so does greater "progress". Carol was ready to move on with her life as the budding romance between her and Chuck was consummated in marriage. I can see, though, how Ella would be more heartbroken to leave and more upset about having to do so. She presumably spent her whole live there, working the rich bottom land as and being unceremoniously uprooted by a bunch of bureaucrats rightfully angered and embittered her.

The romance in Wild River is full of sensitivity and electricity "one of filmdom's great romances." The pairing of two sensitive and elegant actors in Remick and Clift was brilliant casting on Kazan's part. It's reminiscient of A Place In The Sun and the tender and forbidden romance between Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, though Clift's and Remick's romance in Wild River is more powerful than even that famous one because it is so understated at first and then explodes with sensuality and passion. Three scenes stand out in my mind: Carol leaping on to the ferry to go with Chuck, someone to talk to, the one in Chuck's car with the sleeping kids in back (I was thinking that no way would my kids ever stay asleep), and soon thereafter when they move into the house and embrace again by the cupboard. Next, Carol essentially asks Chuck to marry her. "In some things you are stupid and I'm not and you need me."

So in the end, after the masterful performances by Remick, Van Fleet, and Clift, the conflicts are resolved. The dam project goes ahead and Ella leaves her land to move in with Carol and her new family. Carol made it out of everything happier than Ella did. I got the feeling Carol wanted to leave the old home and wanted her grandmother to leave as well, though she knew how much the property meant to her grandmother. And I believe I caught Ella giving Carol the look of death at the end of the movie when they were on the porch of the new home. She soon died and lost the will to live, it seems, after the relinquishment of her beloved familial land. Progress indeed comes with a price.

This is a grown up drama, one that sucks you right in, a masterpiece.

[charliechaplinfan]

The colours are lovely, even the documentary opening, which looks partly like something out of Steamboat Bill Jnr, then I realised that it was footage of what actually happened. The opening scene when Chuck gets into town, the queues and the poverty. I wondered if Chuck got off lightly, employing black men to work along side white men, he got beaten up but was then allowed to stay and get Ella off her island.

I do like the way Kazan can present a film, like the dam being needed and then making the viewer side with the lone person who stands in the way.

[MissGoddess]

This movie is growing on me, mainly because I'm a fan of Lee and I do like the story. I'm firmly on Ella's side, no hesitation there on my part. When she died, it was like the end of an era. She was stubborn and needed to be more flexible, but still Iove her for clinging to the permanent, in an era, as now, where that word has no meaning left.

[charliechaplinfan]

I've never seen Lee Remick in anything before, she's very good and that says a lot when your costars are Montgomery Clift and Jo Van Fleet.

I have a great deal of sympathy with Ella but isn't it selfish to hold out for what you hold dear when the river is dangerous and has claimed many lives in the past?

[charliechaplinfan]

I don't get TCM here in England but can access these films, so I'll look out for them.

As for Monty I'm trying to be as completist as I can, I think as an actor he is fabuolous.

I think this film has one of the most romantic marriage proposals, Chuck says 'Marry me, I'll regret it I know, you'll regret it' but somehow, it's quite sexy.

[JackFavell]

Lee is also good in A Face in the Crowd, which also airs often on TCM.

I love Wild River, I thought I was the only one. I love Monty's character,and Lee and Ella. In fact I love pretty much every character in it, you can see all sides in this highly underrated film.

[charliechaplinfan]

I don't know why I'd never heard of it before, it deserves to be recognised.

[markfp]

Both WILD RIVER and Kazan's first film as a director, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN are perfect examples of the many American films that, while having been available on DVD in Europe for years, are not available in the U.S. These two alone make it worth getting a multi-region player and placing an order with amazon.uk.

[charliechaplinfan]

I have A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and haven't got around to watching it yet. It's now moved to the top of the pile.

I'm just rewatching A Place a Sun, much as I like Montgomery Clift, I don't know whether it's just me but I think he's more appealing after his accident, perhaps he was just too perfect looking prior to the accident, he developed more character but in this Wild River and The Misfits he's far more touching.

[charliechaplinfan]

I didn't know it was Kazan's favorite film, he made some better known classics but Wild River for me along with On The Waterfront is perfect. I was reading about the making of the film, Kazan had elicited a promise from Monty not to drink whilst the film was being made and he so very nearly kept it, he fell off the wagon close to the end of filming. Monty had a good working relationship with Lee Remick, like he had with Elizabeth Taylor and Hope Lange in other films, seems she was instrumental in getting him through the movie and I think she made the love scenes with Monty, he's never usually very forward with women in his films, often appearing a little shy or aloof, Lee Remick gives all those scenes a real edge that make them moving. Before this movie I hadn't really seen Lee Remick in anything, her performance is so good in Wild River that I must find some of her other films.

[JackFavell]

Lee Remick is really quite an actress, as well as a stunningly beautiful woman. I think this might be her best.

[jdb1]

Lee Remick is really quite an actress, as well as a stunningly beautiful woman. I think this might be her best.

Interesting. Another case of personal preference.

Remick leaves me ice cold. I associate her with Jane Fonda in terms of self-regarding princessy looks and frosty, off-putting lack of screen empathy. I've never been able to warm to Wild River (Monty looks so tired), or anything else Remick is in.