The Wild One (7.2/10)

László Benedek, 1953.
The film is an icon of popular culture. Johnny Strabler (Marlon Brando) is the leader of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC), an outlaw biker gang. When one of their members is hurt in an accident riding through a sleepy California town, the gang decides to stay until he heals. Immediately, they start intimidating the town’s inhabitants and usurp the local bar as their head quarters. In a typical Hollywood fashion, Johnny starts to fall for Kathie (Mary Murphy) the girl who works at the café adjoining the bar. Unable to resist his rebel charm they become a couple, in the platonic 1950’s sense of the word. Meanwhile, the Beetles, a rival gang led by Chino (Lee Marvin) rides into town. While there is tension at first over a previous spat, resulting in Johnny knocking Chino off his bike. The two groups, not withstanding some palpable animosity, seem to get along and band together after the police arrest Chino for disturbing the peace. Soon the films focus shifts to the local residents who growing tired of the disorder and frustrated with the flaccidity of the local police turn to vigilantism. Finding Johnny alone one night, they intend to kill him. In the pursuing chase, Johnny loses control of his motorcycle and unintentionally hits an elderly bystander. Now facing a murder charge, it is up to Kathie to prove his innocence.

From a popular culture perspective, the films significance is undeniable. Black leather jackets, dark washed jeans, and motorcycles are still symbolic icons of ‘cool’. There is even a rumor that ‘The Beetles’, the most popular music group of the century are named after the rival gang and a popular modern American blues rock band credit their namesake to the film. From a cinematic perspective, there is not much to the film. The plot is timid and predictable. The acting, with the minor exception of Brando and Marvin, is lukewarm. However, the subtle cultural differences are what make the film interesting. For example, the BRMC all love listening to jazz, which is interesting because It is difficult to associate jazz with motorcycle gangs. Stereotypically one thinks of outlaw bikers listening to heavy metal or similar high intensity music coupled with violent lyrics. Conversely, jazz is associated with a high level of musical erudition, requiring a refined ear to understand the order and complexity behind the chaos. However, at that time there was no Rock and Roll. Elvis Presley only walked in to Sun Studios to record his first single in August of that year (1953). There was only the blues, which although would later evolve into rock, lacked the energy essential to fuel teenage angst. Conversely, Jazz had the required intensity and tempo to match the teenage libido. It was unruly and unpredictable, essentially a perfect soundtrack for misguided and rebellious youth. The resulting images of rowdy outlaw bikers wearing black leather jackets drinking beer and dancing to avant-garde jazz make the film so unique and interesting to watch. Besides the music, being able to understand the countless cultural references associated with the film, make it worthwhile to watch.