WILD IS THE WIND
US, 1957, 114 minutes, Black and White.
Anna Magnani, Anthony Quinn, Tony Franciosa, Dolores Hart, Joseph Calleia.
Directed by George Cukor.
Wild is the Wind is a star vehicle for Anthony Quinn and Anna Magnani. Anthony Quinn was emerging as a leading star at this time after years of supporting and character roles. He had won Oscars for Best Supporting Actor 1952, Viva Zapata, 1956, Lust for Life. Anna Magnani, celebrated in her native Italy, had won an Oscar for her first American film, Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo with Burt Lancaster.
Magnani has a strong screen presence - she was also in The Fugitive Kind, the film version of Tennessee Williams' `Orpheus Descending', with Marlon Brando and Joanne Woodward. She teamed again with Anthony Quinn in The Italian Set, The Secret of Santa Vittoria.
The supporting cast is led by Tony Franciosa and Dolores Hart. The film shows the plight of arranged marriages amongst Italians, the lonely woman arriving in America and bewildered by it, the dominance of her husband who has married his deceased wife's sister and sees only his sister. There are scenes of farming, rounding up sheep, rounding up wild horses. The film also has a triangle - obvious from the start, but of interest as audiences try to see how it will work out and what the results will be.
The film was directed by George Cukor, veteran of so many films including The Philadelphia Story, The Women, A Star Is Born and his Oscar-winning My Fair Lady. The musical score is by Dmitri Tiomkin.
1.Interesting and entertaining film of the '50s? A piece of Americana? Italians in America?
2.Black and white photography, locations, the towns, the ranches and properties? The action sequences? The wild horses? The musical score, Johnny Mathis singing the theme?
3.The title, the symbolism of the wilds, the wild stallions? The relationship with Gioia?
4.Gino, dominating the household, love for his daughter, his story about adopting Benny? With Alberto and Teresa? His dead wife, his memory of her? The decision to go to Italy and marry Gioia? The family's permission? His dominant character, decision-making, planning for all?
5.The return, Gioia's bewilderment, lack of English, the response of the family? With the coffee cup in the airport? Gino and his dominance of her? Coming home, the comparisons with his dead wife? Angie's sensitivity? Alberto supporting his brother? Tiredness, tears? Her going outside, Angie and the talk?
6.The months passing, her improving on her English, going out with Gino and Benny for the work? The shooting of the horses, her reaction, her ability to tame the horses? Gino's reaction? Her wanting to do work in the house, cleaning the floor, Teresa's objections? Her wanting to go out with Gino but his leaving her behind? His comparisons with his dead wife?
7.Gino, the work, the sheep, the wild horses, wanting to shoot them? Going away? His not saying that he loved Gioia? The party, his saying that he loved Rosana instead of Gioia? Her reaction?
8.Benny, his place on the farm, the work, relationship with Angie? Teaching Gioia English? The attraction, his wanting to leave? Gino and his antagonism, wanting him to stay? The passionate response to Gioia, her warding him off? The encounter, the affair? The effect on each? Gioia and her attentiveness? Teresa noticing? Gino's absence? The dilemma?
9.Gino's return, finding the two of them together? His hitting Benny? Benny capitulating to him? Leaving? Gioia and her reaction, her decision to go back home?
10.Gino, Alberto telling him the truth, his wanting to control, his not admitting that Gioia was her own person? Gioia at the airport waiting? Gino going to her, his apology, his acknowledgment of love, her wanting someone to love her? The return home and the decision to try to make something of the marriage?
11.Teresa and Alberto, their love for Gino, place in the household, the difficulty with Gioia's presence, their attempts to be kind, Teresa's reaction? Alberto standing off? His final wise words to Gino?
12.Angie, the memories of her mother, welcoming Gioia, going away to study, her return, her sadness?
13.The themes of Italians migrating to the United States, their Italian background, language difficulties? Their settling, arranged marriages, the dominance of the man, the women and childbearing, death? Success and prosperity? The assumptions of the patriarchy? Gioia and her reaction against this? The inevitability of the affair? The end of the affair? New hopes?
