SOMETHING WILD
US, 1987, 114 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, Ray Liotta.
Directed by Jonathan Demme.
Something Wild has become something of a cult classic. What begins as a farcical road movie becomes a serious pursuit.
The film was directed by Jonathan Demme who began work under the influence of Roger Corman in such films as Caged Heat and Crazy Momma. He made Fighting Mad and Citizens’ Band. However, by the late 1970s he had become more respectable with the Roy Scheider thriller, The Last Embrace and Mary Steenburgen winning an Oscar for best supporting actress in Melvin and Howard, based on a story of Howard Hughes (played by Jason Robards). Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell and Christine Lahti starred in Swing Shift and he made a musical documentary, Stop Making Sense. However, he became more substantial in reputation with Married to the Mob in 1988, and then won the Oscar for best director in Silence of the Lambs in 1991. After that he made some significant films including Philadelphia, Beloved, the documentary, The Agronomist and the remake of The Manchurian Candidate.
The film stars Melanie Griffith who had appeared as a teenager in a number of films including Night Moves, The Drowning Pool and Smile. She also appeared in Body Double and Fear City. However, with Something Wild, she emerged as a reputable actress and appeared in The Milagro Bean Field War and Stormy Monday as well as getting Oscar nomination for Working Girl. For the next fifteen years she was a star who appeared above the title. Jeff Daniels had just emerged as a potential star with performances in The Purple Rose of Cairo and Terms of Endearment. The villain of the film, Ray Liotta, was also emerging as a character actor – often more suited to sinister roles as was seen in Goodfellas.
Melanie Griffith is an eccentric young woman who abducts Jeff Daniels who is in a collapsing marriage. They pose as husband and wife, visit her mother, go to the high school reunion – only to meet up with her ex-husband and the chase becomes far more serious.
The film is an interesting character study – as well as a variation on the American road movie.
1. A film of the 80s, the men and women of the period, the yuppies, the temptress? The comment on business, money and success, temptation? The touches of madness and wildness?
2. Jonathan Demme and his career, his particular interest in music? The selection for the musical background, the songs? The impact of the final credits scene and the performance of ‘Wild Thing’?
3. The New York cityscapes, during the credits, the ride up and down the Hudson River? A vivid picture of New York? The streets? The countryside, Pennsylvania? Homes and motels? Service stations? Mom and Dad’s restaurant? A sense of the real – but with this kind of plot, credible or not? Symbolic or not?
4. The opening situation, Lulu and her accosting Charlie, his not paying his bill? Lulu creating the pressure on him? The lift in the car, her reckless driving, abducting him? His lying about his family? Her not telling Charlie about her husband? The 1980s man, upwardly mobile in New York City? The woman – and the touch of madness? Their wild journey, the challenge to him, the discussions about being a rebel? The sexual encounter in the motel? Charlie and his talking about his wife and family – ringing his children? Later telling the truth? The motel and the handcuffs – and his continuing to wear the handcuffs?
5. Lulu, Melanie Griffith’s screen presence, style? The black wig, transforming to her usual blonde self? Accosting Charlie at random, her motivation, her treatment of him, driving? Buying the scotch, her skill in robbing the store? Going to the restaurant, the meal, not paying – and making Charlie run for it? The journey, their talk, her erratic behaviour, crashing the car? Buying another? Her being in control, he not?
6. The visit to her mother, the nice mother, her calling herself Peaches? The discussions, the meal, Charlie helping with the washing up, the mother seeing through her daughter, warning him? Lulu becoming Audrey?
7. Going to the class reunion, the ten years, arrival, talking to people at the desk, reminiscences, Audrey lying about her marriage and her children? The dances? Charlie enjoying himself? Larry and his wife, Larry and his condoning the behaviour? Larry’s wife and her being prim? The reaction, Charlie and the pretence? Irene coming on in a sultry manner?
8. The darkening of the screen, the beginning of the second half – the darker half? The change of mood with Ray’s appearance, Ray and his glint, aggressiveness, the touch of madness? With Irene? The revelation that he was married to Audrey? His being in prison, his explanations of his crime? Short wick, his angers? His pressuring them to go out for the drink, going to the shop, bashing the attendant, robbing it? Trying to implicate Charlie? Shooting the CCTV camera? The clash with Charlie, the fight? The motel, tying Charlie up? Assaulting Audrey? Audrey not in control? Charlie getting the better of Ray, going? Charlie and his following, his change of clothes and everything about him?
9. The restaurant, his going in to challenge Ray, the discussion, the acknowledgment of the police, trapping Ray, taking Audrey with him?
10. Ray, his angers, pursuit, finding Charlie’s address? Smashing the window, bashing Charlie, Charlie and his being tied up, his getting free, the knife? Ray’s death – surprised? The arrival of the police? The questioning of Audrey and taking her away?
11. The resolution? Charlie and his leaving his job, the farewell to Larry? His going back to the restaurant – again being accosted for not paying? Audrey there as herself? A future?
12. The final singing of ‘Wild Thing’ as a summing up of what had gone on?
