Wild Is the Wind

An elemental film, starting with the title. Anna Magnani was a force of nature, so the setting in the rugged Nevada mountains is apt, for this highly melodramatic tale. The passions of the characters are paralleled by images of raging rivers, rearing wild horses, and sheep giving birth, to the thunderous chords of Tiomkin's score. Several years earlier Magnani won an Oscar for her performance in The Rose Tattoo, and in this film she again dominates the screen. One of the most touching scenes is a quiet one at the beginning of the film, when she makes a connection with her niece, sensitively played by Dolores Hart. Anthony Quinn is enjoyable in this, although tending toward overacting. Franciosa holds his own with the two powerhouses.

I finally saw it too in a copy that appears to have been made from American Music Classics on cable at the time they were running movies uncut.

It's a well-acted film. The plot recalls O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms (filmed in 1958) and Sidney Howard's They Knew What They Wanted (filmed in 1940 with Charles Laughton and musicalized by Frank Loesser in The Most Happy fellow in 1956)--older man, mail order bride, affair between wife and younger man.

Very slow in the 1950s style but powerfully acted. Not the sort of film you'd expect from Cukor. Interesting facet to his career.

Also interesting to compare this film and Secret of San Vittorio which re-united Magnani and Quinn after 12 years--older and maybe toned down just a notch, with the Irish/Mexican Quinn again playing an Italian.

Along with her Oscar winning role in "The Rose Tattoo", this is another great acting job by Anna Magnanni. The story involves a love triangle and a very adult theme. Produced in 1957, I saw this movie on the AMC movie channel several years ago and quickly fell in love with it. Being Italian myself, I really enjoyed hearing it spoke often during the movie. Anna Magnanni actually sings at one point, and I might add very well! I have constantly been checking the Internet for news of it's release, but to no luck. Does anyone know where can one find a copy of this movie to purchase? It deserves to be on DVD, but I'll settle for a VHS copy at this point. Thank you very much.

1976:I've just bought the new Bowie album "Station to station" and there's a track I find quite intriguing;it 's called "Wild is the wind" .Bowie gives a grandiose overblown rendition which I love from the first listening.The authors are Tiomkin/Washington;at the time I did not know them at all,and I must confess I barely knew Cukor (I'd seen "gaslight" and that was all).For thirty years ,I've been hoping to have the opportunity to see the movie whose song I've been playing for years (still am)

2005:After watching most of Cukor's filmography ,I finally saw "Wild is the wind" today.I was eagerly waiting for the song and there's more suspense cause the movie does not begin with the cast and credits.After the five-minute prologue that's it!Well it's terribly different.It's sung by Johnny Mathis (not Nina Simone)and I must admit...it's not what I expected.It's typically fifties melodrama song .

Now the movie.A movie which features Anna Magnani cannot be bad but I must say she's better in her native Italy (with Rossellini,Visconti,Pasolini et al).The Anthonys - Quinn the Eskimo and Anthony the Method - are good thespians and the story is interesting.An aging Italian whose wife passed away has her sister fly from Italy to marry her.And he begins to shape her personality, to break her as he does for the wild horse,in a nutshell,to make her a brand new Rosetta her first beloved wife.Symbolism is a bit overdone,ponderous (the horse,the ewe)but the actors can get away with it with gusto.Anna Magnani's metamorphosis during the movie is stunning,from a rather ugly gauche little woman with bags under her eyes to a bright Mediterranean beauty.Clint Eastwood might have remembered the lesson when he filmed Meryl Streep in his celebrated "bridges of Madison County" ,a return to the glorious fifties melodrama.

Not a great Cukor,but a must for fans of melodramas and/or Magnani.

Setting is a sheep ranch in the United States. After losing his wife, an Italian-born rancher sends for his dead wife's sister in Italy who reminds him of his wife. He relates to the sister, played by Anna Magnani, as though she was his wife. The sister senses this and is alienated by his treatment. Out of her loneliness and in desperation she has a brief love affair with his son who does relate to her in a personal manner. Magnani's character is multifaceted and exciting. All of the characters are well cast and believable. The movie is an excellent exposition of the complicated emotions involved in adult relationships, and the writer presents an intelligent resolution. Wonderfully acted! I would very much like to have a copy of this movie if available anywhere.