Au bout de la nuit

Believe it or not, my mother took me to the drive in to see this movie with her in the early 60's. At the time the drive-in was the place to go to cool off during family arguments or in times of extreme boredom. I was only about 10 at the time, but now 40 years later I still remember this film, and researched IMDB to find it again. I have not seen a recent copy, and understand that it is not available for purchase, but I think it would be a fine addition to classic black and white film history, so I hope it is re-released on video or DVD. Even as a young girl I was haunted by Carole Baker's character, not understanding exactly what had happened to her, but realizing that the love she developed with Ralph Meeker was somehow sad, but sweet and deeply emotional at the same time. I remember how desolate the character of Ralph Meeker was, and his apartment reflected this barren soul. They were two people who hurt desperately, and could only relieve their pain by coming together and sharing their emotionally tortured souls. I recommend you watch this movie if you get a chance.

Written and directed by Jack Garfein, "Something Wild" is a gray-toned contemplation of the relationship between need and love. I think it is fair to say that some viewers will be disturbed by the story, which is about a young woman, Mary Ann (Carroll Baker, wife of the director), victimized and despairing, who meets a young man, Mike (Ralph Meeker), whose agenda is unclear.

The pathway from despair to hope, or false hope, is examined by this film in a dramatic and unconventional way. Contributing to the tone of the film are the B&W photography and the score by Aaron Copland.

The acting is terrific. Baker's and Meeker's characters may live in your imagination after the end credits. New York City plays its role as the vast backdrop to this dark tale.

One final note: Though they are only connected by the riveting performances of Ms. Baker, if you like this film, you may like "Baby Doll"--another distinctive and artistically risky film.

"Something Wild" tells a very simple story. A young woman is raped and her whole world falls to pieces. She is saved from a suicide attempt by a lonely young man who helps her to heal. It's not such an exceptional tale. You could even apply to it that famous line from the TV series "The Naked City": "There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them." We are witness to some very personal and intimate moments in the lives of two people whose ability to feel has been smothered. The woman has had her whole being violated. The man, craving love, tries to hold onto her. The two actors, Carroll Baker and Ralph Meeker, certainly are game, but I was uncomfortable with the second half of the film both times that I watched it. The two lead actors sometimes seem stranded in scenes that are quite stagey, and some lines, especially Meeker's "you're my last chance", land with a resounding clunk. Although the woman might still be suicidal, and would-be suicides can be quite devious, I just didn't buy the hostage situation (or the ending), and it was repugnant to me, anyway. It was, essentially, the old cliché of the controlling man telling the woman: "Do as you're told, because I know what's best for you." For a woman traumatized by rape that can hardly be reassuring.

This film is helped immeasurably by its low budget and on-location shooting in New York City. No amount of studio fakery could duplicate the ethereal majesty of the Brooklyn Bridge or the teeming streets of the tenements, or the interesting clutter of a five-and-dime store. The first half of the film, depicting the rape and the woman's trauma, following it, is gripping and believable, in no small way due to Baker's performance, though the film's view of humanity struck me as rather misanthropic. The work of Saul Bass (titles) and Aaron Copland (music) felt as if it was created for a more hyper urban drama than this intimate piece, but Eugen Schufftan's cinematography was obviously a labour of love.

Student traumatized by a rape is saved from suicide by a lonely mechanic, who feels she may be his last chance for happiness. Beguiling art film missed cult status by that much. Director Jack Garfien, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Alex Karmel from Karmel's novel "Mary Ann", and his wife, actress Carroll Baker, put everything on the line for this production, but it didn't connect with audiences at the time. It looks good today, however, and has an unusual, unnerving, voyeuristic quality. Baker and Ralph Meeker have intriguing chemistry, though the premise--that the mechanic keeps the girl like a wounded pet in his little hovel--is often creepy instead of romantic (although I'm not sure of the actual intention here). Incredible jazz score by Aaron Copland; striking black-and-white cinematography from Eugen Shuftan. A mixed bag, mostly effective. **1/2 from ****

I must have seen this shortly after it came out, certainly in the early '60s. What I remembered was Mike's apartment and what went on there... what I couldn't remember was the name of the movie... when I saw Ralph Meeker in the Dirty Dozen I used the IMDB to methodically go thru his credits until I found this. You wouldn't believe how many movie 'experts' I've queried and come up empty looking for this movie's title... Now the big task is going to find a copy to view again, 30+ years later and see if I can exorcise these memories. All the so-called experts could suggest based on my recollections was The Collector with Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar. Both good, some similarities. See them both.