The Wild and the Innocent (1959)

It's a good title. I think I'm safe in assuming that it refers to Yancy's (Audie Murphy) seeming choice between females: the wild Marcy(Joanne Dru), an aging saloon girl, who likes to get drunk and frolic, or the seemingly innocent shy teenage hillbilly Rosalie(Sandra Dee). In terms of actual age of the actors, Joanne and Audie were pretty similar, and twice the age of the 17 year old Sandra. Audie thought she was a more desirable candidate for a wife than Sandra, but she wasn't interested in becoming a backwoods woman. Yancy has always been a trapper, along with his father. Although he seems polite and respectful, he's just not her idea of a fun playmate, being too young and unsophisticated. Audie seems to be playing a man in his early twenties, although being 35. He says he ran out of fingers and toes in counting his age. Thus, his character's age is not all that much more than Rosalie's. So, why did he keep pushing Rosalie away? Of course, at first, she looked disheveled, with her unkept hair and soiled dress, was illiterate, and talked very little, mostly pouting, with a blank expression. So, even after her appearance was upgraded, he was not that attracted to her. Yet, he was willing to risk his life to prevent her from becoming a saloon girl and a plaything of the 54y.o. Sheriff Bartell(Gilbert Roland), who owned the saloon, and apparently 'broke in' new recruits. And, when it came down to the wire, he took her to town, when he said he couldn't, and took her back home when she looked so soulful at him when he was about to leave without her.Of course, Sandra was perfect for her role, Audie perhaps less so in his role as an almost equal innocent. Of course, their characters were burlesqued in this respect. I have to wonder why Rosalie was so shy, and disheveled. Was she trying to make herself unattractive to men? I found Struther Martin hilarious as Sandra's thieving father. Gilbert Roland made a good lecherous owner of the saloon. Joanne Dru made it clear to Yancy that she was treated as an outcast by polite society in the town. Although she might frequently be dressed in fancy clothes, she was not considered a lady. Polite society was scandalized when she attended a social with Yancy.Yancy engages in several fights with cowboys or townies, and shoots one man dead, providing some 'action'. The catchy theme song "A Touch of Pink" is featured in the upbeat finale.See it in color at YouTube. I think you will find it a fun film.

I saw this movie once years ago and always thought it had been made in black and white,which shows how long ago it was it was when my parents still owned a black and white set.I do remember really liking it though and had always wanted to see it again,finally i got the chance a couple of days ago and it was as good as i remembered . The Wild And The Innocent is an unusual little western and i cant say its like anything else I've seen before or since.Its a sort of tale about morals and the decisions that people might make in life and how easy it is to make the wrong ones,there is always somebody corrupt around the corner who will prey on those that are naive and will use them for their own advantage. Audie Murphy plays a young fur trapper named Yancy who goes to town reluctantly with a young runaway girl named Rosalie{Sandra Dee},and together they get into all sorts of trouble through their naivety towards town life.He wants to help Rosalie find a job,and then he can go his separate way,but its not that simple.Towards the end of the film he wisens up when he finally realises that the job Rosalie has been offered is more than what the job description says,and he must try to save her before its too late. The Wild And The Innocent is a charmingly romantic film which seems to be sadly forgotten,i think it needs to be shown more as I'm sure there are a lot of viewers out there who would really appreciate this little movie if they only knew about it.As one reviewer on here as commented you need to look at the era it was made in to really appreciate it. I love this movie and the ending makes it all worthwhile,ill give it 9/10

It could be that I'm a hopeless romantic at heart, but I really enjoyed this little film. I have searched far and wide for a copy for my own personal library. I have not given up on my search. One has to remember the era this movie was released in and true appreciation can then be determined. Can anyone enlighten me as to the studio that released this film so that I can have them check their archives for consumer availability? I am a real Audie Murphy fan and as such enjoy all the movies he appeared in during his short life. I watch each time "To Hell and Back" is shown. I'd throughly enjoy seeing this movie again if for no other reason than to make my own tape of it - that shows how much I liked it!

Odd little films like THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT pop up from time to time and one has to wonder what brains trust bankrolled it. Surely it was the high-roller from the backwoods who yearned to see a family sort of western with just a nasty touch of two older guys, 54 year old Gilbert Roland and 35 year old Audie Murphy, panting after 15 year old Sandra Dee. Or maybe it was some perverse producer who wanted to humiliate Murphy and dress him up as a sort of country bumpkin Stan Laurel lookalike. Still, there's a bit of harmless fun to be had here, especially if you are at a mountain top Drive-in with your best gal and a drop or two of moonshine to keep you company.