Walk on the Wild Side (1962)

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Nelson Algren (novel)
John Fante (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 February 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

a new kind of love story starring ...

Plot:

At the Doll House, a 1930's New Orleans bordello, Hallie is the main attraction both for clients and for Jo...

Plot Keywords:

Texas | 1930s | Cat | Corrupt Cop | New Orleans Louisiana

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Laurence Harvey	...	Dove Linkhorn
Capucine	...	Hallie Gerard
Jane Fonda	...	Kitty Twist
Anne Baxter	...	Teresina Vidaverri
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Jo Courtney
Joanna Moore	...	Miss Precious
Richard Rust	...	Oliver
Karl Swenson	...	Schmidt
Don 'Red' Barry	...	Dockery (as Donald Barry)
Juanita Moore	...	Mama
John Anderson	...	Preacher
Ken Lynch	...	Frank Bonito
Todd Armstrong	...	Lt. Omar Stroud (as Todd Anderson)
Sherry O'Neil	...	Reba
John Bryant	...	Spence
Kathryn Card	...	Landlady
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lillian Bronson	...	Amy Gerard (scenes deleted)
Ted Jacques	...	Sheriff (scenes deleted)
Chester Jones	...	Black Waiter (scenes deleted)
Adrienne Marden	...	Eva Gerard (scenes deleted)
Paul Maxey	...	Auctioneer (scenes deleted)
Joni Beth Morris	...	Little Girl (scenes deleted)
Bill Walker	...	Black Man (scenes deleted)
Murray Alper	...	Diner in Cafe (uncredited)
Steve Benton	...	2nd Van Driver (uncredited)
Nesdon Booth	...	(uncredited)
Cordy Clark	...	Fat Woman (uncredited)
Crahan Denton	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Barbara Hines	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
Virginia Holden	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
Alexander Lockwood	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Edward Mallory	...	Sidekick (uncredited)
Elaine Martone	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
Lee Marvin	...	Slob (Nickname) (uncredited)
Miss Masters	...	Tony (uncredited)
Patricia Tiernan	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
Ray Walker	...	Salesman in Cafe (uncredited)
Willard Waterman	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Florence Wyatt	...	Prostitute (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward Dmytryk

Writing credits
Nelson Algren		(novel "A Walk on the Wild Side")
John Fante		(screenplay) and
Edmund Morris		(screenplay)
Raphael Hayes		uncredited
Ben Hecht		uncredited

Produced by
Charles K. Feldman	....	producer
Joseph Lebworth	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Joseph MacDonald		(director of photography) (as Joe MacDonald)

Film Editing by
Harry W. Gerstad		(as Harry Gerstad)

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Set Decoration by
William Kiernan

Costume Design by
Charles Le Maire		(as Charles LeMaire)

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Floyd Joyer	....	assistant director

Sound Department
George Cooper	....	sound
Charles J. Rice	....	sound supervisor
James Nelson	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Bettcher	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Emil Oster	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Stocker Fontelieu	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Jack Dumont	....	musician (principal saxophone)
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator
Tommy Tedesco	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Charles K. Feldman	....	presenter
Blake Edwards	....	director: additional scenes (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Famous Artists Productions (in association with)
• Famartists Productions S.A.
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1962) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1968) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Iceland:12 | West Germany:18 (nf)

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Famous Artists Productions

Trivia:

Several contemporary reviewers mentioned that, although the film was set in the 1930s, Capucine seemed to be wearing contemporary (1962) fashions. Director Edward Dmytryk stated that it was because she was the "protege" of producer Charles K. Feldman, who decreed that, despite the film's 1930s setting, she would be dressed in the latest Pierre Cardin designs.

Quotes:

Kitty Twist:I run the candy concession.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Munsters: A Walk on the Mild Side (#1.3)" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Somewhere in the Used to Be

Fun trash

In 1930s New Orleand Texan Laurence Harvey (!!) finds one time lover Capucine (!!!) working in a bordello. He wants to take her away, but the bordello's lesbian madam, Barbara Stanwyck wants Capucine for herself. Then there's Jane Fonda as a real wild girl...

Film starts off with a great title sequence that perfectly sets the tone of the film--loud, brassy and dirty. This was probably considered pretty controversial it its time (in fact it's never made totally clear than Stanwyck is a lesbian, but there are hints all over the place), but it's a camp classic now. It's sleazy but lots on fun with tons of campy dialogue to spare. Apparantely this film had a very whimsical casting director--Harvey (an English actor) and Capucine (a French actress) play Texans and Anne Baxter (in a black fright wig) is a Mexican!

The acting varies--Harvey is just OK with a credible Texas accent; Fonda is really great projecting raw sexuality; Capucine is beautiful but wooden; Stanwyck chews the scenery in a very amusing way and Baxter turns in a very moving and great performance.

Lots of fun with the right crowd--I saw it years ago with a gay and lesbian crowd and we laughed all the way through it!