Something Wild (1986)

A free-spirited woman "kidnaps" a yuppie for a weekend of adventure. But the fun quickly takes a dangerous turn when her ex-convict husband shows up.

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writer:

E. Max Frye

Stars:

Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, George 'Red' Schwartz

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Daniels	...	Charles Driggs
Melanie Griffith	...	Audrey Hankel
George 'Red' Schwartz	...	Counter Man (as George Schwartz)
Leib Lensky	...	Frenchy
Tracey Walter	...	The Country Squire
Maggie T.	...	Country Squire Bulldog
Patricia Falkenhain	...	Charlie's Secretary
Sandy McLeod	...	Graves' Secretary
Robert Ridgely	...	Richard Graves
Buzz Kilman	...	TV Newscaster
Kenneth Utt	...	Dad
Adelle Lutz	...	Rose
Charles Napier	...	Irate Chef
Jim Roche	...	Motel Philosopher
John Sayles	...	Motorcycle Cop

Storyline

The uneventful life of the businessman Charles Driggs suddenly changes when he meets the wild and sexy Lulu. When he accepts her offer to drive him back to his office, she instead takes him out of town and on a trip, leaving behind his old life. Posing as a married couple, Charles and "Audrey" (which turns out to be Lulu's real name) visit her mother and her high school reunion. At this reunion they meet Audrey's violent ex-husband Ray, who has just released from prison. When Ray makes it clear that he wants Audrey back, that is when the real trouble begins.

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Plot Keywords:

woman on top | virginia | anger | scotch terrier | playing a harpsicord | 

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Taglines:

Something Different Something Daring Something Dangerous

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Something Wild

Filming Locations:

Quincy, Florida, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,825,717, 9 November 1986, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$8,362,969

Company Credits

Production Co:

Religioso Primitiva

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The band that plays at the high school reunion is The Feelies, a favorite of Demme's. Demme shot the video for their song "Away".

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Goofs

After Lulu offers Charlie a ride at the beginning of the movie and they approach her car, parked on the street, Lulu tosses both her bag (purse) and the portable cassette player into the backseat of the car through the driver side window and is not carrying anything on her shoulders when she gets into the car. In the next shot, when Lulu is in the driver seat, the cassette player is still hanging on her left shoulder, and she puts it in the backseat a second time.

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Quotes

Nelson: You really oughta see someone about that nose.
Charlie Driggs: Broken nose ain't gonna kill ya, Nelson.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Farley (2000)

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Soundtracks

You Don't Have to Cry
Written by Arthur Baker, Steven Van Zandt (as Little Steven)
Performed by Jimmy Cliff
Courtesy of CBS Records

User Reviews

A real gem from the 1980s.

Sometimes you have to search high and low, but you really can find some interesting films made in the late 1980s. Though Jonathan Demme's film is not perfect, it still brilliantly outshines most of the crud made back then. Something Wild is the study of two souls who seem to come from different worlds going on a crazy road trip full of sex, violence, and even a high school reunion.

It all begins inside a tiny diner in New York City when openly free-spirited Audrey (Melanie Griffith) notices yuppie Charlie (Jeff Daniels) sneak out on paying his bill. She confronts him outside, and the two of them end up jumping in her car and taking off on a sunny Friday afternoon. At first it would seem that this trip across the state line will merely end in a sexual tryst in a cheap motel, but little does Charlie know, Audrey has all sorts of plans for him that weekend. After some serious hanky-panky, Audrey takes Charlie back to her home town, introduces him to her mother as her husband, and then takes him to her high school reunion. In a development a little bit contrived for this critic's liking, one of Charlie's co-workers also happens to be attending this reunion. This could potentially destroy the facade of the family man on a wild weekend that Charlie is trying to perpetrate. (at this point we learn his wife left him quite a while ago) Further complicating matters is the arrival of Audrey's psychotic ex-husband, played with fearsome intensity by Ray Liotta. From that point on, this film which has largely gone for laughs, becomes rather intense and often violent.

This film scores major points by absolutely keeping the audience guessing. At least until the third act when the film can likely conclude in no other way than it does. The film avoids making Charlie out to be a totally predictable sap who is just along for a wild ride with a crazy woman. Charlie has his own secrets, and a whole hidden side of his own that comes out when it has to. Demme places some marginally famous people in some truly odd cameos, and spends a little bit more time with peripheral characters than some people would. It gives the film a very "human" kind of feeling as we get to know at least a little something about even someone working as a waitress or at a motel. The film maybe meanders a bit here and there, but that is understandable since so much of it plays out like a road trip. The actors are exceptional, and the film is full of color and energy. Highly recommended. 9 of 10 stars.

The Hound.