Walk on the Wild Side
Edward Dmytryck
Written by John Fante and Edmund Morris from a novel by Nelson Algren
1962/USA
Famous Artists Productions/Famartists Productions; Columbia Pictures Corporation
First viewing/Netflix rental
Dove Linkhorn: What are you doing here, Kit?
Kitty Twist: I run the candy concession.
The cast list and the subject matter reflect a generational change in Hollywood.
Dove Linkhorn (Laurence Harvey) is a simple Texan with an undying love for artist Hallie (Capucine). He hops a train en route to New Orleans in search of her. Fellow tramp Kitty Twist shares his freight car. She makes a big play for Dove but it is no dice. While hitchhiking to NOLA (Jane Fonda) the two stop at a cafe run by Mexican-American Teresina Vidaverri (Ann Baxter). Kitty tries to rip the kindly proprietress off. Dove returns her stolen property and ends up working for Teresina, who clearly also falls for Dove.
When Dove finally locates Hallie she is working at a high-toned brothel run by Jo Courtney (Barbara Stanwyck). Jo shares Dove’s love for the beauty and has no intention of letting her go. As is the way of these things, Kitty becomes Jo’s next employee.
This is quite OK even if entirely predictable. I liked it mainly for the opportunity to see Stanwyck and Baxter again. By this time, the Hayes Code was just begging to be broken. Doesn’t quite happen here but almost.
Elmer Bernstein and Mack David were nominated for the Oscar for Best Music, Original Song for the title tune.
Clip – Music by Elmer Bernstein
Alternative title tune for a friend
