So honored to have been asked to write the essay for Criterion’s release of Jack Garfein’s forgotten 1961 masterpiece, Something Wild. Developed independently, using Actors Studio people in the lead roles (Carroll Baker, Ralph Meeker, and Mildred Dunnock), Something Wild is one of the first truly independent films in America, and pioneering not only in its subject matter (rape and PTSD), but pioneering in its treatment of these subjects.
The film was not a success and for decades it has been unavailable, not on VHS, not on DVD. It was a Holy Grail to those of us who wanted to see it but could not. A couple of years ago, it was released in a bare-bones edition on DVD. But now, FINALLY, Something Wild is being given the treatment it deserves, with a ton of special features, and interviews (beautifully: both director AND lead actress are still alive to see this day!) There will be an interview with the director by Kim Morgan – whose championing of the film over the years has been essential in raising awareness that the film even exists – an interview with Carroll Baker, and an interview with Foster Hirsch about the Actors Studio and its legacy. (Just last week, at the Film Forum’s 60th anniversary screening of Giant, I attended a pre-screening QA with Carroll Baker and George Stevens Jr. moderated by Foster Hirsch.)
More information – plus link to pre-order Something Wild – here.
Congratulations!
I remember you blogging about this film a few years ago, and I’ve read Kim’s writing about it and her interviews Jack Garden – especially his memories of Marilyn Monroe. I’m glad it’s getting the Criterion treatment.
God I hate autocorrect in the morning before my eyes are working properly.
Jack Garfein.
Garfein’s name has been a constant issue in all of my drafts for this damn essay. So irritating I cannot even tell you. I have to do a Search and Replace for “Garden” every time.
Thanks so much!
Yes, it’s extremely exciting because it’s a truly important film and so many people have never even heard of it, outside of people who follow Kim Morgan.
Cameos by Jean Stapleton and Doris Roberts, just FYI.
Plus, more good news:
In the same month they’re bringing out His Girl Friday – which mainly exists now in crappy prints – with essay by my friend Farran Nehme: https://www.criterion.com/films/27903-his-girl-friday
So exciting.
This is very exciting. I was one of those who didn’t know about the film, till I recently saw a presentation about it at a musicology conference — about Aaron Copland’s score, one of very few the great composer wrote for movies, but (unlike Our Town or Of Mice and Men or The Heiress) hardly anybody knows it or even knows it exists.
Rinaldo – Copland was so proud of this score he incorporated it into a symphony (which I am sure you know). There are a couple of amazing Copland stories in re: this film – which you can read about in the essay (when it comes out). Of all of the things he did in his life – this score was one of the things he was most proud of. It is a STUNNER.
and yes: his involvement – and Saul Bass’ involvement – not to mention the stature of the actors – makes it insane that this film has been completely neglected.
Very exciting that it is basically making its proper debut almost 60 years after its release.
Can you share some of the things from the musicology conference, especially in re: Something Wild?
I would love to hear!
Regrettably, it was years ago, and if I took notes, I don’t have them now. I think it was to a great extent background info (which we other musicologists were embarrassed not to know about). The highlight was the chance to see some scenes and then to hear the stories about its writing which are no doubt the same ones you mention. Sorry to not be able to be more helpful!
Oh, no worries – I was just curious! My essay is already submitted so I couldn’t add anything to it anyway.
There are a couple of good stories:
It was an independent film (almost unheard of in 1960/61 – J. Cassavetes’ Shadows had come out in 1959 – and was a harbinger of what was to come in the late 60s and into the 70s as the studio system collapsed – but it was still almost unheard of). Garfein and Baker (who were married at the time) financed it themselves. Meaning: they had no money. The actors – including giants like Mildred Dunnock – worked for scale, since they believed in the project, and had good relationships with Garfein and Baker.
Because of Garfein and Baker’s connections in the industry they got a show-stopper crew – including a cinematographer who got his start in German expressionism, doing the amazing visual effects for Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” – before moving to America and becoming a cameraman.
They also were able to get the great Saul Bass to do the opening credits (which you can see in the video clip on the Criterion page).
And Copland. They knew they wanted him. They knew they could not pay him a lot of money. They made their first approach. They hadn’t started shooting yet. They knew they needed a good score for such a strange and violent story. He said that he would consider doing the score only after he saw a cut of the film.
It speaks to the strength of Something Wild – that he saw a first cut of it and said immediately that he would do it.