Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

Walk On The Wild Side (1962) is a drifter narrative historical film noir tale of corrupt and tragic and exploitative brothel living starring Jane Fonda and Laurence Harvey, with Capucine and Barbara Stanwyck providing support and at times violent melodrama.

More than that, Walk On The Wild Side (1962) does provide a f & m buddy movie vibe, kicking off with a wandering tale of two drifters, drifting together, the young and wild and immoral Twist played by Jane Fonda, and the cool calm cowpoke character played by Laurence Harvey. 

This free-wheelin' strong start to the story provides plenty noir exploitation and violently evil outcomes later on as women are used as lust objects, violence objects, perverse blackmail objects and a variety of scenes and actions along the lines of exposure of the ills of prostitution develops.

Jane Fonda is very much the star of the early part of the show, kicking back in a fun loving and forward for the 60s manner of acting and liberation, and with more than a passing resemblance to her father, Henry Fonda, another hero of film noir.

And Barbara Stanwyck excels also, and if likenesses are sought, she seems from time to time to remind of Hilary Clinton, although we should leave that there, for good.

The actress and model Capucine does work hard in Walk On The Wild Side (1962), but often that hard work involves standing stock still and staring in a beautiful and disturbed manner, often off into the nowhere of the distance. 

Laurence Harvey and Jane Fonda in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

There is something of a lack of credibility to this side of the story, which seems lost in the more habitual noir atmosphere of the Dolls House brothel and the diner where much of the action takes place.

Walk on the Wild Side is a 1962 American drama film directed by Edward Dmytryk, featuring Laurence Harvey, Capucine, Jane Fonda, Anne Baxter, and Barbara Stanwyck. Adapted from Nelson Algren’s 1956 novel of the same name, the film delves into the lives of adults, mostly women, involved in commercial prostitution at a stylish New Orleans brothel. Madam Jo (played by Stanwyck) combines toughness with a motherly care for her “girls.”

Jane Fonda portrays a gritty, footloose prostitute who arrives in New Orleans to live in a fancy house where much of the action unfolds. To gain approval from the Code Authority and Legion of Decency, the movie transforms some of the most evil characters into good ones, ultimately ending with justice prevailing1.

In the existential brothel, where Capucine's sophisticate sex worker lives a sorry life under the thumb of brothel Madame Jo, played by Barbara Stanwyck, the solid noir philosophy runs: what's the worst that could happen? You could die.

The bored exhaustion of the existential brothel, the old Doll House, it's the 1960s and the people now want excitement, they want to break out, they want to change but they cannot change, and so the criminals and fateful encounters contionue as they ever have in noir, as they ever have.

A forlorn and beautiful Mexican Texan lady widow runs a loneseome diner at the side of the highway, she pines at the windows, and the drifter syas to her that it's not happiness that is lost, but it is he, it is he that is lost, a sure signal c'est noir. Characters remain cyphers for the filmic lessons of life.

Yet the women love this drifter cowboy and the rest is mystery.

The plot follows Dove Linkhorn and Kitty Tristram during the Great Depression. They meet on the road in Texas and decide to travel together to New Orleans. Dove seeks his lost love, Hallie Gerard, while Kitty shows interest in him. After Kitty steals from a café, Dove leaves her but later makes amends with the café owner, Teresina Vidaverri. Dove finds Hallie working at the Doll House, a French Quarter bordello run by Jo Courtney.

Jo’s husband lost his legs in an accident, leading to her disinterest in him. A lesbian relationship is hinted between Jo and Hallie, who also works as a prostitute. Kitty, bailed out of jail by Jo, joins the bordello. When Jo discovers Kitty’s connection to Dove, she threatens him with arrest unless he leaves New Orleans without Hallie. Dove faces violence as he departs, and Kitty witnesses the struggle. Later, Hallie is tragically killed, leading to arrests and newspaper headlines.

Barbara Stanwyck hosts the existential brothel in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

The legless and emasculated husband motif is powerful, as is the vision of the disabled man and one scene when he satisfies the anger and lust of violence pent up in his disastrously injured life, when he takes part in a beating of Laurence Harvey's character.

Walk on the Wild Side is a fascinating blend of melodrama, kitsch, and Hollywood flair. Although it may seem dated now, the film’s trashy intentions and heavy-handed delivery have a certain charm. The brilliant Columbia DVD transfer ensures a visually pleasing experience, but the true standout is Elmer Bernstein’s masterful score, which takes on a life of its own.

It’s fascinating to hear your perspective on this 1962 melodrama! The opening title sequence with the strolling cat and blues/jazz soundtrack sounds intriguing. While some aspects of the film have aged well, like Barbara Stanwyck’s performance, it seems that other elements, such as Lawrence Harvey’s accent and Jane Fonda’s acting, might not hold up as strongly. The portrayal of the sale of sex and the fallen woman theme, constrained by the prudish norms of the era, adds an interesting layer. Overall, it’s an imperfect but still worthwhile cinematic experience

The cast is a colourful mix. Yes, to Barbara Stanwyck shines as the lesbian brothel owner, and then to Jane Fonda who sultrily portrays a pouty young woman, and Laurence Harvey who manages to remains silent enough to pass throughout as a Texas heartthrob, and Capucine, despite being miscast, plays an artsy, elegant prostitute with a heart of gold. Anne Baxter adds humor as a Mexican café owner.

It’s fascinating how certain elements — like Saul Bass’s iconic title credits, Elmer Bernstein’s fitting musical score, and the excellent black-and-white photography — can elevate a film. Walk on the Wild Side does indeed benefit from these aspects. However, despite its potential, the movie falls short of being a solid Depression-era portrait, only insofar as you will forget you are supposed to be watching a depression era drama, despite efforts to dress the streets with appropriate motor cars and people.

John Anderson preaches down south in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

From the Nelson Algren novel:

Airless days when panties of purple and bras of black, silver g strings and dappled halters hung on the clotheslines in a kind of joint-tog jungle still as all Brazil. A jungle whose foliage was such garments of bright shame as were washable, whose cries were those of the pepper pot man— 

All hot! All hot! 

Makee back strong! 

Makee live long! 

Come buy my pepper pot!—  

Odors, and cries, a chemise stained by mascara, the spill of water into a basin before the long day’s first-risen lover locked with the last girl left awake. They went at it like foes, navel to navel, still his two dollars of passion was spent. Then just as he stood with one sock drawn on and the other foot bare, he was touched by a perfumed disgust. 

Disgust like a perfume pervading a forenoon that felt perpetual; till noon mixed with evening and evening with night. “Then a reddish scent as of soap or blood and the voices of women and an air of haste began somewhere upstairs or somewhere down. Then cigar smoke mixed with eau-de-cologne and incense with whiskey and whiskey with gin. 

Then sometimes upstairs and sometimes down Dove Linkhorn could always be found. 

The ensemble cast includes Jane Fonda, Capucine, and Joanna Moore as femme fatales navigating the boozy and bluesy streets of New Orleans. Laurence Harvey, known for playing various types of drunks, brings a unique charm to his role. Edward Dmytryk’s direction strikes a balance between darkness and intrigue.

Of course no person in 1962 wrote a novel like Walk On The Wild Side with anything other than novel-writing excellence in mind when they did so, and the artistry of Nelson Algren is acceptably lost in the cross adaptation to the cinema world, although to one degree nothing is lost in the new world creation it is so powerful at times.

Laurence Harvey in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

Capucine, Barbara Stanwyck and Laurence Harvey in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

Laurence Harvey and Capucine in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

The film’s blend of lovely ladies, lushish brothel locations of snazzy jasmine-styled Orelans hot-house poverty, innuendo-laced dialogue, and classic Hollywood moralizing makes it a guilty pleasure for many. Even though it may be sudsy and clichéd, sometimes that’s precisely what makes a movie.

The characters’ names—Dove and Kitty Twist—add to the film’s quirky appeal. And let’s not forget the title song, performed by Brook Benton, with lyrics like “Chances of goin’ to Heaven, 6 to 1!”—a nod to the Code era’s restrictions on explicit content.

Laurence Harvey’s Dove Linkhorn, a lovesick Texan searching for his lost love, encounters Jane Fonda’s teenage runaway on the road to New Orleans. Capucine’s character, with her artistic skills and mysterious allure, raises questions about her choice of companionship. Meanwhile, Anne Baxter’s truck stop owner adds another layer of intrigue.

Intense male lush lust with Richard Rust in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

Walk on the Wild Side is indeed an intriguing film, defying conventions of its time. While it doesn’t quite reach the status of an all-time camp classic, it offers unique elements worth experiencing. The memorable title song, still used today, adds to its allure. The celebrated title credits, though interesting, may appear less remarkable to modern viewers accustomed to more sophisticated imagery in contemporary films.

The plot follows drifter Harvey (despite being 34, continually referred to as a boy) and Fonda (considered a juvenile despite being 25) as they head to New Orleans for their own purposes. Harvey seeks a long-lost girlfriend, while Fonda aims to secure a job or find a path to riches. Along the way, they encounter a café run by the hilariously miscast Baxter, who delivers lines in a crazed-up Spanish accent and dons eccentric ethnic attire to no special effect other than some burrito-appropriation misfire madness.

Harvey eventually reunites with his former flame, Capucine, now entangled with lesbian bordello madam Stanwyck. The film’s veiled approach to sexuIt’s clear that the film adaptation has significantly diverged from the original book, disappointing fans like you. While some character names remain consistent, the plot elements and character details have been altered. Your point about maintaining basic elements when adapting a book into a movie is valid—deviating too far can lead to a less satisfying viewing experience. A faithful adaptation would indeed be preferable. 

No wonder Nelson Algren didn't even want to attend the premiere.

Fonda, at the peak of her allure, sizzles on screen. Unfortunately, Harvey and Baxter—arguably the most miscast—were chosen due to their shared agent, a decision that ultimately affected the film’s success. The music enhances the experience, although the bordello band’s limited repertoire becomes noticeable over time.

Despite its flaws, Walk on the Wild Side grants supporting actors like Swenson and Rust meatier roles. However, the relegation of Academy Award nominee Moore to a minor maid part highlights racial inequality

Barbara Stanwyck’s portrayal of Jo, the lesbian madam, defies the once-strict Code. And Elmer Bernstein’s jazz-infused score, featuring the title tune, earned the film its sole Academy Award nomination.

Badlands New Orleans brothel gang show up for vile vengeance in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

Walk on the Wild Side is a captivating film that transcends its origins as a rewrite of Nelson Algren’s novel. Set during the Great Depression, it weaves an idealistic love story against a backdrop of poverty and struggle. The superbly transferred black-and-white Columbia DVD emphasizes the theme that love is better when freely given, rather than kept secret. How a print can manage that is one of the mastery mysteries of film noir, you will feel it almost every time you watch noir.

Director Edward Dmytryk, known for noir films like Crossfire, collaborates with cinematographer Joe McDonald to create mesmerizing visuals. The cast, featuring international and local performers, adds depth to the drama. Laurence Harvey, despite some miscasting criticism, portrays a Texan searching for lost love. Anne Baxter, Barbara Stanwyck, and Jane Fonda deliver standout performances.

Once more it's sex and death, Laurence Harvey and Capucine in Walk On The Wild Side (1962)

Elmer Bernstein’s evocative score, orchestrated by Leo Shuken and Jack Hayes, reflects life’s emotions. Saul Bass’s striking title design and Brook Benton’s vocals enhance the experience. Critics often miss the mark; give this film a chance—you might be pleasantly able to talk to the critics next time you meet them down the diner. They always got something to say, but you know better, you are now longer a critic but a rarefied enjoyer of the style, able to encompass almost any film thought in the richness of a bed of solid noir, that from which all evolves.

Walk on the Wild Side (1962)

Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Genres - Comedy Drama, Drama, Romance, Later Era Noir, and LGBT-Related Film  |   Release Date - Feb 21, 1962  |   Run Time - 114