Amazon.com Customer Reviews
 Rated 5 out of 5!
irritatable
after reading the reviews of other viewers i had to respond. both marlon brando and lee marvin were great but to cut into it saying it came short of reality or truly portraying it, think when this film was made. im sure in the twenty first century the movie would be very different. anyone thats read hunter thompsons ’’hells angels’’ or has other knowledge of bike gangs knows too well of its truth-inspired influences of hollister. but in 1953 film makers as well as anyone else including the literary crowd had its limits even if limitary. i think alot of those who reviewed it did so forgetting this fact. no its not the best film made but for what its worth it was a great performance by both marvin and brando and served as a pretty entertaining picture on all fronts. i believe this was the intention of the director. it doesnt claim anywhere to be a documentary or anything close so dont interpret it as so. i got the feeling from reading the reviews that the viewers were taking this picture into comparison with contemporary films which it is certainly not one nor is it as one review suggested a film to be viewed for those in a "classic film phase". its beyond that. perhaps im out of line but these are my thoughts at the moment. Rated 3 out of 5
Lee Marvin makes it watchable
For indepth plot analysis, check out some previous reviews. Most everyone knows who the characters are and what this flick is about. But it all boils down to the fact that this is a pretty square picture, made by a bunch of squares, all trying desparately to be hip and capture the essence of something entirely new and elusive, which was Beat coolness, crossed with postwar veteran angst. The original event that this is (loosely) based on, a motorcycle rally in Hollister, CA in 1947, is very misunderstood and little known outside of biker circles. But there was a sea change underway in the American psyche - one could almost say that the 60’’s started there, as much as anywhere. "The Wild One" tries to capture this notion, but this film has a very tone deaf quality to it. They all know the words, but they can’’t carry a tune. The one shining star here is Lee Marvin, who is (as usual) so perfect it’’s scary. It’’s like he wandered onto the set from another picture being made next door, or something, so clearly does he outclass the rest of the pack. He is worth the price of admission, and is the perfect portrait of the disillusioned WW2 vet out to By God enjoy a little of the freedom for which he endured so much hell.
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