Movie Review: Born to Be Wild

Born to Be Wild 

Starring: Ralph Byrd, Doris Weston, Ward Bond, Robert Emmett Keane, Ben Hewlett, Charles Williams, Davison Clark, Byron Foulger, George Anderson, Edwin Stanley, Ben Hendricks Jr., Sterlita Peluffo, Lew Kelly, Harrison Greene, George Magrill, Anna Demetrio, Stooge the Dog 

Director: Joseph Kane 

Republic Pictures, USA, 1938. 

This movie can be found in Fuel Injected Films 20 Movie Collection by Mill Creek Entertainment. 

This movie has nothing to do with with the Steppenwolf song or "Easy Rider." Truck drivers Steve Hackett (Ralph Byrd) and Bill Purvis (Ward Bond) are returning home after a rough trip. Regulations say that all truck drivers must shift into low gear when on a down grade. Steve and Bill break the rule and get fired but they are actually quite happy about it. Their unemployment does not last long. Mr. Davis (Robert Emmett Keane) hires the guys back to truck very important shipment of lettuce to small town named Indianhead. 

Bill Purvis and Steve Hackett

Dirt road truckers

Group of strikers stop the truck and throw lettuce-crates out. That's some explosive lettuce! The crates are full of dynamite. The strikers are only interested in lettuce so the boys may go on. Steve and Bill try to figure out why the dynamite is needed in Indianhead but reading the newspaper reveals only that the town is a dullsville. 

Explosive lettuce

It is quite a dull place

They meet various folks during the trip such as eccentric Lizard Springs city builder J. Carroll Malloy (Harrison Greene). He is trying to build a city in the middle of desert. The town will also have casinos, sounds like Las Vegas. Later there is a random encounter with gangsters. Fleeing the thugs they crash a car parked in the middle of the road. They have to give a lift to Mary Stevens (Doris Weston) and her dog Butch (Stooge the Dog). Mary first blames them for kidnapping her. 

J. Carroll Malloy

Steve and Mary

Butch (Stooge the Dog)

Gangsters hijack the truck so the trio must get it back. The heroes visit Mexican fiesta. Steve and Mary get a bit romantic. The dynamite is for blowing up a dam to save a city from flooding. However blowing up the dam would flood out ranchers living in the valley. Greedy businessman Wilson (Ben Hewlett) tries to blackmail the town to pay huge sum for his lands or the town will not get the dynamite. 

Mexican dancer Manuela (Sterlita Peluffo). Scene present only in the full 65 minute version.

On the right: Wilson (Ben Hewlett)

Indianhead dam

This is quite short film, with some songs to make the short story longer. It captures some atmosphere of the later part of the Great Depression. The dialogue is witty and fun. The movie follows structure of road movie with the first half being more comedic and the second half has more action. Former "Dick Tracy"- actor Ralph Byrd seems to have fun and also quite prolific western film actor and John Wayne's friend Ward Bond has now a more comedic role. Although the movie is not especially memorable it has fun and entertaining moments.

The Mill Creek version runs the full 65 minutes. There are some shorter 53 minute versions which have the whole Mexican fiesta scene removed. Removed are also a scene where Bill tells how his wife left him and took his suit, car and money, scene where Bill and Steve help a couple who are having a child birth while on the road and after that another truck is damaged by sabotaged bridge.

Rating: Good