The Wild One

"The Wild One" and not "Easy Rider" is the classic of bad boy motorcycle flicks (Sonny Barger of the Hells Angels describes Easy Rider as a movie about two dope dealers, not about bikers).

This is a fun flick with the best part, IMHO, the viewer being able to retro back to the classic bikes and biker clothing of the 1950s. Brando and Lee Marvin play great little roles and as many believe it is Lee Marvin whose character is the forerunner of the 1960s outlaw motorcyclist in tenor and tone.

Well worth the money and a keeper for the DVD shelf library.

The Movie that every motorcycle enthusiast should see. Sometimes I think the attitude hasn't changed that much... The story of how it all started. My biker movie collection is now complete. "We don't ride just any one place, that's cornball style".

THIS IS A MUST HAVE CLASSIC BIKER MOVIE. THIS IS ONE OF IF NOT THE FIRST RECOGNIZED MOTORCYCLE GANG MOVIE.IF YOUR A BIKER FAN YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS ONE.

Another in a long line of wrong roles for Brando, as well as a ridiculous collection of gentrified cycle rats, but despite this basic silliness, there is the girl--Mary Murphy whose conflicted desires stole the show--and the music...fun West Coast jazz featuring Kenton graduates, Shorty Rogers and Shelly Manne (aka Manny Shell and Roger Short because of recording contract issues).

Sadly it was Marlon Brando who recovered from the train wreck rather than Mary Murphy.

This movie made in 1954 starring Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin was the first of the "biker" movies.

The film loosely depicts the 1947 biker melee that really happened and virtually destroyed the northern California town of Hollister. The script was a little weak for me.

Marlon Brando stars as Johnny, the leader of a biker gang (the Black Rebels) that invades a small town, Wrightsville.

The movie begins where the gang takes a road trip and crashes a motorcycle race and push race officials around. They are eventually thrown out but one of them ends up stealing the first prize trophy and gives it to Johnny, who straps it to his bike like a hood ornament. The gang then rides into Wrightsville where they cruise up and down the main street and end up going to the local bar. The owner of the bar is happy to let the bikers spend their money and does nothing to break up any fights. Johnny likes the girl who works there, but she is the sheriff's daughter but he still tries to impress her with the trophy. Then a rival gang rides into town, headed by Chino (Lee Marvin) and the havoc begins.

The movie's language is severely dated, but I wasn't around then, so I imagine that's how some of the younger people spoke. The movie has a great quote though. When one person asked Johnny (Brando) what he was rebelling about he replied, "Whatta ya got".

This film also was believed to inspire Sonny Barger the undisputed leader of the Hells Angels.

While I'm an avid motorcyclist, I don't condone being in a "biker" gang and I'm not a member of the "1 percenters", so to see bikers destroy a town wasn't entertainment to me especially when there was no motive. The head of the American Motorcycle Assoc. made a statement saying that 99% of motorcyclist are law abiding citizens, the Hells Angels claim that they are the remaining 1 percenters.

But, when you ride a bike it is the most exciting thing you can put between your legs and you get the feeling of total freedom and it's pure fun.

With all its flaws, this film will appeal to you if you love bikes and besides that you get to see the start of biker clothing---the leather jacket.