Elvis Presley's seventh feature film, Wild in the Country is a 1961 musical drama directed by Philip Dunne, adapted by screenwriter Clifford Odets from the 1958 novel The Lost Country J. R. Salamanca.
After Glenn Tyler (Presley) nearly kills his brother Hank (Red West) in a scuffle, he is sent to live on probation with his uncle Rolfe Braxton (William Mims) and cousin Noreen (Tuesday Weld). Glenn also gets psychiatric counseling from Irene Sperry (Hope Lange), who discovers he has a talent for writing and tries to encourage it. Glenn also has a steady girlfriend in the naive Betty Lee Parsons (Millie Perkins), but Noreen and eventually Irene also vie for his affections.
The supporting cast also includes Rafer Johnson, Gary Lockwood, John Ireland, and Pat Buttram.
Tropes:
- Missing Mom: Glenn's mother died before he turned nine and this played a large role into making him the person he is at the start of the story. He describes to Irene how it pained him to see her work like a slave while his father and brother barely did anything and got drunk instead.
- Real Men Love Jesus: Glenn's image of a rebellious and violent bad boy belies the fact that he has seriously studied the Bible and knows it like the palm of his hand.
- Slut-Shaming: Irene is insulted by many townsfolk once it comes out that she stayed with Glenn at a motel. In particular, Hank and his pals approach her and mockingly suggest they can go to a motel.
- Train-Station Goodbye: The movie ends with Irene seeing Glenn off at the train station as he leaves for college.
- Troubled, but Cute: Glenn has a violent streak and poor relations with his father and brother, which is revealed to be because he cared deeply for his mother and they mistreated her. He also has a sensitive side as proven by his writing. Little wonder that he is pursued by no less than three women.
- Video Credits: The ending credits show clips of Betty Lee, Noreen, Irene and Glenn with their actors' names in the lower part of the screen while an excerpt of Elvis' song "Wild in the Country" plays.
- Wedding Ring Defense: Noreen wears a ring, has a baby and is thought to be married to a husband who's overseas. Turns out the husband was made up by Rolfe to hide the fact that she took off with a city guy one night and got pregnant out of wedlock. Rolfe bought the ring to make it more convincing; it only cost him two dollars.
