Juan del Diablo and Monica in the 1993 (left) and 2009 (right) versions.
Corazón salvaje ("Wild Heart") was a novel written by prolific Mexican writer Caridad Bravo Adams and published in 1957 after it had been adapted to the screen the previous year.
The story takes place in Martinique in 1903 and describes the life in the Caribbean of Juan del Diablo, a boy who grows up to be a pirate (while Renato, his half-brother goes to study in France), and Monica and Aimee, two sisters who fall in love with him.
This show provides examples of:
- Abusive Parents: The fisherman would regularly abuse and neglect Juan, as seen in the 1993 version.
- Arranged Marriage:
- Monica was bethroted to Andres since they were little. Unfortunately for her, by the time they are adults, Andres has forgotten about their engagement and fells for her younger sister Aimee instead.
- Later, Monica decides to marry Juan because she believes this is the only way to prevent Aimee to continue her affair with him. In an unexpected turn of events, Juan accepts to marry Monica. It turns up as a Perfectly Arranged Marriage, as Juan becomes captivated by Monica's beauty and her kind demeanor.
- Death by Adaptation: Renato's fate in the 2009 version. In all adaptations he has a Heel–Face Turn and makes amends with Juan. Here, he dies after being mortally stabbed, but he still reconciles.
- Declaration of Protection: In his deathbed, Francisco asks young Renato to protect and care for Juan as a brother, not telling him that they are actually blood siblings. Even as an adult, Renato tries to keep this promise, though it goes to hell after Juan's affair with Aimee.
- As in Played for Laughs, in the 1993 version, after young Renato (called Andres in this version) tells young Juan about that promise, Juan's reaction is to start laughing, much to the other's confusion. Justified, since Juan is older and stronger.
- Madwoman in the Attic: In the 2009 version, this is what happened to Juan's mother thanks to a jealous Sofia (called Leonarda in this version). This is what eventually happens to Leonarda in the end, where she is kept in a dungeon and dies from starvation.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Several characters note the resemblance between Juan and Francisco, his biological father. Specifically his fiery temper and his good looks.
- Tears of Remorse: Renato after being saved by Juan, after their confrontation. Especially in the 1993 version (here he is called Andres), after Juan saves his life and Andres later remarks their happy times as childhood friends.
- Unlucky Childhood Friend: Monica, towards Renato. This is the reason why she decides to become a nun. After she discovers a whole different side to Juan's jerkass personality, she gets better.
