Untamed (1929 film)
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Untamed is a 1929 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer drama/comedy/romance motion picture starring Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery. Others in the cast include Ernest Torrence, Holmes Herbert, Gwen Lee, and Lloyd Ingraham.
Directed by Jack Conway, the script was adapted by Sylvia Thalberg and Frank Butler, with dialogue by Willard Mack, from a story by Charles E. Scoggins. Original music was composed by Louis Alter, Nacio Herb Brown and William Axt. Lyrics were written by Arthur Freed and Joe Goodwin. Costumes were designed by Adrian.
Made during MGM's transition from silent to sound movies, Untamed was Crawford's first talkie. It was the first role as a leading man for Montgomery, who never worked in silents.
In the opening scene, Crawford dances as she sings the theme song, "Chant of the Jungle," written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, which became a hit in 1929. She and Montgomery sing the Louis Alter and Arthur Freed tune "That Wonderful Something Is Love."
Untamed was a big success at the box-office.
U.S. release: November 23, 1929
86 mins.; English; black-and-white
[edit] Synopsis
An oil prospector, Henry "Hank" Dowling (played by Ingraham), has raised his free-spirited daughter, Alice "Bingo" Dowling (played by Crawford), in the jungle of South America. He asks his friend, Ben Murchison (played by Torrence), to come work with him on oil wells that have paid off. Just as Ben arrives with Howard Presley (played by Herbert), however, Hank is killed by an oil worker who has designs on Bingo.
She has now inherited her father's company and wealth. Ben is appointed her guardian. She calls him and Howard both uncles, though they are not related. She is sassy and without refinement, hitting anyone she disagrees with. Her "uncles" decide that the wild Bingo should move to New York City, acquire proper deportment and enter society. While they are aboard the ocean liner, she meets the young, good-looking and well-educated charmer Andy McAllister (played by Montgomery).
It is love at first sight for Bingo and Andy, who sing a few songs. In New York, Andy continues seeing her. Because she is a wealthy oil heiress and he has no wealth, however, he is afraid of what people might think and tells her that he cannot marry her and live off her money. To complicate the situation further, Bingo's Uncle Ben discourages the relationship. He even offers Andy money to leave her.
When Andy turns to Marjory (played by Lee), an irate Bingo loses her untamed temper and shoots him in the shoulder. They make up immediately after the shooting and forgive each other. Changing his mind about leaving her, Andy decides that Bingo is the woman for him and wants to marry her.
[edit] Trivia
- Co-writer Sylvia Thalberg was a sister of MGM producer Irving Thalberg.
- Crawford was said to have never doubted her ability to talk on film. She bought a Dictaphone, however, and her first husband, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., supervised her reading of verse into it.
- Crawford was one of the few silent movie stars to successfully make the transition to talkies and thrive for many years to come.
