Something Wild

Something Wild is a 1961 American neo-noir psychological drama film directed by Jack Garfein and starring Carroll Baker, Ralph Meeker, Mildred Dunnock, Jean Stapleton, and Martin Kosleck. It follows a young New York City college student who, after being brutally raped in a Bronx park, is held captive by a mechanic who saves her from committing suicide on the Manhattan Bridge. The film is based on the 1958 novel Mary Ann by Alex Karmel, who cowrote the screenplay with Garfein. An early American independent film, Something Wild was produced by Prometheus Enterprises, a production company formed by then-husband and wife Garfein and Baker, and funded by its distributor, United Artists, on a budget of $1 million. Principal photography took place in New York City in the summer of 1960, largely on location, with some interior studio filming. Something Wild premiered in New York City at the Plaza Theatre on December 20, 1961. The film received favorable reviews from film critics but was a box-office disappointment for United Artists. In the decades following its release, the film established a reputation as a neglected example of American independent and art cinema. The film was re-mastered and released on Blu-ray and DVD in 2017 by The Criterion Collection.