Wild Boys Of The Road (1933) :
Brief Review -
A youth-driven depression gem by William Wellman. All you needed in the Depression Era was hope and a film like this. William Wellman had an Oscar-winning classic in his pocket before moving to the talkie era, and whatever sound pictures he made, this one should top the list only after "The Ox Bow Incident" (1943). What a powerful film for its time and what a vivid presentation of society's issues! Unemployment has been a major issue for any country in this world, and even a giant like America couldn't protect itself from getting hit by it. Hollywood has made so many good films during the depression era, but Wild Boys Of The Road has to have a special place in the list of depression flicks. It makes the topic even more sensitive and meaningful by taking us through the lens of youth. The teenage boys, who should have been in school getting themselves busy with the books and flirting with girls, were thrown on the road and rails. How difficult it must have been for the boys then. From hiding from raildicks to begging on a road just to get a decent job and a home-imagine, the youth had to go through it, not adults. The same thing I saw in John Ford's classic "The Grapes Of Wrath," but there they were all adults, and here, every single one of the main characters was a teenager. After all, we all know there is a light after a dark phase, and it's by default. All you need in such times is hope, patience, unity, and courage to stand against all odds, and sooner or later, you are going to have your happiness back. Wild Boys Of The Road is about that horrible time youth had to face; it's about fighting society for your existence and then goodwill taking over an evil in you. William Wellman, you beauty! More than anything else, the timing of this film matters the most. You just had to feel what all middle-class families felt during the recession period, and this film will stay in your memory forever.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A youth-driven depression gem by William Wellman. All you needed in the Depression Era was hope and a film like this. William Wellman had an Oscar-winning classic in his pocket before moving to the talkie era, and whatever sound pictures he made, this one should top the list only after "The Ox Bow Incident" (1943). What a powerful film for its time and what a vivid presentation of society's issues! Unemployment has been a major issue for any country in this world, and even a giant like America couldn't protect itself from getting hit by it. Hollywood has made so many good films during the depression era, but Wild Boys Of The Road has to have a special place in the list of depression flicks. It makes the topic even more sensitive and meaningful by taking us through the lens of youth. The teenage boys, who should have been in school getting themselves busy with the books and flirting with girls, were thrown on the road and rails. How difficult it must have been for the boys then. From hiding from raildicks to begging on a road just to get a decent job and a home-imagine, the youth had to go through it, not adults. The same thing I saw in John Ford's classic "The Grapes Of Wrath," but there they were all adults, and here, every single one of the main characters was a teenager. After all, we all know there is a light after a dark phase, and it's by default. All you need in such times is hope, patience, unity, and courage to stand against all odds, and sooner or later, you are going to have your happiness back. Wild Boys Of The Road is about that horrible time youth had to face; it's about fighting society for your existence and then goodwill taking over an evil in you. William Wellman, you beauty! More than anything else, the timing of this film matters the most. You just had to feel what all middle-class families felt during the recession period, and this film will stay in your memory forever.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.