Time has definatley not been kind to The Wild One, which wants to be a disturbing and bold statement about a supposed social problem, but, to use a term from the movie, is hopelessly square.
Another example of 50's paranoia about anyone slightly outside of the mainstream, the movie is about a fight between two rival motorcylce gangs who take over a small town. The main gang is led by Johnny (Marlon Brando) who has thing for the sheriff's oh-so straight-laced daughter (Mary Murphey). After the other motorcylce gang arrives, the town goes nuts and to drive the gangs out by force. Only the good-ol sherrif (Jay C. Flippen) is the voice of reason.
Although towards the end the movie is not quite as jingoistic as would seem at the beginning (giving Johnny a little more depth than usual) much of the way is unintentally hilarous. After West Side Story, these seem to be the most incompetetant gangs in movie history, and this movie can't get away with it by being set in the fantasy world of a musical. The gangs come off as obnixious bullies from middle school instead of anything actully threating. A particuarly like the scene where the gang members bother an old man by scatting singing in bebop style. I'm certain that would work today.
That's not the only problems- the rear screen projection during the motorcycle sequences is obvious and comically distracting. This movie also has the classic 50's portrayal of police, where every policeman takes the correct, moral stance, with no hint of ambiguity, 100% of the time.
Although I am sure that this movie must have been hard hitting in its day, it's lost it's impact, and any reason to view it.
The Wild One (1954)