by Ted Davis
Alternative Version: The Wild Heart is a drastically different and inferior movie, with some scenes excised, and new ones concocted by David O’Selznick and Rouben Mamoulian, neither man at his best on this project.
Directed by: Michael Powell
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: The affecting and tragic tale of untamed pagan spirit Hazel (Jennifer Jones), ravishing daughter of careless and neglectful Abel Woodus (Esmond Knight), who has an affinity for all wild creatures, as exemplified by her beautiful pet fox, the prosaically named Foxy, and the numerous animals which cohabit with her. Hazel is torn between sacred and profane love in the respective forms of the gentle and considerate Edward Marston (Cyril Cusack), local minister, and predatory rake Jack Reddin (David Farrar), the masterful squire of Undern, but there’s really no contest, because Hazel’s nature responds more to the virile and violent Reddin, and she is complicit in her own doom.
Kitty Cameos: Early in the movie, in the cottage haven owned by Hazel’s father, her brown tabby cat is sitting on a chair. The father unceremoniously pushes the poor cat from his seat.
Later the kitty is cleaning itself before the fireplace.
Prior to Reddin’s direct and unsubtle attempt at seduction, Hazel coddles a different brown tabby cat in the estate kitchen. Reddin’s manservant Vessons (Hugh Griffith), who strongly disapproves of his master’s lecherous advances toward Hazel, is surprised to see her.
Reddin enters the kitchen and eyes Hazel and the cat.
After a couple of moments, the cat drops from Hazel’s arms to the flagstone floor.
On Hazel’s wedding night, her tabby cat, having been moved to the minister’s home along with her other animals, is rigged out special with a ribbon tied in a bow.
The tabby is seen one last time near the climax of the movie when Hazel is desperately searching for Foxy.
Final Mewsings: Hazel would have been better off avoiding human entanglements and maintaining her kinship with her animal friends.
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