Wildes Blut (1952)

Wildes Blut: Directed by King Vidor. With Jennifer Jones, Charlton Heston, Karl Malden, Tom Tully. A sexy but poor young girl marries a rich man she doesn’t love, but carries a torch for another man.

“Jennifer Jones is so big in this film she makes Charlton Heston appear to be underacting – no mean feat! Nonetheless sheu0026#39;s a fascinating actress to watch, and the whole film is fresh. Does it seem like u0026quot;real lifeu0026quot; North Carolina? No, but I donu0026#39;t really think it matters. Itu0026#39;s an effective, entertaining melodrama that was a big hit in its day.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eRuby Gentry was filmed on location (mostly in rural California), and what a nice, uncomplicated, outdoor feeling the film has. Itu0026#39;s not studio-bound at all, even when the occasional use of process photography is obvious. Who could ever forget that amazing love scene played in the convertible careening down the beach, for example? You can almost feel the fresh sea air and smell the salt water. Heston and Jones, in this and other steamy scenes (at least for the time) make a surprisingly effective team.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePhotographed in real light, Jennifer Jones looks just about five years too old for the part; she seems to compensate by overdoing the tomboy aspects, strutting about and speaking too loudly to people standing three feet away from her. Playing a tramp-ish character, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, sheu0026#39;s hardly as naturally sultry or sexy as, say, Ava Gardner. She works at it, and works a bit too hard, at times. A scene in which she pours coffee for a group of horny guys, where all she has to do is stand there looking good, is played with so many varied facial tics and expressions. She canu0026#39;t throw away a scene, or a moment.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eYet her performance is appropriate to the character and the film. She commands the screen and is never boring for a second. Whatu0026#39;s great about Jennifer Jones is her incredible sensitivity, so that when Ruby is slighted by the people of her town for her low social status, despite (and because of) her marriage to Karl Maldenu0026#39;s wealthy character, her hurt and rage are palpable. She really lives the part. And this drives the film. She has a great deal of life on the screen.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCharlton Heston is great. Looser than usual, calling his girl, u0026quot;baby.u0026quot; He doesnu0026#39;t seem to rely as much on his mellifluous voice this time. He plays a regular American guy. Itu0026#39;s a shame he didnu0026#39;t get to demonstrate the casual quality of his Boake Teckman, here, in other roles. But I guess when you play Moses and Michelangelo you donu0026#39;t get that much of an opportunity.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eKarl Malden was still pretty new to moviegoers at this time but he became very popular, very fast, after his Oscar winning role in Streetcar. In many ways heu0026#39;s always reminded me of Spencer Tracy with his sharp yet warm, human portrayals. Unfortunately he didnu0026#39;t have Tracyu0026#39;s good looks and wasnu0026#39;t in line for leading man parts. But that didnu0026#39;t stop him from becoming a top star. He blends into his part expertly and makes us forget heu0026#39;s acting. He just seems to be Jim Gentry.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe brilliant director King Vidor went through a long melodramatic period and it was most enjoyable. Ruby Gentry was a highlight.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe score (for harmonica and orchestra) is one of the most memorable things about the film, the theme music became a big hit called u0026quot;Ruby.u0026quot;”