07. Wild In The Country

[Suspicious Minds]

Thank you, Private Presley, for sharing those wonderful photos.

I came across the script draft and some movie stills. Hope you like them.

Source: http://auction.graceland.com/1961__em_W ... T2600.aspx

Wild in the Country First Draft Script Dated August 7, 1958 for Film Starring Elvis Presley - With Five Film Stills

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Despite having the stamp “Property of Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation / Return to Stenographic Department” on the front cover, this incredible original draft escaped and is being offered with five black-and-white film stills. Wild in the Country, a film based on the 1958 novel The Lost Country by J.R. Salamanca, was Elvis’ most dramatic role to date and truly showcased his potential as a serious actor. However, among moviegoers and fans, Elvis’ fun and sexy musical roles were more popular, so his career took a swing back to the formulaic Elvis movies after Wild in the Country.

This rare example of a well-used original first draft screenplay exhibits a plethora of annotations and handwritten notes confirming its purpose and extensive use as a first draft. The blue-toned cover alone is well-handled, stained and worn along all the edges as one might expect from a copy that saw copious use. Even the original title The Lost Country is crossed out and replaced with the handwritten WILD IN THE COUNTRY. The date of August 7, 1958 appears just underneath the title, with “Elvis Presley” written in green ink between.

The first interior page has pencil notations, “Dir by Philip Dunne / Elvis Presley / Hope Lange / John Ireland / Tuesday Weld / (last 2 pages missing).”

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The first page of the script has the handwritten pencil notation “see pg 10 & be sure to establish time & place” pointing to the line “The moon is a ripe melon dripping in the starful sky, splashing the cool Virginia earth...”

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Further in the script on page 80 are more detailed notations in ink that appear to be amending dialogue at great length. There are more than a dozen handwritten pages of notes or potential dialogue on the reverse of the pages near the end of the script. After much review and tweaking, this working copy would eventually become the final version of Elvis’ seventh motion picture, the 1961 film Wild in the Country.

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This remarkable original working first draft was offered with five black-and-white film stills, each measuring approximately 8 by 10 inches (20.32 x 25.4 cm).

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[Colin B]

Elvis - Wild In The Country - with Tuesday Weld [6].JPG

Elvis - Wild In The Country - with Tuesday Weld [5].JPG

[Suspicious Minds]

For Wild In The Country movie script & lobby cards, see also

https://www.theelvisforum-phoenix.com/v ... f=4&t=4319

Or should I repost it here? Just let me know what you guys think is best. Cheers!

I've moved the post over to here - CB

[Suspicious Minds]

For Wild In The Country movie script & lobby cards, see also

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4319

Or should I repost it here? Just let me know what you guys think is best. Cheers!

I've moved the post over to here - CB

Thank you, Colin!

[TonyS]

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[TonyS]

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[colonel snow]

Wild in the country - script (see previous post)


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[Suspicious Minds]

Col. Parker wearing a Wild In The Country promo jacket

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Source: http://www.elvisechoesofthepast.com/col ... vie-coats/

[Suspicious Minds]

Thanks to Bob Pakes!
http://www.elvisechoesofthepast.com/wil ... ntry-1961/

US poster 1-sheet

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US poster half sheet

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UK quad poster

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French posters

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German poster

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Spanish poster

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Italian poster

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Swedish poster

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Danish poster

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[Suspicious Minds]

Wild In The Country radio spot record

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[Suspicious Minds]

World Premiere Program from Wild in the Country, 20th Century Fox, 1961.

A four page booklet featuring information about the film as well as black and white images of the stars including EP, Tuesday Weld, Hope Lange, and Millie Perkins. Cover mentions "World Premiere - June 8, 1961 / Malco Theatre" [in Memphis, TN]. Included with a black and white image of Elvis that probably came with the program.

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Source: https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/music- ... 82-46292.s

[Suspicious Minds]

From David Neale:

The original title of J. R. Salamanca's 1958 novel, The Lost Country, was adapted with the release of the film Wild In The Country. The cover artwork of this 1961 Cardinal paperback edition shows Elvis and Hope Lange in a scene from the film.

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http://davidneale.eu/elvis/memrbl/elvis ... untry.html

[Suspicious Minds]

Wild In The Country, movie ad, 1961

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Wild In The Country, ad of movie drive-in theatre

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[colonel snow]

By an internal memo dated 10 november 1961 Colonel Parker asked Jerry Wald (producer) and Philip Dunne (director) to change the title of the movie Wild in the country into Lonely man to promote records sales. Both refused to do because the title sounded too much like a "Western movie" in that way.
Based on an audience preview the song was finally cut from the movie.

colonel snow

[colonel snow]

In the original ending the movie character Irene committed suicide with success. As result of the preview (dated 27 january 1961) the ending of the movie was re-shoot early february 1961 where she survives the suicide.


colonel snow