“Wild Oranges” (1924) / Z-View

Wild Oranges (1924)

Director:  King Vidor

Screenplay by:  King Vidor based on Joseph Hergesheimer’s novel Wild Oranges.

Starring:  Frank Mayo, Virginia Valli, Ford Sterling, Nigel De Brulier and Charles A. Post

Tagline:   She taught him to love her-this world wanderer who sailed the seas to escape women’s lures and the one he couldn’t forget!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When John Woolfolk’s (Mayo) wife dies in a tragic accident, he sets sail around the world on his small sailboat with no specific port in mind.  One night Woolfolk drops anchor in a remote inlet.  When he goes ashore he meets a Millie (Valli), young woman who lives with her grandfather (De Brulier) in an old house in the woods.  Woolfolk learns that an escaped homicidal maniac lives in the swamp nearby and has been terrorizing them.  Woolfolk plans to get Millie and her grandfather away to safety… but is unaware that the maniac knows of his plan!

King Vidor created a silent film with modern sensibilities.  Charles A. Post plays the homicidal maniac, but his character isn’t just a mustache-twirling villain.  I won’t go so far to say that his character is misunderstood, but I did like that there were layers to Post’s performance.  Wild Oranges has one of the most realistic, brutal and extended fight scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie from that era.  While there is silent movie melodrama and exaggerated poses in some scenes, Wild Oranges turns the corner into more realistic filming/acting choices.

Wild Oranges earns 4 of 5 stars.