Wild River

Drama | English | 110 minutes

Info

Wild River begins by showing newsreel footage of the destruction of property and the loss of lives caused by repeated massive flooding in the Tennessee Valley. To control the flooding, and provide much-needed electricity to the impoverished area, the Federal government forms the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and proceeds with plans to construct a hydroelectric dam. To achieve this, many homeowners must vacate their homes. The TVA dispatches Chuck Glover, head of the land purchasing department, to negotiate the purchase of these homes. Receiving fair compensation, most homeowners accept. However, on the critical Garth Island, the elderly Ella Garth refuses to sell. To avoid bad publicity, Glover tries to reason with Ella: if she remains, her home and property will be under water when the dam is completed. Ella is not convinced. Glover tries to reason with Carol Baldwin, Ella’s granddaughter, but that also fails. Tensions increase when many of the black workers quit their jobs to work for the higher-paying TVA. Even though we know how it turns out, the dam is built, the floods are controlled, the events leading to this are suspenseful and heartbreaking.

Cast

Montgomery Clift (Chuck Glover) / Jo Van Fleet (Ella Garth) / Lee Remick ( Carol Garth Baldwin)

Why Stream This Film?

It’s an excruciating story. To control the destructive floods in the Tennessee Valley, floods that destroyed property and took lives, the Federal government required many of the residents, who lived in their homes for decades, to pack up and move out. Some agreed to do so, accepting compensation. Others, furiously refused, and that’s the crux of this riveting film.

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 92%

Accolades

Berlin International Film Festival: Nominated, Best Director (Elia Kazan)
Cahiers du Cinéma: Nominated, Best Film
National Board of Review: Listed, Top Ten Films of the Year
Wild River was selected fo ther National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

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