I must say having seen most of his other films and starting with his first work I was not sure what to expect. Most directors take a few films to really get going but "Mauvaise Graine" was enthralling from the start.
The main idea is a spoiled son gets taken off his father's community service bill paying and has to find his own way. A chance car job gets him involved with an entire committee of professional car thieves with a operation that engulfs all of Paris. His best friend on the job puts him up at his place for the time being and it's here where he meets his friend's sister and the love interest for the film.
Without saying too much else that's the main idea of the film. The first 60 minutes I thought Wilder might have started off with an excellent film, the story was interesting, not generic like a lot of other films around the same time. Characters were plenty, lots of side laughs and the love story kept the story going without detracting from the flow of the film. Sad to say the last 20 minutes slows down substantially and makes a turn for typical clichéd sentimentality.
A film Wilder fans will enjoy that includes the beginning of his long shot lengths and serious yet down to earth characters. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to see his first film and those who just like a good crime drama with romance and laughs involved.
The main idea is a spoiled son gets taken off his father's community service bill paying and has to find his own way. A chance car job gets him involved with an entire committee of professional car thieves with a operation that engulfs all of Paris. His best friend on the job puts him up at his place for the time being and it's here where he meets his friend's sister and the love interest for the film.
Without saying too much else that's the main idea of the film. The first 60 minutes I thought Wilder might have started off with an excellent film, the story was interesting, not generic like a lot of other films around the same time. Characters were plenty, lots of side laughs and the love story kept the story going without detracting from the flow of the film. Sad to say the last 20 minutes slows down substantially and makes a turn for typical clichéd sentimentality.
A film Wilder fans will enjoy that includes the beginning of his long shot lengths and serious yet down to earth characters. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to see his first film and those who just like a good crime drama with romance and laughs involved.