“Wild Hearts for Valentine’s: Joan Crawford in Untamed”

Untamed is a lively, transitional-era MGM drama that captures Joan Crawford right on the cusp of her transformation from silent‑era ingénue to full‑fledged talkie star. Released in 1929, the film blends jungle adventure, Jazz Age romance, and corporate melodrama into a story that feels both exotic and unmistakably of its time. 🌿 The Story Crawford plays Alice “Babe” Rawlins, a wild, free‑spirited young woman raised deep in the South American jungle by her rugged prospector father. She’s all instinct, energy, and unpolished charm—more at home with parrots and pumas than with polite society. When her father is killed, Babe is whisked away to New York by Ben Murchison (Robert Montgomery), a handsome young businessman who becomes both her protector and her romantic interest. But civilization proves far more treacherous than the jungle. Babe’s untamed nature clashes with high society’s expectations, and her romance with Ben is threatened by scheming relatives, corporate intrigue, and her own fiery temper. 🎭 Why It’s Notable Joan Crawford’s early talkie charisma is the film’s beating heart. She’s vibrant, physical, and emotionally raw—still carrying the silent-era expressiveness but now experimenting with dialogue. Robert Montgomery provides smooth, urbane contrast, beginning a screen partnership that would recur throughout the 1930s. The film showcases MGM’s fascination with “civilizing the wild woman,” a trope that feels very pre‑Code in its sensuality and gender tension. It’s a fascinating snapshot of Hollywood in transition: part jungle melodrama, part modern romance, part boardroom drama. 🎬 Tone & Style Expect: Jungle adventure sequences with early-sound-era charm High-society drama dripping with 1929 glamour A fiery Crawford performance that hints at the powerhouse she would soon become Untamed is not just a film—it’s a time capsule of Hollywood finding its voice, with Joan Crawford leading the charge.