Wild Company (1930)

Director: Leo McCarey Writers: Bradley King, John Stone Starring: Frank Albertson, H. B. Warner, Sharon Lynn, Claire McDowell, Kenneth Thompson, Bela Lugosi Pre-code, but nothing here that would be overtly affected by the code anyway. Purported to be a "youth gone wild" cautionary tale, with the associated preachy bits, it misses the mark. The protagonist, if one could even call him that, can in no way be considered an everyman, as he lives in the lap of luxury. The dire situation into which he falls relies completely upon his father's wealth and reputation. Instead, the film is a rather interesting portrait of what would be referred to in the modern culture as a "failson." The progeny of a very wealthy family, he displays no interests or skills, aside from attending parties, going to nightclubs, and drinking to excess. Some aspects of this film are ahead of their time. The actors, for instance, give more subdued, nuanced performances than those in similar films, such as "Reefer Madness." The scenes are relatively quick moving, especially for the time, and well blocked. Watch for a minor role played by Bela Lugosi, the year before "Dracula" made him a household name. Wild Company entered the Public Domain on January 1, 2026. I have restored the film in both picture and sound. It's not perfect, by any means, but it is easier to watch than the original on which I worked.