Born To Be Wild

2755. BoRN TO BE WILD (1938-USA). With RALPH BYRD, WARD BOND. The dialogue crackles in this lightning-paced action drama which tells about the exploits of Steve Hackett and Bill Purvis, a pair of wisecracking and two-fisted truck drivers. They work for the West Coast Freight Lines, and as the film opens they are fired for breaking regulations. Hackett is then approached by a stranger who insists that he and Purvis “take a load” to a small town. “Thousands of lives” will depend upon their success. Then their boss not only offers to rehire them, but promises a $1000 bonus if they truck a special cargo of lettuce to the town. They do not know why this trip is so important, but the dollar signs which flash across their eyes allow them to accept. Our heroes also are unaware that this haul is not composed entirely of the stuff by which salads are made. Indeed, mixed in with the lettuce are countless sticks of dynamite! Hackett and Purvis soon find themselves embroiled in a scheme concocted by a greedy land speculator to flood and destroy the town. As they set out to deliver the load they are stopped by strikers and chased and shot at. Their truck is hijacked. They are “arrested” by phony cops. That’s just for openers. There also is a heroine in the story. She is named Mary Stevens, and the wrong kind of sparks fly between them (at least at first), leading to added complications for Hackett and Purvis. This exciting film starts off with a bang and ends not with a whimper, but a boom-and a song! Ralph Byrd can sing! 53 minutes. Adventure