The Wild Child

The Wild Child (1970)

L'Enfant sauvage

At last an adult film to which you can take your children.

The true story of Victor of Aveyron. In a French forest circa 1798, an abandoned child — feral, filthy and mentally impaired — is found. Dr Jean Marc Gaspard Itard becomes interested in the case and patiently attempts to civilise the boy.

Date of release
1970-02-26
TMDB
7.1 / 10 (319)
Runtime
1h 23m
Genres
Drama, History
Director
François Truffaut

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Filmed in: Montluçon and Aubiat

The Wild Child is a 1970 French historical drama film co-written, directed by, and starring François Truffaut. It is based on the true events regarding Victor of Aveyron, a late 18th-century French child who spent the first eleven or twelve years of his life with little or no human contact.

Production

Truffaut had always felt a strong connection to children, especially outcasts and young people who reject the traditions of society, and frequently used this theme in films such as The 400 Blows and Small Change. In 1962, Truffaut had wanted to make a film based on the play The Miracle Worker; however, Arthur Penn had already obtained the rights and made a film later that year.

After considering several little-known actors, Truffaut decided to play the part of Dr. Itard himself so that he could interact directly with the child actor playing Victor instead of depending on an intermediary. After the film's shooting was completed, he said that he had "the impression not of having acted a role, but simply of having directed the film in front of the camera and not, as usual, from behind it." He later said that "the decision…

Truffaut had more difficulty casting the role of Victor, knowing that he wanted a child actor who was both talented and suitably undisciplined. He first considered using either an unknown gifted child or the son of a famous celebrity, thinking that a younger version of someone like ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev would be perfect.

Filming took place on location in the Auvergne region, principally in Aubiat, from July to August 1969, so as not to interrupt Cargol's education. It was Truffaut's first film with cinematographer Néstor Almendros, who went on to work with Truffaut on eight more films. The film included several references to the aesthetics of silent films, such as using an iris shutter to end scenes and filming it in black and white.

After filming was completed, Truffaut realized that The Wild Child had a strong connection to his first film The 400 Blows, not just for its depicting of frustrated children but because it mirrored his experience working with then first time actor Jean-Pierre Léaud. Truffaut said that "I was reliving somewhat the shooting of The 400 Blows, during which I initiated Jean-Pierre Léaud into cinema.

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