1. Wild River was unusual because all filming, even the publicity still shots were done entirely on location right here in Bradley and
Hamilton Counties. None of it was filmed in a studio. Wild River was the first movie ever filmed in the state of Tennessee in its entirety.
2. Nearly 200 people a day lined the Charleston streets to
catch a glimpse of the movie being made.
3. The Hiwassee Bank building, which is still standing across from the barber shop, was too modern looking for the 1930's setting they were looking for, so they
hid the bank behind scaffolding with a sign that read "Your New City Hall".
4. Some people think that "Wild River" was filmed in black and white and later colorized. That is not true. Most of Elia
Kazan's movies were in black and white, From Here to Eternity, Baby Doll, A Streetcar Named Desire, A Face in the Crowd, among others. Wild River and East of Eden were the only films he did in color. Why did
he film Wild River in color? Kazan said, "I thought Wild River should be in color because the country wasn't just the setting for the story, it was the essence of the story. It was an outdoor picture, autumn corn
fields, rivers, fires, and country people's faces." The scenery was part of the story, beginning with the beautiful landscape and endi
ng with the landscape lost forever under the flood waters of the dam. Wild
River was also the only film Kazan used Cinemascope, which was a wide angle lens used to provide a panoramic view of the landscape.
5. Wild River was the first film for both Bruce
Dern and Barbara Loden. She later married Elia Kazan having a child with him.
6. Lee Remick said that Wild River was her favorite of all her movies.
7. Jim Brennan, the town barber in
Charleston, cut his foot in a lawnmower and the next day rented his barbershop for one of the movie sets. Brennan said, "If this could keep up, I'd make more money cutting myself
than cutting the customers". Jim Redman owned the barbershop at the time.
8. Willard Ratcliff, a dairy farmer in Bradley County said, "Plain crazy, those movie people.
Gave me a brand new roof for the old rusted roof on my barn".
9. Despite popular belief, the plantation house was never on the island in Charleston, TN. The
plantation house was actually located at Ware Branch in Harrison, TN.
10. Speaking of Coon Denton Island at Wild River Retreat, Lee Remick told reporters she loved it here because it was so beautiful.
11. Coon Denton Island was chosen as the movie location 2 years before filming began.
12. Elia Kazan flew 650 miles up and down the Tennessee River from Paducah, KY all the way
to Muscle Shoals, AL looking for a movie location. He did not find anything he liked until he decided to try the Hiwassee River. When he first laid eyes on Coon Denton Island he knew that was his movie location.
13. Although the ferry and cables have been replaced several times over the years, the ferry system has been here for more than 150 years.
14. Coon Denton Island is 27 acres. It is 1 mile around the riverbanks around the island.
15. The antique farm equipment was rented from a farm in Bradley County which is now known
as Anatole subdivision.
16. Wild River was a movie about the TVA. Ironically, all 3 of the major movie locations had
parts of the property owned by TVA. The landing for the ferry on the mainland side of Coon Denton Island is owned by TVA. The backwater behind the gas station and barbershop is
owned by TVA and the entire property the plantation set was built on at Ware Branch in Harrison, TN is owned by TVA.
17. Judy Harris (Spurgeon) was chosen because she favored Lee Remick when she was 7
years old. Judy played Lee Remick's little girl.
18. Jim Menard was chosen because he loved hugging Lee Remick. He played Lee Remick's son.
19. Carolyn Harris played a non-speaking TVA secretary but could have had the part played by Barbara Loden. Her daughter played Lee Remick's daughter and because of Judy's scheduling
for her scenes, Carolyn was unable to take the speaking part, wanting to be with Judy during her scenes.
20. Mike Dodd, a very popular radio announcer played the Garthville Sheriff.
21. Hardwick Stuart played the role of U.S. Marshall John Hogue. The role was supposed to be played by Tony Teague but an illness kept him from playing the role.
22. James Finley provided the antique license plates used on the movie cars. Mr. Finley had a collection of license plates and 20th Century Fox made replicas of the plates to prevent
damaging the originals during filming.
23. According to the late John Bradley, Thurma and Ann McClary would sneak liquor up to Montgomery Clift's room at the Cherokee Hotel.
24. Mark Anthony, who played the hotel desk clerk, was actually employed by TVA.
25. James Steakley played the mayor of Garthville. Steakley was in the plumbing business with
his dad. Both he and his dad were heavily involved in the Chattanooga Little Theater. James Steakley's dad died about halfway through the filming of Wild River. He never got to see his son in his movie debut.
