Wild Weed (1949)

Director:

Sam Newfield

Writers:

Arthur Hoerl (story)
Richard H. Landau (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 June 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

How Bad Can a Good Girl Get...Without Losing Her Virtue and Self-Respect?

Plot:

A chorus girl's career is ruined and her brother is driven to suicide when she starts smoking marijuana. |

Plot Keywords:

Marijuana | Chorus Girl | Suicide | Paranoia | Narc

Cast

Alan Baxter	...	Markey
Lyle Talbot	...	Capt. Hayes
Lila Leeds	...	Anne Lester
Michael Whalen	...	Jonathan Treanor
Mary Ellen Popel	...	Rita
Robert Kent	...	Lt. Mason (as Douglas Blackley)
David Holt	...	Bob Lester
Don C. Harvey	...	Lt. Tyne (as Don Harvey)
David Gorcey	...	Ricky
Jack Elam	...	Henchman Raymond
Dick Cogan	...	Edmunds
Knox Manning	...	Narrator
Rudolf Friml Jr.	...	Piano Soloist (as Rudolph Friml Jr.)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henry Corden	...	Hugo, the club manager (uncredited)
Minerva Urecal	...	Ricky's Mother (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Newfield		(as Sherman Scott)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Arthur Hoerl		story
Richard H. Landau		screenplay

Produced by
Richard Kay	....	producer

Original Music by
Raoul Kraushaar

Cinematography by
Jack Greenhalgh

Film Editing by
Richard C. Currier		(as Richard Currier)
Seth Larsen

Art Direction by
Eugène Lourié		(as Eugene Lourie)

Set Decoration by
Joseph Kish

Makeup Department
Irene Beshon	....	hair stylist
David Newell	....	makeup supervisor

Sound Department
William Randall	....	sound

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rudy Harrington	....	wardrober
Michael Meyers	....	wardrober

Music Department
Samuel Hoffman	....	musician: theremin (uncredited)

Other crew
Alicia Adams	....	ballet choreographer
Kroger Babb	....	presenter
J.S. Jossey	....	presenter (as Jack Jossey)
Richard H. Landau	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Roadshow Attractions

Distributors

• Hallmark Productions (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• Jewell (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• International Film Distributors (1951) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Modern Film Distributors (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Danton Films (1975) (Canada) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Marijuana, the Devil's Weed
She Shoulda Said 'No'! (USA) (alternative title)
The Devil's Weed

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1953) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Roadshow Attractions

Trivia:

Lila Leeds was cast because she had been arrested in 1948 with Robert Mitchum for possession of marijuana.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

Starring Real Life Addict!

This film was originally called "Wild Weed." The star of the film is Lila Leeds, a promising starlet who had very minor roles in earlier films, but achieved worldwide notoriety when she was arrested along with Robert Mitchum and other for smoking pot in 1948. She spent several months in jail, and when she was released this was one of the few film roles she was able to get. On the contrary, Robert Mitchum, who was also arrested, came back to resume a hotter then ever film career.

Leeds is beautiful, a sort of young Marilyn Monroe lookalike. The film is not one of the better "exploitation" films, but is notable for its cast of authentic Hollywood actors, though they were at this point well past their prime. Perennial B-movie actor Lyle Talbot, Alan Baxter and Michael Whalen, among other round out the cast.