The Wild and the Willing

The Wild and the Willing
Directed by	Ralph Thomas
Produced by	Betty E. Box executive Earl St. John
Written by	Nicholas Phipps Mordecai Richler
Based on	play "The Tinker" by Laurence Doble and Robert Sloman
Starring	Virginia Maskell Paul Rogers Ian McShane Samantha Eggar John Hurt
Music by	Norrie Paramor
Cinematography	Ernest Steward
Edited by	Alfred Roome
Production company	Betty E. Box-Ralph Thomas Productions Rank Organisation
Distributed by	J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (UK)
Release date	16 October 1962 (London) (UK)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Wild and the Willing is a 1962 British romantic drama film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Virginia Maskell, Paul Rogers, Ian McShane, Samantha Eggar and John Hurt. It marked the film debuts of 20-year-old McShane and 22-year-old Hurt. It depicts a group of students at university.

It was filmed on location in Lincoln, with Lincoln Castle doubling as the university.

A group of young men at university go through the students' life – dancing, drinking, meeting girls. Harry (Ian McShane) is a rather rebellious young man, going out with Josie (Samantha Eggar). His room mate is Phil (John Hurt), a quiet outsider. Harry feels very protective of Phil for some reason. Phil loves Sarah (Katherine Woodville), who jilted him for another more suitable boyfriend.

As the plot develops, Harry gets involved with Professor Chown's (Paul Rogers) unhappy wife, Virginia (Virginia Maskell). The professor acts very aloof towards her and doesn't want to divorce her because he is expecting to be knighted. Harry wants Virginia to come away with him, but she is too worried about her future and turns him down. Out of frustration Harry wants to pull a Rag Week stunt, climb the campus tower at night and raise a flag atop of it. He needs help to pull this off but all the other young men opt out for various reasons. Phil offers to join Harry, as he feels that Harry has done a lot to involve him into campus life, rather than living on the fringes. At first, Harry, worried about the consequences as Phil is not a good climber, refuses to take Phil along with him, but eventually, against his better judgment, he is persuaded to do so.

Gilby (Jeremy Brett), a smart striver is jealous of Harry, as he used to see Virginia before she rejected him. He notices the activities around the tower and reports Harry and Phil to the university authorities. The teachers are more annoyed than worried and call the fire brigade. The spectacle draws a crowd. Although Phil is a bad climber and slips several times, the two young men manage to reach the top and hoist their flag. But on the way down Phil loses his footing and, although Harry tries desperately to hold on to him, Phil slips from his grasp and falls to his death.