By Glenn Erickson
Wall of Noise
Brief Synopsis
Story of an ambitious horse trainer working at the Hollywood Race Track.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Richard Wilson
Director
Suzanne Pleshette
Laura Rubio
Ty Hardin
Joel Tarrant
Dorothy Provine
Ann Conroy
Ralph Meeker
Matt Rubio
Simon Oakland
Johnny Papadakis
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Sports
Release Date
Jan
1963
Premiere Information
Washington, D. C., opening: 28 Aug 1963
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Wall of Noise by Daniel Michael Stein (New York, 1960).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 52m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Synopsis
After an argument with his girl friend, Ann, racehorse trainer Joel Tarrant joins the stables of Matthew Rubio, a wealthy but vulgar building contractor. Rubio's wife, Laura, immediately makes a play for Joel and, in order to please him, makes an auction bid for a horse Joel believes to be a potential champion. When Rubio learns of his wife's intentions, he fires Joel, and Joel is forced to borrow money from Ann's employer, Johnny Papadakis, to purchase the horse. Rubio offers to buy the horse (Escudero) after he wins a preliminary race, but Joel refuses to sell. Escudero loses his big contest however, and Joel is unable to repay Papadakis. Ann offers Papadakis all of her savings--plus herself--if he will cancel Joel's debt. Papadakis agrees but dies of a heart attack when he and Ann are caught in a traffic jam. After learning that the Rubios have gone to New York, Ann returns to Joel, who is keeping a constant vigil over the injured horse.
Director
Richard Wilson
Director
Cast
Suzanne Pleshette
Laura Rubio
Ty Hardin
Joel Tarrant
Dorothy Provine
Ann Conroy
Ralph Meeker
Matt Rubio
Simon Oakland
Johnny Papadakis
Jimmy Murphy
Bud Kelsey
Murray Matheson
Jack Matlock
Robert F. Simon
David McRaab
George Petrie
Mr. Harrington
Jean Byron
Mrs. Harrington
Fred Carson
Adam Kasper
Bill Walker
Money
Napoleon Whiting
Preacher
Kitty White
Singer
Jim Murray
Sportswriter
Crew
John P. Austin
Set Decoration
Lucien Ballard
Director of Photography
Gordon Bau
Makeup
Ed Bernoudy
Assistant Director
Harry Blackledge
Props
Hilyard Brown
Art Director
Clark Gordon
Dial coach
Ruth Hancock
Wardrobe
Edwin Harman
Recording
Charles Harris
Grip
Ora Hudson
Boom Operator
Joseph Landon
Producer
Joseph Landon
Screenwriter
William Lava
Music
Wally Meinardus
Camera Operator
Jules Miliman
Script Supervisor
Sam O'steen
Film Editor
Pat Patterson
Props
Sergei Petschnikoff
Assistant Director
Robert Richards
Wardrobe
Burdell Schweibert
Assistant Camera
Howard Shoup
Costumes
Francis E. Stahl
Sound
Jack Stubbs
Assistant Director
Lee Wilson
Gaffer
William Ziegler
Film Editor
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Sports
Release Date
Jan
1963
Premiere Information
Washington, D. C., opening: 28 Aug 1963
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Wall of Noise by Daniel Michael Stein (New York, 1960).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 52m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Articles
Wall of Noise -
Romantic complications clash with realistic subject matter in writer-producer Joseph Landon's Wall of Noise, a 1963 drama focused on life at the horse racing tracks. Former Orson Welles associate and writer Richard Wilson directed this picture produced by Warner Bros., which likely mandated that much of the acting talent come from the ranks of its contract players. The production moved into Inglewood's Hollywood Park racetrack for a full twenty days - taking over facilities, staff, and horses as well, 36 thoroughbreds in all. The racing footage is exciting and the behind-the-scenes track operations are realistic, but critics faulted the soap-operatics of Landon's screenplay, in which both horses and women seem to be up for sale to the highest bidder. The coarse building contractor Matt (Ralph Meeker) wants to dabble in horses, and hires ambitious trainer Joel (Ty Hardin) to get his stable into shape. But Joel's main concern is gathering enough money to buy his own racehorse at auction. Laura, Matt's unhappy trophy wife (Suzanne Pleshette) wants her freedom. She begins an affair with Joel and tries to slip him some money to bid on a promising horse. Matt fires Joel, who then borrows the money from an ailing agent, Johnny Papadakis (Simon Oakland), who happens to be in love with Ann (Dorothy Provine), Joel's previous girlfriend. Now Matt wants to buy the racehorse, but Joel refuses to sell. Most of the major critics heaped scorn on Wall of Noise's unsympathetic, selfish characters. The reviewers were not kind to the leading actors. Ty Hardin was judged as inexpressive, and Newsweek's critic used half of his review to disparage Suzanne Pleshette's acting abilities. This was her fourth feature film after scoring a success on Broadway in the play The Miracle Worker. Shown more mercy was the lively Dorothy Provine, who was just graduating to big-time film work after five years in Warner Bros. television shows. The trade paper Variety found the film 'somber and oppressive,' citing a final act in which Ty Hardin's unappealing hero forces a sick horse to race. But the reviews were unanimous in their praise for the film's racetrack atmosphere. Cinematographer Lucien Ballard's camerawork aids in the behind-the-scenes-realism, as does the film's use of real track announcers, a genuine auctioneer and a working sports columnist, James Murray. The 'wall of noise' is identified as the din of the crowd, which can sometimes disturb the horses.
By Glenn Erickson
By Glenn Erickson
Wall of Noise -
Romantic complications clash with realistic subject matter in writer-producer Joseph Landon's Wall of Noise, a 1963 drama focused on life at the horse racing tracks. Former Orson Welles associate and writer Richard Wilson directed this picture produced by Warner Bros., which likely mandated that much of the acting talent come from the ranks of its contract players. The production moved into Inglewood's Hollywood Park racetrack for a full twenty days - taking over facilities, staff, and horses as well, 36 thoroughbreds in all. The racing footage is exciting and the behind-the-scenes track operations are realistic, but critics faulted the soap-operatics of Landon's screenplay, in which both horses and women seem to be up for sale to the highest bidder. The coarse building contractor Matt (Ralph Meeker) wants to dabble in horses, and hires ambitious trainer Joel (Ty Hardin) to get his stable into shape. But Joel's main concern is gathering enough money to buy his own racehorse at auction. Laura, Matt's unhappy trophy wife (Suzanne Pleshette) wants her freedom. She begins an affair with Joel and tries to slip him some money to bid on a promising horse. Matt fires Joel, who then borrows the money from an ailing agent, Johnny Papadakis (Simon Oakland), who happens to be in love with Ann (Dorothy Provine), Joel's previous girlfriend. Now Matt wants to buy the racehorse, but Joel refuses to sell. Most of the major critics heaped scorn on Wall of Noise's unsympathetic, selfish characters. The reviewers were not kind to the leading actors. Ty Hardin was judged as inexpressive, and Newsweek's critic used half of his review to disparage Suzanne Pleshette's acting abilities. This was her fourth feature film after scoring a success on Broadway in the play The Miracle Worker. Shown more mercy was the lively Dorothy Provine, who was just graduating to big-time film work after five years in Warner Bros. television shows. The trade paper Variety found the film 'somber and oppressive,' citing a final act in which Ty Hardin's unappealing hero forces a sick horse to race. But the reviews were unanimous in their praise for the film's racetrack atmosphere. Cinematographer Lucien Ballard's camerawork aids in the behind-the-scenes-realism, as does the film's use of real track announcers, a genuine auctioneer and a working sports columnist, James Murray. The 'wall of noise' is identified as the din of the crowd, which can sometimes disturb the horses.
By Glenn Erickson
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Location scenes filmed in and around Hollywood Park Racetrack, Inglewood, California.
