Wild Seed (1965)

Seventeen-year-old Daphne – called Daffy (Celia Kaye) – runs away from her foster parents in New York (Woodrow Chambliss and Eva Novak) to find her father, whom she has never seen, in Los Angeles.

After repulsing the advances of a motorist, she meets Fargo, a taciturn young hobo (Michael Parks), who agrees to help her ride the trains to Los Angeles.

Daffy falls for Fargo, but he plays tough until he falls ill with a fever. She then nurses him back to health, and he admits that he, too, has fallen in love.

After a few more adventures, they arrive in Los Angeles and find Daphne’s father (Ross Elliott).

He, however, is married with two other children, and Daffy learns – through her foster parents, who have followed her to LA – that she is the result of a chance wartime meeting between her father and mother (who is dead) and that her father does not want her at all.

She agrees to return to New York with her foster parents and asks Fargo to come with her and settle down, but he says it would not work out and opts for the road again.

Daffy leaves but waits outside for him, and they walk away together.

It’s a gloomy subject with very little relief, and the journey becomes slow and repetitious.

The black-and-white film, which was filmed in 24 days for less than $300,000, was released in the UK as Fargo.

Fargo
Michael Parks
Daffy Collinge
Celia Kaye
James Collinge
Ross Elliott
Mr Simms
Woodrow Chambliss
Mrs Simms
Eva Novak
Hobo
Rupert Crosse
Policeman
Norman Burton
Constable
Merritt Bohn
Bartender
Anthony Lettier

Director
Brian G Hutton