The Young One (1960)

dir. Luis Bunuel
writ. Luis Bunuel and Hugo Butler (as H.B. Addis), from story, "Travellin' Man" by Peter Matthiessen
feat. Zachary Scott, Bernie Hamilton, Key Meersman, Crahan Denton, Claudio Brook

While The Young One is not without charm or thought-provoking social commentary, it's fairly straight, heavy-handed melodrama for Bunuel. Evalyn (Meersman), a girl of roughly 15 years, watches her grandfather die as the film opens, left with only Miller (Scott), now sole caretaker and only other resident of the island wildlife preserve where they live. Miller is a cold, hard man who alternately admonishes and leers at Evie, treating her like a possession not yet fully possessed.

As Miller leaves the island to go into town, Traver (Hamilton) a black man on the run from the law after a woman cried rape, arrives in a small boat, soon finding Evie and treating her roughly though fairly as he insists on procuring gas, food and a rifle. Traver pays his way but still manhandles Evie as he needs to, albeit it more fairly.

Naturally, Miller returns to find his belongings missing and sets out to kill the black man, thus setting off a compelling standoff that explores the power relationship between the men. Traver says it best when he explains to Evie how he doesn't wish to kill Miller though Miller would kill him, hence he must keep the gun to keep the balance. The men fall into a kind of tough guy respect as the story plays on, Traver playing his clarinet while the guns sit idle without Miller leaping to turn the tables.

Then just as Traver is ready to leave, Jackson (Denton), reappears, telling the story of a woman's rape in the nearby town. Miller flips his lid, sure that he knew all along that something was wrong with that Traver, and sets out with Jackson to kill Traver. Here, Reverend Fleetwood (Brook) is thrown into the mix, visiting the island to prepare Evie to move off island to live with a family. Miller isn't sure he wants to let Evie go, his own ideas on making her a woman kept a secret between he and she. The hunt is on as the Reverend and Evie talk about her troubling relationshipo with Miller.

Finally, Traver crosses paths with the Reverend, explaining his case, how a woman attempted to seduce him, he refused, and she cried rape. For all of the hokey (or overly "hip") dialogue in the film, this twist and the Reverend's ready acceptance of the story as Traver tells it is stunningly progressive for 1960. It's also just the kind of story that people like Miller and Jackson won't accept.

Perhaps, Miller's guilt surrounding Evie, or more likely his fear in being found out and persecuted, softens him up as Jackson only grows angrier, ready to take on anyone and everyone in pursuit of his justice in seeing Traver dead. There is something beautifully tragic about the desperation in Jackson's flailing assault on Traver, as though he's fighting for a way of life that without which he might die, unable to cope with the complexity of a changing world. While Traver, on the other hand, doesn't echo that rage, even if he might deserve to, perhaps having seen enough injustice already.