THE WILD PARTY

USA | 1929 | DCP | 77 min.
Director: Dorothy Arzner
Cast: Clara Bow, Fredric March, Jack Oakie
The prototypical flapper Bow crackles with rebellious energy as Stella Ames, the ringleader of a clique of hard-partying college women whose carefree antics collide with the strict rules of campus life. When Stella falls for a handsome young professor played by UW-Madison legend and Racine native Fredric March, the story shifts from wild comedy to a romantically-charged thrill ride. The first talkie for Bow, Paramount Pictures, and pioneering director Arzner, The Wild Party captures the daring spirit of the pre-Code era with sharp humor and complex characters. A new 4K restoration will be screened, preceded by Betty Boop’s first appearance in Dizzy Dishes (1930, 7 min.).