Best known by the 1990 David Lynch film adaptation - this book is not the film. Lynch expanded Barry Gifford's characters into a new story, adding overt sexuality and explosive violence which is not in the novel. Gifford's story is told in small pieces, adding up to a heartfelt plot of two lovers on the road - escaping her mother, and breaking his parole.
Lula Pace Fortune is waiting for Sailor Ripley when he is released from Pee Dee work camp, after a 2 year charge for killing Bob Ray Lemon in self defense. Way Lula sees it, it was a service beneficial to mankind. Lula's mother, Marietta, had forbidden her from seeing Sailor ever again, but Lula had no intention of following that order. After some nights at a Cape Fear hotel, the couple head west in her white '75 Bonneville convertible.
At 20, Lula is sensual and no stranger to men's advances, however she will always be Sailor's and wouldn't know how to quit him. Sailor is equally devoted to Lula and thinks the way her head works is God's own mystery. The two drive towards Texas listening to Jimmy Rogers country songs, talking about past adventures.
Marietta is a piece of work herself, drinking Martini & Rossi all day, and sending investigator Johnnie Farragut to bring Lula back. "There's something wild in Lula, I don't know where it come from. You gotta find 'em Johnnie, and shoot that boy. Just kill him and dump the body in a swamp. Eliminate the problem once and for all".
This is a road trip through the motels of the South, until they run out of money in Big Tuna, Texas, pop. 305. Nothing much to do there, but new strangers Buddy, Sparky, and Bobby Peru have a plan to knock over the payroll of a feed store. Probably, not a good idea.
The film won the Palme d'Or, the highest honour of the 1990 Cannes Film Festival, and caused a sensation. It was a David Lynch film. The novel Wild At Heart has a deeper, more emotional core. Filled with quirky roadside characters, it treats them with respect. The ending is very different from the film - more fitting, and not the last of their story (Gifford wrote 6 more novels continuing the adventures of Sailor and Lula).
A roadside novel for fans of the unusual.
After picking this up randomly to read one night, I woke to hear director David Lynch had passed away. Of all the times to have read this book, I pick that night.
This novel is dedicated to Charles Willeford.
1990 / Tradeback / 160 pages
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