The Savage Is Loose

Plot

In 1902, John (Scott), his much younger wife Maida (Scott's real-life wife, Trish Van Devere) and their infant son David (played by both Lee Montgomery and John David Carson) are the only survivors of a ship that crashes into the rocky beach of an uncharted island during a violent storm. By 1912, David, now a seemingly happy 12-year-old boy, begins to enter puberty. By the time he is 17, David is consumed by lust for his mother, which drives a wedge between him and his father to the point where they hunt each other down for the affections of the only woman on the island.

Crew

Production

The film was photographed entirely on location south of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was produced by Campbell Devon Productions and distributed by George C. Scott through WCII on video (now out of print).

Reception

Released towards the end of 1974, the film did not manage to attract viewers. Director Scott attributed the lack of audience to the film's adult content, which resulted in an "R" rating and deterred viewers upon its release. He reflected that the "R" rating hindered the film's potential success, suggesting that an alternative approach to the rating, similar to that of "Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song," might have been more beneficial. In Leonard Maltin's "TV Movies," the film is assigned a BOMB rating, indicating a negative evaluation.