SYNOPSIS FROM THE PRESSBOOK
"Wild in the Streets" excitingly presents a turbulent and sometimes unbelievable world of today in which a startling 52% of the population is estimated to be under age 25; an era of revolutionary social undertones symbolized by an excess of 21 year of millionaires; an age of an assertive new generation, demanding a positive voice in affairs administered by a minority of oldsters' thirty-five and over.
Emphasizing this anti-establishment movement thriving in a too frequently terrifying society, Max Flatow (CHRISTOPHER JONES), age 15 and emotionally conditioned for open rebellion, leaves his mother (SHELLEY WINTERS) and father (BERT FREED) in a violent show of cold contempt and begins to activate his new generation philosophy. In the destructive wake of his departure is the new household car, destroyed by a home-made bomb.
Seven years elapse and Max, who has changed his last name to Frost, emerges as the most loved entertainer in the world. A millionaire by the time he was 19, he now lives in Beverly Hills, with his entourage consisting of Sally Leroy (DIANE VARSI), former child movie star and confirmed nature girl, vegetarian and LSD convert: Abraham Salteen (LARRY BISHOP), who has a hook for a hand, Billy Cage (KEVIN COUGHLIN), Max's 15 year old lawyer, accountant and tax man, the youngest person ever to graduate from Yale Law School.
Others in the intimate circle include Fuji Ellie (MAY ISHIHARA), Japanese typewriter heiress and Stanley X (RICHARD PRYOR) anthropologist, guitarist and author of "The Aborigine Cook Book."
Seeing Max on a television show and realizing his is her son, Mrs. Flatow attends a concert and visits him backstage. As they leave the theater she insists upon driving and has an accident, killing a child and maiming her husband. Max, heartbroken over the death of the child as his hangup is his love for kids, tells her he never wants to see her again.
Meanwhile, John Fergus (HAL HOLBROOK), California Congressman running for the Senate on a youth image and promoting the vote for 18-year-olds, joined by his wife (MILLIE PERKINS), asks Max to perform at a television rally. This move is violently opposed by Fergus' political mentor Senator Allbright (ED BEGLEY). Max agrees but throws Fergus a curve by making a militant pitch for lowering the voting age to 14. He even has a slogan and a song for a series of demonstrations he calls for extolling "Fourteen or Fight." The demonstrations are so successful traffic is tied up for more than 24 hours. Within a month many states, sensing a powerful trend, have given the vote to the youngsters. The nation is beginning to feel the impact of Max's new generation.
On election eve, Jimmy (MICHAEL MARGOTTA), 15-year-old son of Fergus, points out that Max will be the loser in the election because no matter what his father's image is he is really not 'with it.' Max subsequently decides to run Sally for Congress as she is the only member of the group old enough.
With Sally elected, Max sets out to remove age requirements for office holders. Jimmy points out they don't have enough votes so Max decides to insure success by planting hallucinatory LSD in the Washington water supply and providing each congressman with an escort to insure he votes correctly.
Max is ultimately induced, by the political party his thoroughly dislikes, to run for President. He wins in a landslide. His first official act is to institute a compulsory retirement at the age of 30. At 35, all citizens are sent to "Retirement Homes" resembling concentration camps. Not all go willingly and bands of commandos are sent to round up the reluctant ones.
Included in the group is the Senator Fergus family. They are eventually captured by a band led by Jimmy.
This is the new generation's world of today, but a portent of the future is indicated.
One quiet evening Max is driving in the country. He stops to take a walk by a river. Coming upon a kid's crawdad cage he thoughtlessly kills the animal inside. At this moment he is approached by two boys 7 years of age. The crawdad was their pet. Their protests only provoke sarcastic comments from Max, the President. Their sage commentary could echo down the corridors of history: "Everybody over 10 out to be put out of business."
Movie Trailer
click on watch video14 or Fight
The shape of things to come
The old tigers are scared, baby!
lobby card slide show
Max--I can call you Max?
Use any part of me you want.
fifty-two percent
promotional poster
