IF YOU GO* What: Wild River Days.* When: Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday.* Where: Downtown Charleston, Tenn. (take Exit 33 off I-75).* Admission: Free.* Website: www.wildrivercelebration.com.
The 50th anniversary celebration of Elia Kazan’s “Wild River,” which brought Bradley County a brush with fame, peaks this weekend with a Hollywood-inspired gala and a community festival.
According to historians, “Wild River” was the first major motion picture filmed entirely in Tennessee, mostly in Charleston on the Hiwassee River. Forty local residents were chosen for speaking roles in the movie, and more than 100 were used as extras. The project set the area abuzz as stars Montgomery Clift, Lee Remick and Jo Van Fleet circulated among the locals.
This weekend’s events start tonight at 7 with the Hometown Hollywood Party at the Museum Center at Five Points, 200 E. Inman St. in Cleveland. The gala includes a barbecue dinner, tours of the museum’s movie exhibit, meet-and-greets with visiting members of the cast and a preview of a documentary being made about the movie. Tickets are $35. Call 423-339-5745 for reservations.
Saturday, the action moves to Charleston for Wild River Days, which will re-create the atmosphere of the town during filming. Bands will play all day at Charleston Park, and ferries will transport visitors across the Hiwassee to Coon Denton Island, site of the land in dispute in the fictional story of the Tennessee Valley Authority. More than 50 antique cars, including a couple used in the movie, will be on display. The movie will be screened continuously at Watson’s Chapel Church, corner of Market and Wool streets.