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Wanda Nevada
Wanda Nevada
Wanda Nevada
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Wanda Nevada
Promotional poster
Directed byPeter Fonda
Written byDennis Hackin[1]
Produced byWilliam Hayward
Dennis Hackin
Neal Dobrofsky
Starring
CinematographyMichael Butler
Edited byScott Conrad
Music byKen Lauber
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • May 25, 1979 (1979-05-25)[2][3]
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2,411,145

Wanda Nevada is a 1979 American Western film directed by Peter Fonda, who co-stars alongside Brooke Shields as the eponymous character, with Fiona Lewis, Luke Askew and Ted Markland in supporting roles.[4] This was Fonda's last feature film as director.[4]

Henry Fonda makes a cameo appearance as an Arizona prospector, making it the only film to feature the father and son together.[1] Peter Fonda reportedly paid Henry $1,000 for one day's work on the film after receiving a call from his father that he was out of work.[1]

Plot

[edit]

Set in 1950s Arizona, the story follows a drifter and gambler named Beaudray Demerille. In a card game, he wins the movie's title character, Wanda Nevada, a 13-year-old orphan with dreams of singing at the Grand Ole Opry.

Despite his best efforts, Wanda sticks to Demerille, accompanying him to a pool hall. Texas Curly, an aging prospector, enters and tells the bar patrons about his gold mine in the Grand Canyon. They laugh him off as a drunk. As Curly leaves the bar, he drops a pouch. Wanda picks it up and follows Curly, then sees Strap Pangburn and Ruby Muldoon, two cons from the bar, harassing the man about the location of the mine. Wanda runs when Strap and Ruby kill Curly, alerting them to her presence. She hides in Demerille's car and tells him about Curly's death. Strap and Ruby see Wanda in the car but get lost in the chase. Stopped for the night, Demerille and Wanda open Curly's pouch and find a map. They head to the Grand Canyon and trade the car for pack mules and mining supplies, and hear tales of Apache ghosts who haunt the canyon. Strap and Ruby follow by half a day.

While traveling in the canyon, Demerille and Wanda meet Dorothy Deerfield, a Life magazine photographer. Dorothy and Beau try to get better acquainted after dinner in her tent, but the jealous Wanda intrudes. They discuss their pasts, with Dorothy's husband and Wanda's father both killed during World War II military service. Demerille tries to be nice but comes off as insensitive, and he and Wanda leave camp in the morning. They find a rope ladder over the canyon's side leading to a small cave. Before going down, Wanda confesses to Beau that she loves him. He holds the rope as she rappels down the rock wall. An owl flies out at her and Wanda falls. Beau pulls her up, only to find that she is unconscious. He sits cradling Wanda and says he loves her, too.

Demerille explores the cave and finds gold. He returns to find Wanda awake and shows her a large gold nugget. While mining the next day, Strap and Ruby finally catch up to them, watching them from a distance. Wanda and Demerille return to camp with four bags of gold, only to find their mules gone and Indian arrows sticking into the ground. Figuring the only way they will get out of the canyon alive is to ditch the gold, they throw the bags into the canyon by the river in case someone is watching, then start walking. Strap and Ruby confront them, hold them at gunpoint and demand the gold; but Wanda insists there was none. A shootout leaves everyone unharmed, and Strap and Ruby run off.

Beau and Wanda seek shelter for the night. The following morning they find Strap and Ruby crucified in the desert. Wanda finds the bags of mined gold scattered nearby. They pack it up and head down to the shore, where a boat is buried in the sand. After rowing downstream and coming ashore for the night, Demerille counts the gold as Wanda sleeps. The owl from the cave appears, and a glowing arrow is shot from the cliff above their campsite into Demerille's chest. Seemingly mortally wounded, he pushes the boat out into the river and passes out in the bow. Wanda wakes up the next morning to find the boat is adrift in the river and Beau near the edge of death. He professes his love for Wanda and passes out.

Some time later, Wanda is in a hotel, about to be sent off to the reformatory by looming nuns. Reporters swarm the hotel lobby, all trying to get an exclusive story. Wanda flees the nuns as Beau, now recovered and rich from selling and investing the gold, arrives in a new convertible outside the hotel. Wanda jumps in the convertible, and both laugh as Demerille tells the reporters, "Everyone knows there's no gold in the Grand Canyon!" He and Wanda drive off into the sunset, while the song Morning Sun by Carole King adds to the atmospheric finale.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Parts of the film were shot in Glen Canyon, Monument Valley, Mexican Hat and the Colorado River in Utah, as well as Prescott, Arizona.[5][1]

Peter Fonda said, "U.A. dumped the film.... The studio just didn’t understand the picture... I had wanted them to sell the film back to me. I offered the studio six million dollars... They didn’t take me up on it."[6]

The Carole King song "Morning Sun" was featured in the film.[7]

Reception

[edit]

Todd McCarthy of Variety called the film "a serio-comic romance which is unconvincing on virtually every level. What charm it has stems from the quirky convergence of several different genres, but Peter Fonda's third directorial outing is all but sunk by Brooke Shields' critically deficient performance."[8]

Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune awarded 2 stars out of 4, and called it "a desperate film trying to make it through in bits and pieces rather than through one consistently written script."[9]

Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times was generally positive and wrote, "It's all stuff and nonsense—your typical 'relationship' movie—but it's pretty ingratiating all the same. The neophyte Hackin seems a born storyteller, and Fonda, who also directs, brings a depth of perception and feeling to 'Wanda Nevada' that makes it quite appealing."[10]

Rick Groen of The Globe and Mail declared the film "the least able fable imaginable. Screenwriter Dennis Hackin's idea of profundity is to toss in characters and ideas like so many candies into a grab bag, and with just as much substance... It also contains every piece of clichéd Western dialogue ever uttered. One kindly assumes that was deliberate, but cliches in themselves, put to no larger purpose, don't make a film camp or ironic. They just make it bad."[11]

Sequel

[edit]

According to a May 29, 1979 Daily Variety item, Peter Fonda planned a sequel titled, Wanda Havana, and was given permission to film on location in Cuba, but no further information about the project has been found.[7]

Home media

[edit]

The film has been released on DVD and in the digital format.[12]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Wanda Nevada

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Wanda Nevada is a American Western comedy film directed by , who also stars in the lead role as drifter Beaudray Demerille, alongside 13-year-old as the titular character, a young orphan won in a poker game. Set in the 1950s American Southwest, the story follows Demerille as he reluctantly takes Wanda on a adventure in the Grand Canyon after she discovers a treasure map, leading them into conflict with ruthless criminals seeking the same fortune. The film marks Fonda's directorial debut and features a by his father, , as a grizzled prospector. Released on June 1, 1979, by , Wanda Nevada runs for 107 minutes and blends elements of adventure, mystery, and romance within its comedic framework. The screenplay, written by Dennis Hackin, draws on classic Western tropes while incorporating a road-trip dynamic between the mismatched protagonists. Supporting cast includes as , Demerille's romantic interest, and as a villainous . Critically, the film received mixed s upon release, assessed in a later as C+ for its value and the rare team-up of the Fonda family, though it has been noted for its far-fetched plot and dated elements. On , it holds a 5.5/10 rating from over 1,600 users, while audience scores on stand at 39%, reflecting polarized opinions on its quirky narrative and performances. Despite modest success, Wanda Nevada remains a curiosity in Fonda's , highlighting his transition from acting to directing in the late 1970s.

Synopsis

Plot

In the 1950s American Southwest, drifter and gambler Beaudray Demerille wins 13-year-old orphan Wanda (who goes by the stage name Wanda Nevada) in a poker game from her unscrupulous guardian, card hustler Slade. The precocious Wanda, aspiring to become a country singer and perform at the Grand Ole Opry, stows away in Beaudray's Studebaker after he attempts to leave her behind with cash for the orphanage, forcing the reluctant pair into an uneasy partnership as they travel through Arizona. Stopping at a remote saloon, the duo encounters prospector Curly, who drunkenly boasts of discovering a rich gold mine in the Grand Canyon, protected by the vengeful ghost of an warrior, and displays a large nugget as proof before stumbling outside. That night, Wanda steals Curly's dropped pouch containing a to the mine but witnesses thieves Strap Pangburn and Ruby Muldoon murder the prospector when he refuses to reveal its location, alerting the killers to her presence in the process. She narrowly escapes and rejoins Beaudray, who, upon learning of the map and the danger, decides to pursue the treasure despite the risks, leading them into the rugged terrain of the Grand Canyon where they face pursuit from the ruthless antagonists and encounter Dorothy Deerfield, a who becomes Beaudray's romantic interest. As Beaudray and navigate the canyon's perils, their adventure intensifies with supernatural encounters, including the ghost wounding Beaudray with an arrow and summoning a storm, testing their resolve and deepening their bond through shared hardship. A climactic ensues with and , in which Beaudray survives a seemingly fatal injury, secures the gold, and outmaneuvers the thieves. In the resolution, Beaudray returns revitalized with a new car loaded with their fortune, and the pair drives off together into the horizon, symbolizing their newfound companionship amid the vast desert landscape.

Cast

Peter Fonda stars as Beaudray Demerille, a drifter and gambler who becomes entangled in an adventure with a young . Brooke Shields plays the title role of Wanda Nevada, the 13-year-old protagonist. Shields was 13 years old during production. The supporting cast includes as Dorothy Deerfield, as Ruby Muldoon, and as Strap Pangburn. Henry Fonda appears in a cameo as an Arizona prospector, representing the only film in which the father and son acted together on screen. The elder Fonda's role was filmed in one day under his son's direction.

Production

Development

The screenplay for Wanda Nevada was written by Dennis Hackin, marking an early effort in his career as a screenwriter and producer. Development occurred in the late 1970s, with principal photography commencing on June 7, 1978, and wrapping by August 22, 1978, positioning the project as Peter Fonda's third directorial outing following The Hired Hand (1971) and Idaho Transfer (1973). Fonda, who also starred in the lead role, envisioned the film as a Western adventure that blended elements of comedy and drama, drawing on road movie tropes set against the backdrop of gold prospecting in the Grand Canyon. The production was spearheaded by producers William Hayward as executive producer, alongside Dennis Hackin and Neal Dobrofsky, under companies including Paradise Productions (associated with Fonda) and Second Street Productions. Initially conceived as a made-for-television movie for NBC, the project shifted to a theatrical release with United Artists serving as distributor, which prompted its withdrawal from the network. The budget was set at $3 million, reflecting modest independent financing typical of Fonda's post-Easy Rider endeavors. A key creative decision involved casting , Peter Fonda's father, in a cameo as an old prospector; Peter reportedly paid him $1,000 for one day's work after Henry mentioned being out of acting opportunities at the time. This marked the only film featuring the father-son duo together on screen. Cinematographer Michael Butler was attached to capture the locations during planning.

Filming

Principal photography for Wanda Nevada commenced on June 7, 1978, and wrapped on August 22, 1978. The production utilized on-location shooting across the American Southwest to authentically depict the film's setting, with principal sites including , , Mexican Hat, and the in , alongside . These remote desert environments provided stunning Western landscapes but presented logistical hurdles, such as transporting equipment and crew to isolated areas. Cinematographer Michael C. Butler captured the expansive vistas of these locations, emphasizing the rugged terrain central to the story's adventure. During filming, Ken Lauber developed the original score, incorporating period-appropriate sounds to enhance the film's atmosphere; this included the featured end-credits song "Morning Sun," written and performed by . The production faced notable challenges inherent to the remote settings, including the four-day shoot for the climactic sequence, which required a 26-person , three rafts for river navigation, and a dedicated picture boat for camera operations. Working with 13-year-old as the lead added complexities in these harsh conditions, such as ensuring her safety and comfort amid the desert heat and isolation. Peter Fonda's simultaneous responsibilities as director and starring further intensified the demands on the small team, requiring him to balance creative oversight with on-screen performance. With filming completed in 1978, the movie proceeded to ahead of its May 1979 theatrical release.

Release

Distribution

Wanda Nevada was released theatrically in the United States on May 25, 1979, distributed by . The film opened during weekend in several markets, initially planned as a television movie before shifting to a theatrical rollout. It received a PG rating from the of America, reflecting content involving violence and a young lead actress. As a mid-budget Western blending and adventure elements, the distribution strategy emphasized a limited U.S. release aimed at family-oriented audiences seeking lighthearted stories. positioned the film to capitalize on its accessible tone and scenic settings, though the rollout remained modest compared to major studio blockbusters of the era. Marketing efforts highlighted the Fonda family connection, with directing and starring alongside a cameo by his father , while promoting as an emerging talent following her controversial role in Pretty Baby (1978). Promotional materials, including posters and trailers, focused on the intergenerational dynamic and Shields' youthful appeal to draw interest in this offbeat road-trip narrative. The distribution was primarily U.S.-focused, with limited international releases occurring in the late 1970s and early 1980s, such as in on December 12, 1983. This approach reflected the film's niche appeal as an American Western, resulting in restrained global availability during its initial run.

Box office

Wanda Nevada earned a total of $2,411,145 at the North American during its initial theatrical run. The film had an estimated production budget of $3,000,000, placing it in the mid-range for late-1970s releases, though it ultimately underperformed relative to expectations by failing to recoup its costs through domestic earnings alone. Released on May 25, 1979, by , the film faced significant competition from major blockbusters that year, including Alien (which grossed over $106 million) and (over $83 million), contributing to its modest performance. As a niche Western comedy, it struggled to attract wide audiences amid the dominance of high-profile and epics. Overall, Wanda Nevada ranked low on the 1979 annual charts, with its earnings paling in comparison to the year's top performers that exceeded $80 million.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release in 1979, Wanda Nevada elicited mixed responses from critics. A 2008 review by Dennis Schwartz, the only one archived on as of November 2025, described the film as worth seeing for the rare team-up between and his father Henry, but criticized its contrived plot and uneven execution. has no Tomatometer score due to only 1 critic .

Audience response

Upon its release, Wanda Nevada elicited mixed responses from audiences, often praised for its adventurous spirit and scenic backdrop but criticized for uneven pacing and tonal inconsistencies. The film's blend of , mystery, and romance appealed to some viewers seeking lighthearted , though others found the narrative contrived and the performances amateurish. Contemporary audiences in 1979 approached the film as a potential family viewing option due to its young protagonist and road-trip adventure elements, but content such as mild , supernatural scares, and frequent around a raised concerns about suitability for younger viewers. The age dynamics between the adult drifter and 13-year-old also prompted discomfort among some, contributing to a perception of the story as occasionally creepy despite its whimsical intentions. In modern times, the film has garnered niche appreciation for Peter Fonda's directorial style in this indie Western and the rare on-screen collaboration with his father, . User ratings reflect this modest following, with scoring it 5.5/10 based on approximately 1,600 votes and at 39% from over 100 audience reviews as of November 2025.

Legacy

Cultural impact

Wanda Nevada explores themes of a surrogate father-daughter dynamic through the bonding arc between drifter Beaudray Demerille and the young orphan Wanda, evoking a sense of reluctant guardianship amid their gold-prospecting journey. The film infuses 1950s Western nostalgia with elements of gold rush adventure, portraying a romanticized American Southwest filled with quirky characters and scenic vistas that hark back to classic frontier tales. Subtly, it comments on exploitation through the premise of Wanda being won in a poker game, highlighting vulnerabilities in power imbalances between adults and children in a seemingly whimsical narrative. Brooke Shields' portrayal of Wanda marked an early career role following her controversial debut in Pretty Baby (1978), where she played a child prostitute. In a 2023 reflection, Shields described the Wanda Nevada role as a "real kid role," contrasting it with her more sexualized earlier work. At just 13 years old, Shields embodied a precocious, street-smart , continuing a pattern of roles that positioned her as a youthful companion to adult male leads, prompting reflections on the of young performers during that era. The film holds a unique place in the Fonda family legacy as the only project to feature both , who directed and starred, and his father , who appeared in a cameo as an eccentric prospector. This collaboration symbolizes the Hollywood dynasty spanning three generations, from Henry's iconic status to Peter's countercultural contributions, underscoring themes of familial inheritance in American cinema. In retrospectives, Wanda Nevada's depiction of 1979 and age dynamics has been viewed as problematic, with the adult-child relationship carrying implied oedipal undertones and instances of that feel exploitative by modern standards. Analyses highlight how the film's casual treatment of Wanda's and the paternal-romantic reflect outdated attitudes toward and prevalent in late-1970s media. The film's musical legacy endures through Carole King's "Morning Sun," featured over the end credits, which serves as a poignant period piece blending folk-rock sensibilities with the story's wistful tone and has been praised as a highlight amid the film's mixed reception.

Planned sequel

Following the modest success of Wanda Nevada, Peter Fonda announced plans for a sequel titled Wanda Havana, envisioned as a continuation of the story where Wanda and Beaudray Demerille embark on further adventures in Cuba. A May 29, 1979, item in Daily Variety reported that Fonda had secured permissions from Cuban authorities to film on location there. The project, however, stalled after the initial announcement and received no further development. The original film's underwhelming box office performance—grossing just $2,411,145 domestically—likely dampened studio interest from , which had distributed the picture. Fonda's career trajectory also shifted in the ensuing years toward other acting roles and projects, such as (1981), diverting focus from directing a follow-up. Compounding these factors were escalating geopolitical tensions between the and during the 1980s, including tightened U.S. trade embargoes and restrictions on American travel and filming, which made on-location production increasingly impractical for Hollywood projects. By the early 1980s, U.S. filmmakers often resorted to surrogate locations like the to depict Cuban settings due to these barriers. As of 2025, Wanda Havana remains an unproduced concept with no reported attempts at revival.

Home media

The film was first made available on with a release distributed by in May 1979. A standard DVD edition followed in 2012 as part of MGM's Limited Edition Collection, presented in a manufactured-on-demand format with widescreen video but no additional special features. In 2015, issued the first Blu-ray release, featuring a transfer in the original 1.85:1 and DTS-HD 2.0 mono audio, though it lacks subtitles or bonus materials. As of 2025, Wanda Nevada streams on platforms including , , and ScreenPix channels via Apple TV and Amazon, with options to rent or purchase digitally on at Home; no 4K UHD versions or notable special editions, such as those with trailers or interviews, have been released. No new has appeared since the , though digital availability has persisted without reported restorations for enhanced quality.

References

  1. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wanda_nevada
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/
  3. https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57135
  4. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/WandaNevada
  5. https://onceuponatimeinawestern.com/wanda-nevada-1979/
  6. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/fullcredits/
  7. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/08/movies/peter-fonda-finds-a-bit-of-henry-within.html
  8. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-tcm-classic-film-festival-peter-fonda-remembers-his-father-henry-fonda-20150326-story.html
  9. https://www.rogerebert.com/mzs/son-of-the-father-peter-fonda-1940-2019
  10. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/locations/
  11. https://filmpedia-the-films.fandom.com/wiki/Wanda_Nevada
  12. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125065/
  13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/soundtrack/
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feLuvCIzrsQ
  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/parentalguide
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/releaseinfo
  17. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0080116/
  18. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/1979/
  19. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/reviews/
  20. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wanda_nevada/reviews?type=user
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/parentalguide/
  22. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080116/ratings/
  23. https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2020/05/29/idaho-transfer-1973-allan-fish-online-film-festival-2020-day-2/
  24. https://travsd.wordpress.com/2016/05/31/wanda-nevada/
  25. https://www.timeout.com/movies/wanda-nevada
  26. https://www.npr.org/2023/04/04/1167944562/pretty-baby-chronicles-brooke-shields-career-and-the-sexualization-of-young-girl
  27. https://www.derekwinnert.com/wanda-nevada-1979-peter-fonda-brooke-shields-fiona-lewis-henry-fonda-classic-movie-review-9762/
  28. https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/wandanevada/
  29. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/aug/17/peter-fonda-obituary
  30. https://aurorasginjoint.com/2019/09/22/cuba-in-the-movies/
  31. https://www.vhscollector.com/movie/wanda-nevada
  32. https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Wanda-Nevada-DVD/32431/
  33. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Wanda-Nevada-Blu-ray/132996/
  34. https://www.amazon.com/Wanda-Nevada-Peter-Fonda/dp/B0B6GNPQM6
  35. https://tubitv.com/movies/100044115/wanda-nevada
  36. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/wanda-nevada
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