Movie Scene: The Wild Bunch – Pike’s Decision

Pike wakes up in a whore house and is getting dressed.  He looks over at the young hooker he spent the night with.  She’s giving herself a sponge bath.  She’s young enough to be his daughter, granddaughter.  He hears a baby cry and looks over and sees the baby in it’s bed.  He looks back to the young woman.  The look in his eyes, his body language tells a story.  He grabs the bottle from the night before and takes a swig.  It’s not tasting like it used to either.  He hears his buddies in the next room haggling with one of the other hookers.  He walks over to that room, takes in the scene.  Looks at his friends.  They look back at him and clue in.  “Lets go”.  Pike goes back to his room and finishes dressing.  He gives the young girl one more look.  It’s haunting.

What a great piece of film making.  Probably Cincinnati Babyhead’s all time favorite allscene.  Peckinpah nails it.  All elements of film-making contribute to pull it off.  Very little dialogue.  The music that’s layered over the scene is beautiful.  The camera does the work here but the ace in the hole for the scene is Holden.  He was the perfect actor at that time and place.  He has the weight and experience to carry it.  What he portrays speaks volumes about the character’s life.  Film acting at it’s best.

Perfect!