Chapter 5 Summary and Analysis

Most Hell's Angels of the mid-1960s did not care much about the historical roots of their motorcycle gang. To them, the day-to-day operation of the gang was the significant element. Additionally, very few gang members remained in the gang for more than a handful of years. They retired, went to prison, or were killed. However, most people tacitly accept that all early motorcycle gangs, including the Hell's Angels, were heavily influenced by the Hollywood film The Wild One. The 1953 film established an entire genre of outlaw biker films. It starred Marlon Brando, as a sympathetic rebel leader of a motorcycle gang, who fought against a criminal-minded gang led by Lee Marvin. The film was loosely based on a motorcycle street party, which took place in Hollister, California, in 1947. Most Hell's Angels identified with the somewhat heroic antics of Marlon Brando...