Originally, Farrow and Latimer were to continue their association with Ray Milland in Jack of Diamonds. Latimer had already written the screenplay (based on a story by Berne Giler), a contemporary thriller casting Milland as a thief who steals from the Manhattan gem center, when the actor was called to MGM for A Life of Her Own. Paramount lost interest in the project and when Milland returned, it was decided to showcase him in a western instead. The idea of making him a trick-shooter was doubtless inspired by Milland's real-life ability, but unfortunately the script shows many signs of being prepared in considerable haste.
"Copper Canyon", Milland's last film with Farrow, is also his least interesting. Yet oddly it was the movie that Universal chose to showcase in their first Farow-Milland DVD release, instead of Farrow's masterpiece, The Big Clock - a movie that figures on everyone's list of the top noir motion pictures ever made!
On the other hand, the leading characters in "Copper Canyon" are little more than stock figures - particularly heroine and villain - and some supporting lights are so shadowy, they barely exist at all (Mona Freeman). Other characters and situations are introduced and then not developed. What is worse is that there is very little tension. Not only does the plot have a foregone conclusion, but the characters are so superficially drawn they seem to have no real feeling - and engage no sympathetic response from the audience.
Fortunately, the film is not all stock characters in stock situations. There are pleasing incidentals. Milland's trick-shooting gives the hero an interesting edge and his umbrella of a second-rate theatrical company makes for some amusing saloon-pieces which director Farrow handles with obvious relish. The action material too is vigorously staged (including one unforgettable stunt at the climax). But despite some characteristic long takes, dramatic compositions, arresting high angle shots and even a bit of fluid camerawork, you can sense that Farrow's heart is not really involved in the superficial plot.
Milland acts with his usual poise, Lamarr is coldly efficient and Carey is okay as a scruffy villain. The support players do their utmost to take advantage of their limited opportunities, but only Erno Verebes ("I'm the professor!") and Maxine Gates as an overweight chorus girl are really allowed to shine.
Photographed in pleasantly-hued color on some rugged locations, Copper Canyon is a quite passable western on its own account - but a disappointing end to the Farrow-Milland-Latimer collaboration which produced such masterpieces as The Big Clock and Alias Nick Beal.
"Copper Canyon", Milland's last film with Farrow, is also his least interesting. Yet oddly it was the movie that Universal chose to showcase in their first Farow-Milland DVD release, instead of Farrow's masterpiece, The Big Clock - a movie that figures on everyone's list of the top noir motion pictures ever made!
On the other hand, the leading characters in "Copper Canyon" are little more than stock figures - particularly heroine and villain - and some supporting lights are so shadowy, they barely exist at all (Mona Freeman). Other characters and situations are introduced and then not developed. What is worse is that there is very little tension. Not only does the plot have a foregone conclusion, but the characters are so superficially drawn they seem to have no real feeling - and engage no sympathetic response from the audience.
Fortunately, the film is not all stock characters in stock situations. There are pleasing incidentals. Milland's trick-shooting gives the hero an interesting edge and his umbrella of a second-rate theatrical company makes for some amusing saloon-pieces which director Farrow handles with obvious relish. The action material too is vigorously staged (including one unforgettable stunt at the climax). But despite some characteristic long takes, dramatic compositions, arresting high angle shots and even a bit of fluid camerawork, you can sense that Farrow's heart is not really involved in the superficial plot.
Milland acts with his usual poise, Lamarr is coldly efficient and Carey is okay as a scruffy villain. The support players do their utmost to take advantage of their limited opportunities, but only Erno Verebes ("I'm the professor!") and Maxine Gates as an overweight chorus girl are really allowed to shine.
Photographed in pleasantly-hued color on some rugged locations, Copper Canyon is a quite passable western on its own account - but a disappointing end to the Farrow-Milland-Latimer collaboration which produced such masterpieces as The Big Clock and Alias Nick Beal.