Around the turn of the 20th century, during a harsh northern California winter, in a stunning mountain valley ranch setting near Aspen, the
motley members of a ranching family are besieged by a cougar
and its environs are confined almost entirely to sharp , hard , snowy mountains . Along the way , the family squabbling among themselves , being formed by a stiff-upper-lipped , pharisaic mother (Beulah Bondi) arguing against moral her youngest son , a drunkard father (Philip Tongue) , while the youngest son (Tab Hunter) hopes to persuade his mother to allow him to marry a girl (Diana Lynn) he has brought to visit . Then the two oldest sons go outside hunting for a murderous panther that is attacking their livestock and terrorizing villagers . The eldest members of the family (Robert Mitchum , William Hopper) set out in the perilous animal chase , resulting in fateful consequences . The motivation growing with each intent to catch the man-eating cougar , but things go wrong . As they are lost somewhere in the perilous mountain. And to make matters worse the dangerous beast goes on attacking and killing . Human Emotion Stripped Raw!
This is a tragedy/adventure/drama movie , though I think of being more a drama than an adventure film , dealing with an enormous panther holding seemingly mythical qualities , which is killing cattle. This is a decent drama of acceptable attractiveness and essential quality in which a brooding script is given full value by the players . It contains some striking set pieces , brilliant photography , Roy Webb's distinctive soundtrack , complemented by a cracking final highlight with the ferocious cougar attacking here and there and adding other bonus attractions . Sadly neglected in its time , this one of the most important location-shot movies of the Fifties . Top-notch cast , such as : Robert Mitchum as the tough eldest brother , a role that sits easily on his shoulders , Teresa Wright gives one of his best acting , as well as Philip Tongue as a defeated alcoholic father and Beulah Bondi as the proud mother who guards her son's body like a vulture , as well as Diana Lynn , Tab Hunter and William Hopper . And a peculiar role for Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer as a mystic Indian and he was only 26 when performed the elderly Indio Joe .
Interesting though a little boring and overtalking script by A. I. Bezzerides based on the novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark. Colorful cinematography by William H. Clothier who experimented with colour photography in striking fashion , including splashes of colour from the bright clothes and the green of the trees . Being shot on location in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, White Mountains, Arizona Heber-Overgaard, Arizona, USA , though a perfect remastering being really necessary . The motion picture , a big Warner Bros. Spectacle , well financed by uncredited John Wayne-Robert Fellows Productions , was competentingly directed by William A Wellman. William had a long career and made very good films , as Wellman directed all kind of genres as Wartime : ¨Alas¨ , ¨Battleground¨ , ¨The story of GI Joe¨ , ¨Lafayette Escadrilla¨ ; Drama : ¨Nothing sacred¨, ¨Blood Alley¨ , ¨Good my lady¨ , ¨Magic Town¨ and the Oscarized ¨A Star is born¨ , his greatest success ; Adventure : ¨Beau Geste¨ ; Gangster movie : ¨Public enemy ¨, and Western : ¨Buffalo Bill¨, ¨Joaquin Murrieta¨ , ¨Across the wide Missouri¨ , ¨Westerward the woman¨ , ¨Yellow sky¨ and ¨The Ox-Box incident¨, among others . Rating : 6.5/10 . Well worth watching . Better than average.
This is a tragedy/adventure/drama movie , though I think of being more a drama than an adventure film , dealing with an enormous panther holding seemingly mythical qualities , which is killing cattle. This is a decent drama of acceptable attractiveness and essential quality in which a brooding script is given full value by the players . It contains some striking set pieces , brilliant photography , Roy Webb's distinctive soundtrack , complemented by a cracking final highlight with the ferocious cougar attacking here and there and adding other bonus attractions . Sadly neglected in its time , this one of the most important location-shot movies of the Fifties . Top-notch cast , such as : Robert Mitchum as the tough eldest brother , a role that sits easily on his shoulders , Teresa Wright gives one of his best acting , as well as Philip Tongue as a defeated alcoholic father and Beulah Bondi as the proud mother who guards her son's body like a vulture , as well as Diana Lynn , Tab Hunter and William Hopper . And a peculiar role for Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer as a mystic Indian and he was only 26 when performed the elderly Indio Joe .
Interesting though a little boring and overtalking script by A. I. Bezzerides based on the novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark. Colorful cinematography by William H. Clothier who experimented with colour photography in striking fashion , including splashes of colour from the bright clothes and the green of the trees . Being shot on location in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, White Mountains, Arizona Heber-Overgaard, Arizona, USA , though a perfect remastering being really necessary . The motion picture , a big Warner Bros. Spectacle , well financed by uncredited John Wayne-Robert Fellows Productions , was competentingly directed by William A Wellman. William had a long career and made very good films , as Wellman directed all kind of genres as Wartime : ¨Alas¨ , ¨Battleground¨ , ¨The story of GI Joe¨ , ¨Lafayette Escadrilla¨ ; Drama : ¨Nothing sacred¨, ¨Blood Alley¨ , ¨Good my lady¨ , ¨Magic Town¨ and the Oscarized ¨A Star is born¨ , his greatest success ; Adventure : ¨Beau Geste¨ ; Gangster movie : ¨Public enemy ¨, and Western : ¨Buffalo Bill¨, ¨Joaquin Murrieta¨ , ¨Across the wide Missouri¨ , ¨Westerward the woman¨ , ¨Yellow sky¨ and ¨The Ox-Box incident¨, among others . Rating : 6.5/10 . Well worth watching . Better than average.