Bend of the River is a serviceable 1952 James Stewart Western.
Directed by Anthony Mann, Stewart plays Glyn McLyntock, a remorseful ex border
raider who is leading a band of settlers from Missouri
to Oregon.
Following a treacherous journey and a brief stop in the quiet town of Portland, the group reach
their isolated destination but when their much needed supplies don’t arrive,
McLyntock journeys back to the town to find it very changed. The film features
themes of redemption, trust and romance and while it held me attention for its
91 minutes, it’s far from a classic and not quite as good as Mann and Stewart’s
1950 collaboration, Winchester ’73.
Many of the landscapes and sets
become interchangeable and the film manages to deceive the viewer by switching
between location and studio shots. The on location shooting is back dropped by
beautiful vistas and unspoiled landscapes. This is certainly a good looking
film and the beauty is exaggerated by the vibrant Technicolor. The costume
design is also very good and I enjoyed the first visit to the tiny settlement
of Portland, a
mere dot on the map compared to the large city it has become. The difference
between McLyntock’s first and second visit is also well done if not a little
over done.
Jimmy Stewart is
characteristically excellent in the central role, playing a soft, charming and
joyful man with a dark past. His famous demeanour is perfectly suited to the
role. He’s joined by Arthur Kennedy who shares some decent scenes with the star
and enjoys some early chemistry. His duplicitous is well played by the five
times Oscar nominated actor. Rock Hudson
plays a handsome gambler who the audience can never be sure about and he also
plays his character with an untrustworthy sensibility. Typically, he’s involved
in the more romantic subplots. Julie Adams is the female lead but isn’t given
much of a chance to shine behind her three male co-stars. She’s underused by
the script. A further problem comes via the depiction of black characters. The
three black actors on screen adopt wildly over the top caricatures and this
dates the film terribly.
The actual story is quite mundane
at times and the conclusion is never in doubt. When Jimmy Stewart is battling
the save the lives of one hundred settlers, there’s only going to be one
outcome. Along the way there are several set pieces during which a new foe
emerges. These are sometimes predictably staged and over obvious though.
Although sometimes predictable, the action was at least exhilarating. The film
works and as I said at the outset, it passed some time. It’s not poor but it
hardly breaks new ground. If I was channel hopping on a Sunday afternoon, I’d
probably give it a second watch but it will be gathering dust on my DVD shelf
for many years before it’s near the player again.
6/10
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