Stewart Granger plays Jules Vincent, a Canadian trapper extraordinaire. He stops by town, picks up a stray cat, a stray Indian girl (Cyd Charisse) and a new partner (Howard Petrie as Brody) for the trip back into the Wild North.
On the way, Jules winds up killed Brody, allegedly in self-defense. Brody’s body is found, of course, and Mountie Constable Pedley is sent to bring Jules back to stand trial, despite warnings that he’s entering that wild north during one of the worst winters on record.
Jules figures he doesn’t have to defend himself against Pedley; he’ll let the winter and the north take care of the constable itself. Between avalanches, an attack by wolves and a misstep into a fur trap … well, Jules might be right.
But when he has a chance to make a break for freedom and leave Pedley alone to die, he can’t bring himself to do it. He figures they’ll find their way back to civilization together.
Review:
A savage attack by wolves on the two men and their dogs is the highlight in this otherwise annoying Granger vehicle.
What makes it annoying? Well, there’s Granger’s French Canadian accent, made worse by his habit of referring to Pedley as ‘Hey, bay-bee.’
Then there’s the last few minutes of the film, when Pedley is still suffering from shock and Jules Vincent decides to try a very unusual method of jarring his mind back to the present. Well, you’ve gotta watch it to believe it. It’s that silly.
Directed by:
Andrew Marton
Cast:
Stewart Granger … Jules Vincent
Cyd Charisse … Indian girl
Wendell Corey … Constable Pedley
Morgan Farley … Father Simon
Howard Petrie … Brody
Housely Stevenson … Old Man
Lewis Martin … Sergeant
John War Eagle … Indian chief
Ray Teal … Ruger
Clancy Cooper … Sloan
Runtime: 97 min.
Memorable lines:
Jules Vincent to the Indian girl: “For a man, for a mole, for a bird, every day is life and death. Wait for me, huh?”
Pedley to storekeeper Callahan: “Where’s Jules Vincent?”
Callahan: “Where’s the fox? Where’s the timber wolf? Now how would I know where he is?”
Pedley: “He’s your friend.”
Callahan: “Well, so is God.”
Pedley: “You killed a man, Jules. You would have killed two more. Now you think you got this way of killing me. Remember this, I could have dumped you anywhere and written in that little book of mine that you think is so funny that you made a break for it and got away. Then I’d have to become a man like you. Or was it an animal you said you were. Before I turn into that, I’ll let this country take me.”
Jules: “Give it time.”
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