THE FAR HORIZONS
US, 1955, 108 minutes, Colour.
Fred Mac Murray, Charlton Heston, Donna Reed, Barbara Hale, William Demarest.
Directed by Rudolph Mate.
Entertaining Saturday matinee history. The film shows the exploration of Clark and Lewis in the area of the Mississippi River. There is mach American atmospheric historical background of 19th century society and a glimpse of the encounter with the Indian civilization. The leads are all familiar players and play familiarly. The film is beautifully photographed, has a fair blend of action and romance and it is enjoyable popular history.
1. The quality of the film as an adventure story? Entertainment value?
2. The emphasis of the title? The use of colour and location photography?
3. The film as a piece of Americana? The insight into American history? The period around 1803? The Louisiana Purchase? The picture of exploration, the American heritage, patriotism and the building of the United States?
4. The atmosphere and the setting of Virginia? Washington at the turn of the century? The relationship with the French and the buying of Louisiana? The exploration of territories? Relation of white man and Indian?
5. The political atmosphere of the film? The portrayal of Jefferson, his role as President, his vision? His plan for the extension of the United States to the Pacific?
6. The atmosphere of romance as background to the exploration? The importance of the rivalry between Lewis and Clark? The consequences for themselves and for the expedition? How plausible did this seem?
7. The character of Lewis? His qualities and weakness? Political position, qualities for exploration? His relationship with Julia? The capacities to lead the expedition? Friendship with Clark, rivalry? Heroism, especially in the final ambush? His final decisions about Clark*s behaviour? His status as an explorer?
8. The character of Clark in comparison with Lewis? Strength of character, military background, eagerness to be in the expedition, military ambition? Relationship to Julia and Lewis's acceptance of this? His strength during the expedition, his attitude to the Indians, his fighting over the Indian girl? His relationship with the men? The reason for his clashes with Lewis? Jealousy, schoolboy attitudes? His relationship with the Indian girl, holding her off and yet leading her on? Playing with her feelings? His bringing her back to Washington? His facing up to the court martial? Lewis's tearing of the pages? His status as an explorer?
9. The dramatic importance of the Indian girl? Her status as a prisoner, her escape, her being bound to the French trader? The fight and her growing in love with Clark? Her capacities for guiding, for healing? Her attitude to belonging to Clark? Growth in love, her breaking with her fiance in the Indian camp? The disaster and deaths that this led to? Her pursuit of Clark? The impact of Washington? The significance of her talk with Julia? Understanding white man's ways, her decision to leave?
10. Julia by contrast? A portrait of American women at the time? In society, her explanation of being a wife? Her love for Clark? Where did the film leave her at the end?
11. The visualizing of the hazards of pioneering and exploring? The exhilaration and the danger? Time, endurance? The clashes of the leaders and the effect on the men? The role of the sergeant in loyalty and leading the men?
12. The picture of the Indians and peaceful co-existence with the whites?
13. The purpose of the film for entertainment and for instructing American audiences?
