THE LAST FRONTIER
US, 1955, 98 minutes, Colour.
Victor Mature, Robert Preston, Anne Bancroft, Guy Madison, James Whitmore.
Directed by Anthony Mann.
The Last Frontier (Savage Wilderness) is an above average western of the fifties. It was directed by Anthony Mann, noted for his westerns during the fifties, especially those with James Stewart. These include Winchester 73, The Far Country, The Naked Spur, The Man From Laramie. Mann has a great critical following, especially for his action melodramas of the early fifties. During the sixties he took on some lavish projects at which he was less successful: E1 Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire, The Heroes of Telemark. He died while filming A Dandy In Aspic. This was completed by its star Laurence Harvey. Victor Mature and Robert Preston make strong leads in this film and there is an appearance by Anne Bancroft. While the material is conventional, the treatment is strong and the themes interesting.
1. A good western? Conventional? Its reputation as a work of director Anthony Mann? A western of the fifties?
2. Contribution of Cinemascope, colour, action sequences, music, song and lyrics?
3. The picture of the west, the title, the alternate title of ‘Savage Wilderness’? The atmosphere of savagery, the atmosphere of the Indians, the Americans and their behaviour? The savage trappers Jed Cooper and Gus Mongo coming in from the wilderness and encountering the soldiers trying to spread civilization? The contrast between the
various savages and the various supposedly civilized people? The atmosphere of harmony in such a west, living with nature, surviving?
4. The film's focus on Cooper, the instinctive man, his drinking, hilarity, work, ruggedness and survival? His relationship with his friends? Women? The nature of his heroism and encountering danger? With Mrs Marsden? With his mission to the Indians? Cooper as the portrait of the instinctive man of the west?
5. Civilization at the last frontier, and in the savage wilderness? The military forts and their impact on the Indians, the idea of law and order, civilization, the guns and the enforcing of this? The officers within this community? The women? Mrs Marsden? The savagery of the civilized people?
6. The interaction of civilization and instinct in Cooper, his wearing the uniform, the ways of the army, the severe way in which people reacted to him? As a sign of contradiction for the people in the fort?
7. Marsden and his representation of order, militarism? His savagery and his reputation in the past? His sense of failure? The pent-up violence and jealousy within the man? Relationship with his wife, with Cooper, the futility of his death? His idea of rescue, his living up to orders? His reputation? A credible man of the west?
8. Mrs Marsden and the feminine presence in this outpost, relationship with her husband and attitude towards him and his career and failure, towards Cooper, her not wanting to love him that way? The contradictions in her personality?
9. Weardon as the ordinary good man, coping, following orders, heroism?
10. Gus and Mongo and their relationship with Cooper, their return, their death, the heroism of the instinctive men?
11. The portrayal of the soldiers, the officer and the fight with him? Cooper and his clash with the soldiers and his fighting?
12. The portrayal of the Indians? People who were at home in the savage wilderness? Who lived on the last frontier? The contrast and comparison with Cooper and his friends, with the soldiers?
13. A picture of the American heritage, the savagery of the history of the 19th century, fighting, survival, the heroism of the men of action and their achievement? The praise of the west, critique of the west?
