BEND OF THE RIVER

US, 1952, 91 minutes, Colour.
James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Julia Adams, Rock Hudson, Lori Nelson, Jay C. Flippen.
Directed by Anthony Mann.

Bend of the River is one of seven or 8 films made by James Stewart in the early 50s with director Anthony Mann. They included several westerns like Winchester 73, The Far Country and The Man From Laramie. Anthony Mann directed many westerns in the 50s and books have been written about his contribution to the genre. The material is ordinary enough western material, settlers, Indian pursuit, rival gunfighters, the gold rushes and the clash of business people with settlers. The colour photography is attractive and the screenplay is by Borden Chase, author of so many westerns including The Oxbow Incident.

1. The film within the western tradition? How enjoyable and interesting? A western of the 50s? A James Stewart vehicle?

2. The colour photography, the mountainous Oregon locations? The pioneering spirit and visualising 19th. century pioneering? The settlements, the towns, the wagon trains? The mountains and the rivers? The contribution of the score?

3. The conventions of the western and their use - settlers, gunfighters, clashes? The American heritage of the pioneer spirit, the opening up of the west, the settlers and farmers and their ordinary hopes, the violence, the madness of the gold rushes? The violent tradition of the west? The choices to be made for settling down or continuing violence? Law, justice and its administration? The heroes of the west?

4. The portrait of the settlers and the difficulties. the wagon train, the terrain? The need for guides? The ordinariness of the trek as illustrated by meals, the washing of shirts etc.? Being tracked by the Indians and the fights and clashes with them? The western outpost towns and their way of life? The riverboats? The need for supplies? The hostility of town people for settlers? Jeremy and his family as illustrating the life of the settlers? The film's praise of these pioneers?

5. Mc Lintock as a guide? The impact of James Stewart's performance and style, his secrecy about his past, a pleasant man and his reform? His saving Cole from hanging and the reasons for this? His suspicions? His relationship with Jeremy, decisions about guiding, the leading of the people to the town? His decision to farm with them, work? The deals with Hendricks? The boat and the need for supplies? His return to the town, the clash with Hendricks? The personal feeling for Laura and his attitudes towards Cole? Cole and the use of the gun? The siege and the death of Hendricks' followers? McLintock's shrewdness in guidance? The workers and their rebellion against him, Cole cutting him off? His vowing of vengeance and following? The help and all things settled at the end? The thanks that he received and he valued? His wisdom? Facing up to the truth? Reunion with Laura? James Stewart as an American type?

6. Cole and his being saved from lynching, his smile, love of violence and shooting, his help, drifting, settling down in the town and being feared, his helping Mc Lintock with the boat, the liaison with Laura? Desire for gold, his betrayal of the group, leaving McLintock? The inevitability of their eventual clash? A man who might have been a hero of the west?

7. Rock Hudson and his performance, the young gambling man, his shooting and softness, the deaths, his linking up with Cole, the happy ending? The settling down of the gambler?

8. The family, the girls, Laura and her being wounded, working at the Gold Exchange, her belief in Cole, her being deceived, the happy ending?

9. The portrait of the pleasant people of the west e.g. the owner of the boat and his assistant? Race relationships?

10. The portrait of the villains ? Hendricks, his lies, greed? The ordinary men and their betrayal of McLintock? Their deaths?

11. A portrait of American achievement and spirit?