249. The Big Sky (1952)

Directed By Howard Hawks

Synopsis

A group of hunters want to go up the Missouri river to trade directly with the reclusive Blackfoot Indians. To do this they have to defy the fur company with the monopoly around that area and to gain the trust of the Blackfoot themselves. They have with her a Blackfoot princess that they are thinking of returning as a gesture of goodwill. Of course an amorous triangle is formed between Kirk Douglas, some other guy (Boone) and the Teal Eye, the Princess. Krik loses to the younger man who stays on with the princess in their final destination.

Review

This wasn't a bad film, but it wasn't that amazing as well. Frankly I have difficulty understanding why it is in the list, there are so much better Westerns around that this one seems quite redundant.

Still it does have some peculiarities, firstly it is set mainly around a river trip, which isn't very common at all for a Western, then even though it stereotypes Native Americans like all films of the time it also has a very positive outlook on their culture and on them as people. This is a step forward at least. And half the cast speaks in French, very uncommon for a Western.

The acting is quite adequate, although nothing amazing, there are a couple of quite good violent scenes, like when Douglas gets his finger chopped off or one of the crew members gets shot in the neck by an arrow. Still the plot is quite trite not really justifying a great mark for this film.

Final Grade

7/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Though not considered amongst Hawks' major achievements by most critics, the film was chosen by Jonathan Rosenbaum for his alternative list of the Top 100 American Films.

Trailer: