There were a ton of very cinematic films in the 1950's and 60's that on the big screen makes the viewer say "wow!", and this literally is one of the grandest. It stars that 40's screen heartthrob in one of his most gripping films (literally) as he deals with murders in the Grand Canyon and a spoiled heiress, Victoria Shaw, whose brother appears to be involved in something Shady. You pretty much know from the start who the villain is, and with a cast like Mickey Shaugnessy, Edgar Buchannan, Dabbs Greer, Jack Elam and a memorable unbilled bit by Hope Summers, it's a lot of fun. But the real star of the film is the scenery, done in Cinemascope and glorious Technicolor, with some pretty impressive vistas and a car chase scene at the very beginning between Wilde and Shaw down the curvy highways of the canyon that is very impressive.
The highlight is a climax, a scene on a utility tram that crosses the canyon where Wilde, Shaw and the villain go at it, and it's pretty obvious how it's going to end. The cries of the villain to be saved are definitely met with the audience responding, "Nope", and when the obvious happens, I screamed out, say hello to the roadrunner and the coyote for me when you land! It's exciting, non-stop action, a plot we've seen thousands of times before, but is always fun when it's done right. This is the type of film that definitely got a lot of word-of-mouth, and in a pristine print, looks fabulous at the ripe old age of 60 plus. Shaw's a feisty heroine, someone whom Wilde needs to tame for her reckless ways, yet have fun doing it. If I ever see this advertised to be in a repertory theater, or at the Museum of Modern Art, I'm there.
The highlight is a climax, a scene on a utility tram that crosses the canyon where Wilde, Shaw and the villain go at it, and it's pretty obvious how it's going to end. The cries of the villain to be saved are definitely met with the audience responding, "Nope", and when the obvious happens, I screamed out, say hello to the roadrunner and the coyote for me when you land! It's exciting, non-stop action, a plot we've seen thousands of times before, but is always fun when it's done right. This is the type of film that definitely got a lot of word-of-mouth, and in a pristine print, looks fabulous at the ripe old age of 60 plus. Shaw's a feisty heroine, someone whom Wilde needs to tame for her reckless ways, yet have fun doing it. If I ever see this advertised to be in a repertory theater, or at the Museum of Modern Art, I'm there.