Untamed (1940)

Dr. Bill Crawford, on a hunting trip to Canada, is attacked by a bear and his guide, Joe Easter, saves his life and takes the badly-mauled Crawford to his cabin home, where he lives with ... See full summary »

Director:

George Archainbaud

Writers:

Sinclair Lewis (novel), Frank Hazlitt Brennan (screenplay),

Stars:

Ray Milland, Patricia Morison, Akim Tamiroff

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ray Milland	...	Dr. William Crawford
Patricia Morison	...	Alverna Easter
Akim Tamiroff	...	Joe Easter
William Frawley	...	Les Woodbury
Jane Darwell	...	Mrs. Maggie Moriarty
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Doctor Billar
Eily Malyon	...	Mrs. Sarah McGavity
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Angus McGavity
Clem Bevans	...	'Smokey' Moseby, the Blind Man
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Smith
Bahe Denetdeel	...	'Snookums'
Charlene Wyatt	...	Milly Dee
Gertrude Hoffman	...	Miss Rhine
Sibyl Harris	...	Mrs. Dillon
Fay Helm	...	Miss Olcott

Storyline

Dr. Bill Crawford, on a hunting trip to Canada, is attacked by a bear and his guide, Joe Easter, saves his life and takes the badly-mauled Crawford to his cabin home, where he lives with his beautiful young wife, Alverna. Leaning Bill there to recover, Joe goes on a prolonged hunting trip and Bill and Alverna fall in love. The local doctor, Billar, dies during an operation which Bill completes and then decides to remain in Lost Lake and continue his practice there...close to Alverna. The lovers decide that, in fairness to Joe, Bill must return to his former city. But an epidemic of streptococcus breaks out in the Lost Lake village. Bill, untrained in the ways of the primeval woods, sets out in a raging blizzard, in search of the messenger who had been sent to the nearest town for a special serum needed to break the epidemic. Fearing for his life, Alverna follows him and they find the messenger dead in his automobile, with the serum by his side. Exhausted they stagger into a deserted ...

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Plot Keywords:

hunting trip | village | cabin | epidemic | woods | 

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Taglines:

THEY FOUGHT THE WRATH OF THE SILENT NORTH...for the right to live!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 November 1940 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Mantrap

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last film score composed by William Axt

User Reviews

Technicolor soap opera set in the Canadian wilderness

Handsome surgeon Milland travels to the Canadian wilderness for some much need R & R. He because good friends with Tamiroff, a French-Canadian trapper with a young and very beautiful wife (Morison). While Tamiroff is away hunting . . . well, need I go on?

Tossed into the story are gossipy old women, a blizzard, an epidemic, and a race against time and elements to get a vaccine.

This isn't a great film, but it's also not the turkey that the Maltin review suggests. The filmmakers obviously took care to make a quality picture, as it boasts good production and beautiful Technicolor photography. The scenes set during the blizzard are quite convincing, as frost from the actors' breath is visible.

Milland gives a sincere performance and draws upon his casual debonair. Patricia Morison, an actress who was usually wasted in unsympathetic supporting roles (the scheming villainess, the haughty "other woman," etc.), is a lovely and charming heroine in this film (love that long, dark hair of her's!) The supporting cast is also fine.

If a romantic soap opera is your cup of tea then this film is one that might make for pleasant time filler. Just make sure you see it in a good Technicolor print.