The Yellow Mountain (1954) User Reviews

War of the Mines!

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 1 February 2016]

The Yellow Mountain is directed by Jesse Hibbs and collectively written by George Zuckerman, Russell Hughes, Robert Blees and Harold Channing Wire. It stars Lex Barker, Mala Powers, Howard Duff, William Demarest, John McIntire and Leo Gordon. Music is by Joseph Gershenson and cinematography by George Robinson.

The yellow mountain of the title is in Goldfield, Nevada, and there is gold up there in that thar mountain. There are two local factions in opposition for mining superiority, something is clearly going to have to give...

She thinks I'm a philanthropist.

Lovely tidy Oater this one, it's for the discerning Western fan who has a love for the 1950s boon of the genre. It begins with a fun punch - up as Barker's Andy Martin arrives in town and renews his fremeny relationship with Duff's Pete Menlo, and of course the presence of the gorgeous Nevada Wray (Powers) muddies the testosterone waters still further. Uneasy alliances will be formed and director Hibbs slots in some Western staples (chase/fights/stare-downs etc) as the story progresses, with some very nifty stunt work into the bargain.

Technical credits are way above average. Barker has left Tarzan behind and is playing cowboy, and he's OK, but more of a presence than a fleshy character. Main problem for Barker is the strength of the supporting cast who outshine him. McIntire and Gordon are the weasels, which is always a bonus for Western fans, while Duff and Demarest, the latter of which owns the film, give great character driven turns. With nice outdoor scenery photographed around the Mojave Desert and appealing costuming on show, production is as safe as a brick out-house.

Stoic fans of Westerns will know exactly where it's all going to end up, but formula is fine if the journey is fun and engaging, such is the case here. It isn't going to make anyone's top 100 Westerns list, but genre fans should catch it if they can. 7/10

A colorful and bright Western about fights for the hard possession of a rich mines

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 14 May 2021]

Set in Goldfield , Nevada , Pete Menlo : Howard Duff owns some gold claims , then there appears his old friend Andy Martin : Lex Barker, and yet again rekindle their past friendship . Along the way , Pete is interested in Nevada Wray : Mala Powers but she has a crush on Andy . Wray is daughter of the likeable poker player and miner Jackpot : William Demarest who has the rights on a valuable mine in which the mean Bannon : John McIntire has put his eyes . Ruled by the lust for gold... and the promise of a woman ! . When gold-fever gripped the wild frontier ...When frontier flamed with the lure of gold..and a woman unclaimed lips ! .

An agreeable and sympathetic Western in buddy movie style starred by two good friends , though one of them eventually , follows the way of the badness and betrayal . This is a decent Western about confrontation among miners , owners and greedy prospectors, packing drama , noisy action , fights and shootouts . Concerning ambition and claims robbing about a valuable mine coveted by various ambitious owners. A simple and plain Western with nothing especial , but being worthwhile and enjoyable enough . Stars Lex Barker who jumped to fame thanks to Tarzan movies , and starring in Westerns as Apache's Last Battle and A place called Glory . He emigrated to Europe where played all kinds of genres outstanding the following ones : Executioner of Venice , La Dolce Vita , The Black Devils of Kali, Pirates of the Coast, Mission in Morocco, Torture Chamber of Dr Sadism , The Invisible Dr Mabuse, The Return Dr Mabuse . The good-looking Lex Baker is accompaniexpd by two nice main actors as Howard Duff as the intimate friend and Mala Powers as the damsel in distress who has put her eyes for the main star . And a long plethora of notorious secondaries , such as John McIntire , William Demarest , William Fawcett , Denver Pyle and the prolific and frequent baddie Leo Gordon .

It displays a brilliant ciinematography in Technicolor by George Robinson. As well as atmospheric and evocative musical score from uncredited Henry Mancini , Herman Stein , Stanley Wilson, Universal's ordiinary composers . The motion picture was well produced by Universal International Pictures and Ross Hunter who subsequently financed the usual Douglas Sirk dramas . Being professionally directed by Jesse Hibbs , providing a funcional and decent Western , giving entertainment and amusement enough . Hibbs directed various Audie Murphy vehicles as Walk the Proud Land , Ride Clear of Diablo and his greatest hit : To Hell and Back . Rating : 6/10 . Acceptable and passable Western that will appeal to aficionados .

Decent B Western

[gtroup · 6/10 · 16 September 2018]

Watched a HDTV copy of it. It is a pretty decent b western with good action. Barker, Powers, Duff and supporting actors are fine. Recommend watching it if you're a fan of westerns.

A pretty good Universal western

[searchanddestroy-1 · 29 March 2008]

Once more, I am surprised that little western has not be commented yet.

I think it's a pretty good one, colorful, action packed, with famous actors such as Lex Barker, Howard Duff, John Mc Entire as good as ever and Leo Gordon, the bad guy, of course, the "heavy one".

Gunfights, fists fights, mine scenes, ...This little movie was a really good surprise to me.

Its the rarest Jesse Hibbs western available. Because there is not Audie Murphy in it?

Anyway, this feature doesn't deserve to be ignored. Not at all.

I saw it from a 16mm print, perhaps no TV broadcast has aired it yet...

"What for? They're partners!"

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 20 December 2021]

This fairly light-hearted early Ross Hunter production is an everyday tale of competitive capitalism in the wild west, with a jaunty score, fisticuffs and a heroine with a drunken old father, who (SPOILER COMING:) for once makes it alive to the end. You'll have forgotten it all within five minutes, but it passes the time agreeably.

Mining your own business.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 3 December 2023]

Two former business partners (Lex Barker and Howard Duff), still friends, find themselves at odds with a large mining company who wants to take over the search for gold in a small Nevada town. John McIntire, as the head of the company, has an army of men at his disposal, and outbids for workers with an unaffordable daily wage threatens what Barker and Duff are working on. Add in crotchety William Demarest who used his daughter Mala Powers' money to get in on the business, and you've got an action packed western filled with intrigue although some of the business lingo can easily confuse less business savvy viewers, like myself.

Still, it is beautiful to look at, although the mountains are certainly not yellow. Demarest is a feisty scene stealer, although when he confronts McIntire, the nervousness and uncertainty in his voice is quite clear. There's several cave-ins that are realistically filmed, and scary. McIntire is a subtle villain, even helping out when there's a cave in inside the mine that Duff owns which McIntire wants to buy in on. Definitely quite different than many other westerns of the 40's and 50's, and colorfully cinematic to boot. The romantic subplot is a major part of the story, but doesn't overwhelm the major plot.

Lively fun western

[coltras35 · 8/10 · 2 April 2023]

Pete Menlo owns some gold claims in Nevada where he is joined by his old friend Andy Martin. Crooked mine-owner Bannon wants to merge their interests so they can create a monopoly but is turned down. Pete is interested in 'Nevada' Wray, daughter of mine-owner 'Jackpot' Wray, but she has eyes only for Andy. The rejected Pete joins forces with Bannon and they learn that, because of location, 'Jackpot' Wray may be the owner of all the gold in the respective veins. Bannon and his men try to get rid of Andy. ...

Yellow Mountain is a lively and colourful western that has a modicum of fisticuffs, stare downs, mine dynamiting and chases. The final shootout between Lex Barker and Leo Gordon and John McIntyre is well done with a good suspenseful buildup. It's a light fare all decked in Technicolor - the cinematography is great and so are the stars -Lex Barker, Howard Duff and the pretty Mala Powers. This is great fun.

Nifty B-Western With Gold-Seeking Layers

[TheFearmakers · 10/10 · 15 November 2023]

Any movie about mining for gold will eventually include double-crossing con artists, and THE YELLOW MOUNTAIN starts right off with honest hero Lex Barker punching his former backstabbing friend in the office of a saloon that's the central location: until they venture into the titular mine with two different names on the claims...

There's the shifty fella Barker fought with in charming, unpredictable Howard Duff, with his eyes on the gorgeous daughter of unlucky lifelong gambling miner William Demarest, a kind of passive version of Walter Huston...

Yet the budding romance between stubborn scene-stealing beauty Mala Powers with a wooden yet dependably agile Barker has more initial suspense than the inevitable battle-for-riches, that also includes sophisticated villain John McIntire (who owns a neighboring saloon) along with his lead thug in genuine tough guy Leo Gordon...

Eventually becoming the most severe, palpable threat, as Barker battles both crooked partner Duff and Gordon's savage gunslinger in a Western aptly balancing unpredictable twist-and-turn action/adventure and competitive romance in a perfect programmer's length of 80 minutes -- that economically covers all that needs uncovering.