The Far Country (1954)

A self-minded adventurer (Jeff Webster) locks horns with a crooked lawman (Mr. Gannon) while driving cattle to Dawson.

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writer:

Borden Chase (story and screenplay)

Stars:

James Stewart, Ruth Roman, Corinne Calvet

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Stewart	...	Jeff Webster
Ruth Roman	...	Ronda Castle
Corinne Calvet	...	Renee Vallon
Walter Brennan	...	Ben Tatum
John McIntire	...	Gannon
Jay C. Flippen	...	Rube
Harry Morgan	...	Ketchum (as Henry Morgan)
Steve Brodie	...	Ives
Connie Gilchrist	...	Hominy
Robert J. Wilke	...	Madden (as Robert Wilke)
Chubby Johnson	...	Dusty
Royal Dano	...	Luke
Jack Elam	...	Frank Newberry
Kathleen Freeman	...	Grits
Connie Van	...	Molasses

Storyline

In 1896, Jeff Webster sees the start of the Klondike gold rush as a golden opportunity to make a fortune in beef, and woe betide anyone standing in his way. He drives a cattle herd from Wyoming to Seattle, by ship to Skagway, and (after a delay caused by larcenous town boss Gannon) through the mountains to Dawson. There, he and his partner Ben Tatum get into the gold business themselves. Two lovely women fall for misanthropic Jeff, but he believes in every-man-for-himself, turning his back on growing lawlessness, until it finally strikes home.

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Plot Keywords:

firearm | reference to arizona | two gun holster | gun | holster | 

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Taglines:

From Alaska's First Violent Days of Gold-Rich Glory Comes the Story of THE STRANGER WITH A GUN!

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Genres:

Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1955 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Je suis un aventurier

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,500,000, 31 December 1954

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Finnish title of this film is "Seikkailijoiden luvattu maa", meaning "The Promised Land of Adventurers" in English.

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Goofs

After the clubbing of the sheriff while James Stewart is standing in the door of the Dawson Castle. Modern brass hinges can be seen on the doors of the saloon. Since this before the city of Dawson was founded in 1896. Any hinges on doors would be wrought iron at best.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Renee Vallon: You went and got yourself hurt again.
Jeff Webster: I know. We eat, we sleep, we rest and soon we'll be all better again.

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Crazy Credits

After "The End" a title card reads: We gratefully acknowledge the splendid cooperation extended to "The Far Country" cast and crew by all concerned at Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

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Connections

Featured in James Stewart: A Wonderful Life - Hosted by Johnny Carson (1987)

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Soundtracks

PRETTY LITTLE PRIMROSE
(uncredited)
Music by Milton Rosen
Lyrics by Frederick Herbert
Performed by Connie Gilchrist, Kathleen Freeman and Connie Van

User Reviews

Is there something you want, Mr. Gannon?

Cunning Western from a director who had few peers in the genre. Much like other Anthony Mann pictures, The Far Country blends a potent pot boiling story with an adroit knowing of impacting scenery. Both of which play out amongst some of Mann's peccadilloes like honour, integrity, betrayal and of course, death!

The story sees fortune hunting partners Jeff Webster (James Stewart) and Ben Tatum (Walter Brennan) travel to Oregon Territory with a herd of cattle. Aware of the blossoming gold-boom, they plan to make a tidy profit selling the cattle in a Klondike town. Arriving in Skagway they find self-appointed judge Mr. Gannon (John McIntire) ready to meet out justice to Webster on account of Webster having fractured the law, all be it with honest cause, along the way. In punishment Gannon takes the partners herd from them, but they steal them back and head across the Canadian border to Dawson - with Gannon and his men in hot pursuit. Here beautiful women and a meek and lawless town will fill out the destinies of all involved.

Interesting from start to finish, The Far Country benefits greatly from James Stewart's bubbling (anti) hero in waiting portrayal and Mann's slick direction of the tight Borden Chase script. The cinematography from William H. Daniels is superlative, though not done any favours by current DVD prints, and the film has a few surprises and a "will he wont he?" core that's reeling the viewers in.

Paying dividends on re-watches for hardened genre fans, it still remains something of an essential viewing for first timers venturing into the wonderful, yet dark, Western world of Anthony Mann and James Stewart. 8/10