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:

RENEE...the innocent...and the untamed...BEN...the gambler...and the loser...GANNON...the law...and the noose...RUBE...the friendless...and the afraid.

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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

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

At about 19 minutes in Gannon slides a gun along a bar counter, after the camera cuts the gun points the other way.

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Quotes

[after Gannon fines Jeff his entire cattle herd for disturbing the peace, Jeff steals the herd back]
Jeff Webster: Is there somethin' you want, Mr. Gannon?
Skagway Sheriff Gannon: Yeah, mostly I want you. I also want that herd - it's government property.
Jeff Webster: Yeah, well, I'm sorry. I reversed your decision.

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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 Mirror for Our Dreams: Experience and Meaning (1968)

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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

"… And I want that coffee ground."

Stewart is a Wyoming cattleman who dreams to make enough money to buy a small ranch in Utah ranch… His only real companion is his sidekick Ben Tatum, the great Walter Brennan… To accomplish that, they drive the cattle clear to Alaska and on to Dawson, in Canadian territory, where they sell them...

Along the way they meet the man who runs the gold-crazy town behind a dishonest lawman John McIntire... He attempts to steal them the herd... Later, in Dawson, McIntire and his gang reappear, this time interfering with Stewart's gold claim...

Captured by Mann's camera in the wonderful scenery of the Canadian Rockies, Stewart is a thoughtful loner forced into violence by his need to get rid of the treacherous actions of a corrupt entrepreneur robbing local miners of their claims…

In this entertaining, beautiful Western, Stewart has two leading ladies to struggle with: Ruth Roman, a bit too valuable to describe as a sexy woman resisting the worst vicissitudes of the territory and the more docile, the French Canadian girl Corinne Calvet who does create a nice portrait of a likable girl with the ability to form a judgment... In spontaneous manner, Stewart is lost between the ostentatious saloon owner and the wife-candidate...