Man in the Wilderness (1971)

Left for dead after a bear attack, a fur-trapper recuperates and pursues his former companions through dangerous Indian territory.

Director:

Richard C. Sarafian

Writer:

Jack DeWitt (as Jack De Witt)

Stars:

Richard Harris, John Huston, Henry Wilcoxon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Harris	...	Zachary Bass
John Huston	...	Captain Henry
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Indian Chief
Percy Herbert	...	Fogarty
Dennis Waterman	...	Lowrie
Prunella Ransome	...	Grace
Sheila Raynor	...	Grace's Mother
Norman Rossington	...	Ferris
James Doohan	...	Benoit
Bryan Marshall	...	Potts
Ben Carruthers	...	Longbow
Robert Russell	...	Smith
John Bindon	...	Coulter
Bruce M. Fischer	...	Wiser
Dean Selmier	...	Russell

Storyline

In the early 1800's, a group of fur trappers and Indian traders are returning with their goods to civilisation and are making a desperate attempt to beat the oncoming winter. When guide Zachary Bass is injured in a bear attack, they decide he's a goner and leave him behind to die. When he recovers instead, he swears revenge on them and tracks them and their paranoiac expedition leader down.

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Plot Keywords:

tracks | fur | fur trapper | winter | 1800s | 

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Taglines:

The man they left for dead. Join his savage struggle. You might come out alive.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Western

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Certificate:

GP

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1971 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Ein Mann in der Wildnis

Filming Locations:

Coconino National Forest, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Limbridge, Wilderness Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Zach Bass' name purposefully rhymes with Hugh Glass.

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Goofs

There is a closeup (two, possibly) of the younger of the two men who were left with Zach Bass. They are hiding from the Indians, before Bass is left for dead. He is looking down the barrel of his flintlock musket (or rifle) and there is no flint in the cock, which would make it impossible for the arm to fire.

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Quotes

Captain Henry: We must move on or the Injuns will start makin' our decisions for us.

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Connections

Referenced in Scream Bloody Murder (1973)

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Soundtracks

Zach Bass Theme
Composed by Johnny Harris
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records

User Reviews

Savage Compassion

Savage and unrelenting, but, compassionate and immensely rewarding tale of a fur trapper, near-fatally mauled by a bear, surviving to exact revenge upon those who left him for dead. A distant and withdrawn character, Zachary Bass (Harris), who through a series of ordeals, recalls both the tumultuous and neglected events in his life that he is now compelled to resurrect. His quest is both a harrowing and moving experience, with a sincere, thoughtful performance by the late Richard Harris.

"Man in the Wilderness" boasts breathtaking scenery, a memorable score, and supporting performances played with conviction, particularly by John Huston and Percy Herbert. While it might draw parallels with Harris' "Horse" trilogy, this role is a more complex characterisation, developed without the benefit of dialogue, but through actions, expressions and emotions.

I've read reviews of this film that claim that the movie is uninvolving and gratuitously violent, but nothing, in my opinion, could be further from the truth. If ever there was a character with whom you could empathise, and follow to a poignant (and satisfying) conclusion, Zachary Bass is that character. A metaphoric journey from his own personal "wilderness" to a state of self consciousness in both his existence, and purpose. If ever there was a movie that could depict the challenges that he would face, and intertwine them with the complex motivations for his desire to survive, "Man in the Wilderness" is that movie. A rare gem.