The Canadians

A commendable attempt by first-time director Burt Kennedy to do something as far removed from a conventional Hollywood western as he could manage (which included going north of the 49th Parallel). Sadly it was both a critical and commercial flop and when eventually allowed to direct again he stuck thereafter to more conventional fare.

The cast acts well and the bright red Mounties' uniforms against the rolling autumnal Saskatchewan plains (photographed by British cameraman Arthur Ibbetson), the sombre mood and the vibrant soprano voice of Metropolitan opera star Theresa Stratus all linger in the memory long after the film is over, however. And it has Robert Ryan in it.

When the savage Sioux come to Canada following the death of General George Armstrong Custer , 1876 , the Canadians and the Queen of Commomwealth permit them to stay in Canada if they come peacefully . Nevertheless , some hunters kill all inhabitants of one of their villages and carring out Buffalo massacre . As a rancher (John Dehner) attempts to recover a stolen or strayed horse from Indians who had nothing to do with said horse . Along the way killing a number of the Natives , but almost losing their own lives in the exchange of shootouts . Shortly, a Canadian Police superior officer (Robert Ryan) followed by his underlings (Torin Thatcher , Metcalf) executes a dangerous mission . Running into trouble with the rancher , but kept to the narrow and straight by the Mounties . The cowboys seek to get back their horses , but they are detained by the Mounties , and they state that pretend to search for a girl who once had been kidnapped by the Indians , but Mountie Ryan takes the hunters charged with murder .

Spectacular and enough budget western with thrills , adventures , fights , go riding , gunfire , emotion and being mostly shot on location in Saskatchewan . This is an impressive saga of the conquest of the Saskatchewan territory where the Royal Northwest Mounted Police stood alone against the fury of the Custer-massacring Sioux and the Cree nation . Despite Robert Ryan and John Dehner presences , a completely average movie , with a trite screenplay and regularly paced . Thinly written for the screen by Burt Kennedy , author of the original script allegedly based on facts , as the exciting story is fictionalized, but based on the Assiniboine massacre that occurred in Saskatchewan in1873 and including some disapponting moments . On the plus side , there are reasonable good acting from a nice cast and support cast . As main cast is pretty good , it stars the estimable Robert Ryan who incidentally performed a Mountie in his first movie : Cecil B. De Mille's North West Mounted Police . Ryan was a fine actor who interpreted some classic Noir Films and a lot of Westerns , such as : Hour of the gun , The Wild Bunch , The Professionals , Ice Palace , The Tall men , Return of the bad men , Best of the badmen . But he also outstood playing other genres as Wartime : Anzio , The Dirty Dozen , Battle of Bugle , Berlin Express , Flying Leathernecks , The longest day , Men in war , Billy Budd ; and Noir/thriller genre : On dangerous ground , Clash by night , Caught , The Racket, The Set-up , Crossfire , Beware my lovely , Back from eternity . Support cast is frankly fine , such as : John Dehner as a vengeful rancher , Torin Thatcher as a very authentic and striking looking officer and Metcalf as an inept Mountie . The female lead is taken by pretty Brooklyn Opera singer Teresa Stratas as a captive , but she has little to do and isn't in it very much , exception for her usual songs , being the film constantly slanted by her . Other secondaries appearing are John Sutton , Richard Alden and Michael Pate as Chief Four Horns .

This colorful movie belongs to Canadian Mountie sub-genre, as films about Mounties always get entertainment and amusement , they have been few and far between ; including important titles as the classy ¨Unconquered¨by Cecil B DeMille with Gary Cooper , Robert Preston , Paulette Goddard , ¨Pony Soldier¨ 1952 by Joseph M. Newman with Tyrone Power and ¨Saskatchewan¨ 1954 by Raoul Walsh with Alan Ladd , Shelley Winters , J Carol Naish , Hugh O'Brian . The Canadians packs a glimmer and rousing cinematography by Arthur Ibbeson, showing splendorous landscapes . As well as an evocative and sensitive musical score by Douglas Gamley . This movie was filmed on location in the real Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, Canada , with a nice camera work by cinematographer Arthur Ibbeson . The motion picture was ably made by the great director/writer Burt Kennedy . Here's a thrilling manhunt tale written and made by Kennedy , later to become one of America's foremost filmmakers . There he maintains comfortably in the ordinary traditions , though it has some flaws . Kennedy was a good professional , a fine director who made several Westerns and being usual screenwriter of the notorious filmmaker Budd Boetticher. Kennedy was kept on at Batjac to write films for producer Wayne. His initial effort, 7 Men from Now (1956), was a superb western, the first of the esteemed collaboration between director Budd Boetticher and star Randolph Scott. Kennedy wrote most of that series, as well as a number of others for Batjac, although it would be nearly 20 years before Wayne actually appeared in the film of a Kennedy script. Burt was a prolific director , writer , and producer , being essential his deep collaboration as a great screen-writer to director Budd Boetticher , the latter considered to be one of the best Western filmmakers . Kennedy directed all kinds of genres with penchant for Western , as Burt made quite a few Westerns , such as : The Rounders, Return of the seven , Welcome to hard times, The war wagon , Support you local sheriff , The good guys and the bad guys , Hannie Caulder , Support your local gunfiighter , Dirty Dingus Mgee , Young Billy Young , The Alamo , The train robbers , Down the long hills , Big bad John , Where the hell's that gold ? and Once upon a Texas train . The Canadians is no earth shattering seeing experience at all, but with its saving graces as the gorgeous , glimmer outdoors , and the presence of its main actors , it is just about worth a look . Rating 5.5/10

A rather curious debut for the screenwriter of Randy Scott - Budd Boetticher's team: COMMANCHE STATION, TALL T, SEVEN MEN FROM NOW.... But it is not bad, just unexpected, I mea on the script, story, characters; however we can feel something clumsy, as if Kennedy did not excatly know how to build something as solid as usual with the means that he disposed of. That's my opinion. Some trademarks here from the KENNEDY screenwriter of Scott & Boetticher crew: he insists from time to time on supporting characters depiction, such as young men talking about themselves. You also have this in his westerns as screenwriter. Bob Ryan doesn't seem to be totally concerned by his character.

THE CANADIANS is surprisingly satisfying both as a history lesson and cinema entertainment. The story tells how the North West Mounted Police came to be established in Saskatchewan. It features an anomaly in early 1960s Hollywood films: Indians played by actual Indians speaking a real Indian language, albeit this is limited and the Sioux woman that Inspector Gannon talks to is actually speaking Cree. The acting is solid, both from the established cowboy stars like Robert Ryan and John Dehner and the supporting cast which includes two people who won awards in non-acting fields( Burt Metcalfe produced the TV show "M*A*S*H*"; Teresa Stratas was a star on Broadway and the Met). Teresa Stratas is the real star of this film. Her character is the romantic love interest and her story is pivotal to the plot. She sings three songs, one of which is a Sioux lullaby which is probably meant to replicate Jennette MacDonald's "Indian Love Call" from ROSE MARIE. However, in this movie, the song is sung to her 2 year old Metis child, not to her Mountie lover. If you saw and liked "Alien Thunder" with Donald Sutherland, you'll want to watch this one which shares similar plots and settings(Cypress Hills in beautiful Cinemascope, in this case) but also fine performances from Jack Creley. THE CANADIANS was Creley's first film; his second was DR. STRANGELOVE. The beautiful scenery may also remind you of the film "Zulu" made a few years later. Even the costumes and the plot are "Zulu"-ish, with the red coat officers taming a "wild country" on behalf of the Queen. In conclusion, this is a fine film that shows an important moment in Canadian history and American cinema.

I actually saw this movie in 1961 when it was world-wide premiered at our theatre (The Capitol Theatre) here in Regina, SK.

From this date forward, I fell in love with the beautiful Cypress Hills area, here in our great Province of Saskatchewan in Canada! You understand that, with it's altitude, only certain flora and fauna are unique to this area as The Cypress Hills area is the highest elevation in Canada East of the Canadian Rocky Mountains! Of course the Cypress Hills was the original site for the movie shoot - The Canadians! I would love to buy a DVD copy of this film. Can anyone help me ?? Thank you, Joe Lomas, Regina, SK