Powder River

It demonstrates that black & white was perceived as the default position for serious postwar Hollywood cinema that this character-driven western potboiler was one of the very few colour films namechecked in Robert Warshow's 'The Immediate Experience'.

As for the film itself the most memorable characters are Cameron Mitchell as a doctor succumbing to headaches and blackouts due to a brain tumour and Corinne Calvet usually with a cigar protruding from her glossy red lips and wearing bright colours as a brassy 'businesswoman' known to the rest of the cast as 'Frenchie'.

This Western has two good things going for it; dialogue by Daniel Mainwaring who wrote fiction under the name of Geoffrey Homes. For those who recall ' Out of the Past, ' or alternatively titled ' Build My Gallows High, ' he was responsible for the novel it was based on, and the dialogue in the film. Some say it is the greatest Film Noir and they could be right. Turned screenwriter he wrote the dialogue for this film and it is first rate; complex, snappy and full of energy. Out of the actors in the film Cameron Mitchell as a tormented man, threatened by death and afraid of it gives a first rate performance. The story itself is the usual one of stolen gold, and tracking down the killer of a man who was protecting it. No spoilers but Rory Calhoun gets to be the man to do that, and his performance is as slick and over polished as ever. However much he tries to portray a ' good man ' the fake smile shows up the opposite and spoils the illusion. Corinne Calvet plays a saloon girl in love with Mitchell. And she does her best to make you believe in her. As a Western it is good, but as usual the town is too clean for the period and the clothes too clean. Personally I like this decade of Western mythology, and the colour is excellent, and a shootout on a boat adrift and heading for the river's rapids is first rate. There is even a carriage on the boat which gives the scene a surreal touch. I give it a 7 for Cameron Mitchell and the dialogue.

More than Lose Remake of "My Darling Clementine" (1940) the John Ford Classic.

Rory Calhoun Vehicle with a Smattering of Gun-Play with a "Powder River" Ferry-Boat Scene a Highlight.

Good Cast with Cameron Mitchell as the Doomed Doctor and Corinne Calvet as "Frenchy" a Fiesty Saloon-Owner-Gal making an Impression.

Never Reaching Heights of its Own, the Movie is Watchable for the Cast, Technicolor, and Proven Story.

Rory Calhoun is a bit More Animated than Usual.

The First-Half is the Better Half.

But Still Maintains Enough Interest to Carry yet Another 1950's Western to its Predicable Feel-Good Exit for Post-War Western Fans who were Legion.

If you're thinking that you might have seen Powder River before you would be right. If you saw Frontier Marshal or My Darling Clementine and noted in Powder River's credits that it's derived from a book by Stuart Lake than you'll know the source. Rory Calhoun plays a Wyatt Earp like marshal who has quit law enforcement for prospecting.

But when his partner Frank Ferguson is bushwhacked and robbed of the gold they've panned, Calhoun takes on the marshal's job. He also makes the acquaintance of a pair of outlaw brothers Carl Betz and John Dehner. And a terminally ill and alcoholic doctor Cameron Mitchell who is lightning fast with a six gun.

There's also a bit of Destry Rides Again added to the mix with French speaking saloon owner Corinne Calvet. The good girl from back east who wants to bring Mitchell home to save his life is former Roy Rogers leading lady Penny Edwards.

The best part of Powder River is a nice action gunfight in a foiled stagecoach robbery with Calhoun and Mitchell joining forces. The guys and the stagecoach are on a river ferry with the outlaws firing on them from shore and the ferry cut loose is heading for the rapids. All nicely staged.

If you've seen My Darling Clementine or Frontier Marshal you know how this one comes out. Calhoun made several good westerns in the Fifties and Sixties. But it's Mitchell who has the best role, the Doc Holiday part is always the best one every time this story is retold.

When the story begins, Chino Bull (Rory Calhoun) is working his claim along with his partner. A couple jerks come to their camp and threaten to take their horses....and Chino and his partner drive them away. However, the criminals threaten revenge...and leave. A bit later, Chino leaves for town...and when he returns he finds his partner dead and their gold has been stolen. He assumes the two jerks from earlier must have been the culprits. So, he returns to town and becomes the sheriff...so he can search for the killers and bring law to this crappy little town. There's much more to the film....but you'd best see it yourself.

"Powder River" is a good western. However, I didn't score it higher since there are a bazillion good westerns from this era. The acting is nice and the story modestly interesting. And, like most westerns, it promotes several myths about the time and people...no big surprise there.

By the way, this is a very nice looking western thank to it being filmed in color AND its location shoot in Glacier, Montana.