The Mountain Men

I bought this movie for $5 before I even seen it...I like westerns so it wasn't that big of a risk for me. Although this movie has a few lame parts here and there, it is a quite entertaining story about furtrapping, friendship, and even a little romance. There aren't enough movies out there about furtrappers or this extremely adventurous era of our country's history.

Brian Keith's character(Frapp)in the movie was the best part. He is a rough and tough "Injun" fighter who loves whiskey and cuss words. He provides some comic relief and is the most memorable character in the movie. Heston does an okay job as well. My favorite line in the movie is after the Crow Indian says "You give us gifts and we go in peace." and Frapp says "You can go in dog s***!"

Charlton Heston and Brian Keith are fur trappers out west during the mid 1800's. This one depicts white fur trappers' encounters with native Americans at the time.

The lives of mountain men are well portrayed; realistically dramatized. The roles of the "injuns" are not quite as well done; too Hollywood. The plot is basically indian bad guy, white man good guy. White man takes indian woman for wife. Indian man wants indian woman back and seeks revenge on white man.

The direction is pretty good. The cinematography is beautiful. The dialogue is very interesting to listen to.

Considering when it was made, before politcally correct was really in style(not that I approve of P.C. films), and considering its star is Charlton Heston, it's not a bad movie, I enjoyed it. I recommend it if you like American history, adventure and the great outdoors. I give it 7 stars.

This fanciful tale of isolation in Great Rocky Mountains , Yellowstone Parks and other wonderful locations reflects perfectly America's mood during 19th century on the new frontier . A duo of valiant frontiersmen named Bill (Charlton Heston) and Henry (Brian Keith) struggle Black Foot , Crow Indians , guzzle liquor , shoot efficiently his preys and in search for a legendary valley plenty of beavers that they jump right into their traps . Soon after , Bill steals a squaw (Victoria Racimo) and becomes the unwilling object of a long vengeance by an Indian chief ( Stephen Macht) when he proves to be the match of their warriors in one-to-one combat on the early frontier . As Indians set out to track down the mountain men on savage raids until a thrilling final . Both of them show obstinacy and stubbornness of relentless enemies who fight with no rest . They are continuously pursued by Indians because the chief seeks vengeance , going on a relentless chase .

Chronicle of life of adventurers with great sense of humanness , friendship and good feeling . This extraordinary Western results to be a slice of life about hermit men and a hostile environment . Intesesting screenplay by Fraser Clarke Heston , Charlton's son , narrates the odyssey of grizzled scouts , expert hunters that one time dreary of civilization go to West developing their natural senses and becoming into mountain man , as they take part of the wildlife and landscape . Solid western with interesting events , violent fights , emotions , thrills and spectacular outdoors . Gorgeous scenery and great roles for Heston and Keith in a thoughtful meditation on the American West . From the initiation until the final are proceeded continuous battles against nature and a survival-fight versus wintry wilderness , trappers , and savage Indians, among others . The story is a crossover of various films , the battle against nature of ¨Man of a wilderness land¨ and Indians as ¨ Man called horse ¨ and of course ¨Jeremiah Johnson¨ that bears a remarkable resemblance . The magnificent cast is starred by an excellent Charlton Heston , a simple man who has no taste for cities and becomes a tough and two-fisted mountain man and Brian Keith as feisty old trapper , both of whom developing an intimate relationship . Supporting cast is featured by various actors in brief and enjoyable performances as John Glover , Seymour Cassel , David Ackroyd , William Lucking and Stephen Macht as native obsessed a bloody revenge . Splendid cinematography in Panavision and glimmer Technicolor by Michael Hugo as is reflected on spectacular outdoors filmed in sighting , rousing natural parks from Bridger-Teton National Forest, Jackson, Wyoming,Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Shoshone National Forest, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA . Lively and evocative musical score by Micael Legrand who previously won his first Oscar for Best Music for "The Windmills of Your Mind" and was also nominated for Best Music for ¨The case Thomas Crown¨. The motion picture is professionally directed by Michael Legrand , son of also director Walter Lang . Richard is an expert filmmaker of TV episodes as ¨Melrose Place , Perry Mason , Matt Houston, Charlie's Angel ,Kung Fu , Harry O, Fantasy Island ¨ and eventually for cinema as ¨A change for seasons¨ and ¨Mountain men¨. Rating : Better than average . This outstanding frontier western will appeal to Charlton Heston fans and landscape lovers .

What sustains my memory of this movie most is Brian Keith's explanation of why he's never lost in the wilderness... certainly the best delivered line of his career.

Heston and Keith play grizzled trappers who accept the chore of shepherding a young, green, ex-military type to Rendezvous. Along the way they face numerous challenges to their morality... (the usual river fordings, mountainous pass traversing, Indian raid sorts of things).

One technical note: this movie contains one of the first weapon's eye viewpoints I recall ... seeing the forest and targets from the head of an Indian spear.

The Indians... ahhhh, the Indians are mostly European, at least the ones with speaking parts (thinking here of Victory Jory and Stephen Macht, not the devastating Victoria Racimo).

Much of the scenery mirrors the earlier Jeremiah Johnson (1972), but, sadly, the emphasis of this film seemed to be the enjoyment of the actors, rather than advancement of plot, historical accuracy, and numerous other niggling little details.

I like this movie very much... It makes me laugh, without fail, and leaves me feeling better for seeing it.

Maligned upon its release for its vivid violence, course language and questionable script, this film plays a bit better a quarter of a century later (now that vivid violence, course language and questionable scripts are almost all Hollywood has to offer!) Heston and Keith play feisty, rowdy, rugged trappers, swathed from head to toe in pelts and eking out a living selling their wares once a year or so to other frontiersmen. The action takes place in land occupied by warring Crow and Blackfoot Indians. When an enslaved Indian woman (Racimo) unsuccessfully tries to kill Heston and he brings her injured body back to his camp, a chain of events is kicked off that causes the deaths of dozens of people. Her captor, Blackfoot warrior Macht, wants his possession returned to him, more as a matter of pride than anything, and will stop at nothing to retrieve her. A variety of other characters turn up along the way including frontier newcomer Glover, old Indian friend Ackroyd and French Canadian trapper Cassel. Ultimately, Heston must go mano a mano with the ever-disgruntled Macht for the rights to Racimo. The rather cut-and-dried story is played out on a vast canvas of stunning Wyoming locations. The scenery is one of the chief attributes of the film. There is also a lovely score by Michel Legrand. Heston (along with many other people in the movie) has to contend with a horrendous fright wig - worse than his usual toupee! - a thick beard and a ton of heavy fur costuming. He gives a slightly more raucous portrayal than audiences may be used to but remains the granite-jawed, monument-like hero more often than not. Keith is wondrous. He completely abandons any and all refinement and sinks himself into his rough-and-tumble, foul-mouthed, earthy role. He and Heston share a significant amount of chemistry and the tale is almost more about their mutual affection than it is about the fight over Racimo. Surprisingly, for 1980, almost every Indian is portrayed by a white actor. Some are more successful than others. Jory and Ackroyd come across pretty authentically. Though he gives an intense portrayal, Macht brings all of the Native American sensibility, nuance and detail to his role as, say, a New York City writer moonlighting as a cab driver. He gives his role a far too contemporary and angst-ridden spin. Someone should have shown him Henry Brandon's work in "The Searchers" for inspiration. He also has an unintentionally amusing Snidley Whiplash moustache painted on his face for the bulk of the time. There's a raft of anachronistic-sounding vulgarity in the film, but it does aid in presenting the title characters as unsophisticated roughhousers. The violence is mostly very effective and gripping except for one really badly-handled beheading. Though fans of traditional (Randolph Scott?) westerns may balk at the film, it does offer some decent acting, action and cinematography. It also provides a vivid and rare glimpse into the world of the 19th century trappers. One quibble: Why do characters (often on foot!) keep running into each other in this expansive wilderness with the same frequency (or greater) than what would occur in Danville, Illinois??