Canyon River

This 1956 Western is short and sweet (it's 80 mins). The plot is a little more complicated than many other minor westerns like this. Geo. Montgomery is a rancher who wants to cross-breed some cattle to make them heartier for the frigid Wyoming winters. He goes to Oregon with his ranch foreman (Peter Graves) to bring back some good breeding stock. But on the way to Ore. Graves gets shot up pretty bad by some horse-stealing Indians and is left behind at a lady's residence to recover (played by Marcia Henderson). What Montgomery doesn't know is before he left for Oregon good old P.G. had him set up for slaughter on the way back so he could steal the herd and along with an unscrupulous businessman and his slimy henchman (Walter Sande and Robert J. Wilke) set themselves up in the ranching business. But there are yet more complications to come on the road to ranching happiness . . . but you'll have to see the movie to find out the rest.

UPDATE: This movie was released on DVD by Warner Home Video on 3/23/09, but I've still got my long out-of-print videocassette of CANYON RIVER on the old Allied Artists Video Corporation label.

I've seen two or three movies about cross-breeding Hereford white-face cattle with Texas Long-horns to get a cow that can live in the high country; THE RARE BREED, starring Jimmy Stewart and Maureen O'Hara sticks in my mind because of the leads. CANYON RIVER is a more typical high-class B from Allied Artist, starring George Montgomery, who goes to buy the Herefords, his pal, Peter Graves, who rides along, ready to double-cross him for a stake in his own spread, and Marcia Henderson, who comes along on the cattle drive, because there has to be a love interest in this sort of movie.

It's a pretty good movie with some nice scenery thanks to cinematographer Ellsworth Fredericks and some good acting, particularly by Alan Hale, as leader of the disreputable cowhands whom Montgomery hires because no one else will. Montgomery, as always, is solid, one of those actors who never quite got out of the comfortable and profitable groove of B Western stardom before the genre went away. The result is a pleasant, if unmemorable example of the B western in its sunset phase.

"Canyon River" is a remake of "The Longhorn", a film I have not yet seen...so I cannot compare the two. However, if it's close to being as good as "Canyon River", it's well worth your time.

Steve (George Montgomery) is a cattleman with vision. Instead of the usual longhorn cattle, he wants to bring in some new breed to improve the quality and value of the meat. However, this means driving the cattle from Oregon to Wyoming...a HUGE distance. But there are two problems he doesn't foresee. First, his foreman and best friend, Bob (Peter Graves), is a jerk down deep and has arranged to betray Steve to a crooked rancher, Maddox. The plan is to steal the cows and divide them between Bob and Maddoc...and Steve has no idea he's going to be betrayed. To make things worse, once they arrive in Oregon, Steven can't find hands willing to make the long drive. In desperation, he hires a tough group of ex-outlaws and troublemakers. So, you assume, one way or another...Steve is screwed. See the film...see what happens.

This film has several things going for it. First, Montgomery is excellent in the lead...more believable and less bulletproof than the usual cowboy hero. His character is also written very well. Second, the supporing characters are really good...with Marcia Henderson and Alan Hale, Jr. Providing great support. The same can be said for Graves...though seeing him in a western sure feels odd! Overall, a surprisingly good and effective film...one I really liked.

Harmon Jones was not a great director by an efficient one, providing solid material. This one is certainly not his best, because without any major surprises and too many things already seen one billion times before. It is fast paced, taut, shot in beautiful settings. Peter Graves and George Montgomery characters don't bring much but that remains entertaining for an excellent B western.

In color cinemascope... a later western.

George montgomery, peter graves, marcia henderson, alan hale...junior (skipperrrrr !) when the prices drop out of the cattle market, steve patrick comes up with a plan to keep his ranch going. But while he's away, the local bandits are coming up with a plan of their own. And that plan includes cattle rustling. Once he gets a new lot of cattle, can he hold onto them? Lots of slow, mournful music in the background. Horses, gunfights, the usual. The most interesting things here are the familiar faces. Hale, peter graves. It's okay.

Directed by harmon jones.