These Thousand Hills

A TCF western means it's well produced on a bigger budget than most oaters. On the whole, it's a good movie, a little slow and talky, but then the story's a strong one. I like the way we follow Lat's (Murray) climb up the economic and social ladder. He's a 19th century entrepreneur, starting out with very little but with some good moneymaking ideas for becoming a rancher. Still, he needs start-up money, which he gets from dance hall girl Callie (Remick), who he romances.

With money in hand, he embarks on becoming a success, along with buddy Tom (Whitman). The trouble is that success causes him to lose some perspective, and he starts looking down his nose at Callie and Tom, and romancing society girl Joyce (Owens). Thus his challenge is not only in confronting bad guy Jehu (Egan), but in recognizing the moral debts he owes to those folks who helped him along the way. Thus, the story is more rewardingly complex than with most westerns.

Murray's boyish charm reminds me of a young Jimmy Stewart, and wisely the script doesn't require him to be the toughest guy in town. The movie also looks like an effort at promoting him into a studio star since he gets a lot of screen time on top of a strong supporting cast that ranges from a poignant Remick to the always commanding Dekker. There's also some of the most compelling scenery this side of the Happy Hunting Grounds (too bad IMDb doesn't credit the locations!). On the whole, it's a good western if you don't mind a lot of talk along with some good action, especially the dramatic lynching scene.

This well characterized Western from Pulitzer award winner A.B Guthrie monumental bestseller deals with an ambitious cowboy (Don Murray) will stop at nothing to achieve his aims , and paying a heavy price to get a wealthy ranch full of cattle . As he arrives in Montana , to get what he wishes , fame and fortune by creating a powerful ranch , including using the affections of two attractive girls . Helped by a rich banker (Albert Dekker) and an old friend (Stuart Whitman) , both of them antagonise a flashy rancher/gambler (Richard Egan) . Meanwhile , the stubborn cowboy falls for two beautiful damsels (Lee Remick and Patricia Owens).

A simple and excessively romantic Western drama with little action and not much shooting . It is more a loving drama than the typical Western . Don Murray gives a lively acting as an upright but extremely ambitious young who to get his objectives falls for two women , the prostitute Lee Remick and the niece of a wealthy banker , Patricia Owens. Murray grapples rather unsteadly with his role once it has progressed to become an US senator. A young and gorgeous Lee Remick is pretty good as a whore who attempts to take a honest way on her thunderous life . Richad Egan also takes advantage from a rare villain character , as he often plays good guys . Satisfying support cast plenty of prestigious secondaries such as : Stuart Whitman , Harold J Stone , Royal Dano , Robert Adler , Jean Willes , and the veteran Albert Dekker . Interesting and well structured screenplay by Alfred Hayes and Guthrie , based on a successful bestseller by A.B. Guthrie . It contains a colorful cinematography by Charles Clarke , including wonderful landscapes . And a sensitive and rousing musical score by Leigh Harline , adding marvelous songs performed by Ned Washington .

This modest drama/romance/Western picture was professionally and firmly directed by Richard Fleischer , though slowly filmed, as I miss more action and shots . Richard was a prolific craftsman who made a lot of films in all kinds of genres throughout a long career in which he was able to endow with a wealth of personal detail . As he directed adventures: Vikings , 20000 leagues under the sea , Red Sonja , Conan the destroyer , Mandingo , Ashanti , Doctor Dolittle , The prince and the pauper ; Thrillers: Mr Majestick , The Don is dead , The new Centurions , Million dollar mystery ; Historical : Barabbas ; Terror : Amityvile 3 the Demon ; Musical : The jazz singer ; Wartime : Tora tora tora ; Sci-Fi : Soilent Green ; Crime : 10 Rillington Place , The Boston strangler , Compulsion , See no evil ; Noir film : The narrow margin , The clay pigeon , Armored car robbery , Follow me quietly , Trapped . Rating : 6/10 acceptable and passable . Well worth watching .

I do agree with the other user's comments. While it was a treat to see the lush cinematography and beautiful landscape, two lovely redhead girls, and a behind-the-scenes look at a bygone era, this is one of those movies that leaves too much up in the air. You wonder whether Callie will be found not guilty at her trial, or whether the fistfight or Lat's seeing Callie will result in a hindrance to his professional or personal life. The film was OK as far as it went, but the filmed seemed to end halfway through.

Lat Evans (Don Murray) is an ambitious lonesome cowboy who is figuring on hanging around for a while in Fort Brock, Montana… He is a good name back home… He is out to make it mean something here… He saves some money and wants to buy a ranch… So he went to the bank to see about making a loan… But Marshal Conrad (Albert Dekker) can't afford to back gamblers… For him, it's too much of a risk… He advises Lat to get himself some security—a piece of land, a deed, something to put up—then they'll talk about a loan…

But Callie (Lee Remick), the dance hall girl, who is doing it to keep him with her, gave him her savings—with the promise to pay it back— to buy the ranch he wants…

Meantime another girl appears, the pretty Joyce (Patricia Owens)… She's the niece of the banker… Tidy, educated, she has been to college and all that… Of course Lat owes his start to Callie but he got to finish by himself… What he wants is a starched wife and a starched home and a starched reputation and Callie is spoiling his chances of getting it…

Murray is fine as the man with a future… He doubts if he goes in there his political chances are finished…

Lee Remick hasn't cared for anybody in such a long time… She's honest enough to say she's not worth risking anything for…

Richard Egan is the man who breaks his word, double-crosses his friends and beats up his woman…

Filmed in CinemaScope and color, this big-scale Western is very entertaining with enough action around

I noticed that some complained that "These Thousand Hills" is a slow-moving film. I would have to agree that it is slow...or, as I like to see it, deliberately paced. But I didn't mind this and liked that the film is so very different...during an era when westerns were about all Hollywood seemed to be making!

Lat Evans (Don Murray) is a very ambitious young man. He works his butt off to earn as much as he can so he can buy a ranch and make something of himself. Well, after a few setbacks, he is able to get the money...thanks to a loan from a local 'fallen woman' (Lee Remick). And, his ranch becomes a huge success...so much so that the locals want him to run for the senate. Of course, Lat wants this, as he has huge ambitions and has worked so hard to get where he has. But then something strange happens....he starts to wonder if success alone is what he wants. Something more important becomes apparent...integrity...which leads to a dandy conclusion.

This film is slow paced but again and again, it avoids the usual cliches and has a lot to say about real masculinity and honor. Well worth seeing and a finer film than it's relatively mediocre score on IMDB would indicate.

By the way, my complaints are minor. One cannot be helped and that is that the print I saw looked almost smoky in the beginning and could use some restoration. The other complaint is that some of the music (the songs sung by some young singing star) were pretty bad and didn't fit the film.