The Night of the Grizzly

Although 'Night of the Grizzly' was released by Paramount, it's easy to mistake it as a Disney film! Long on family values and gentle humor, this adventure yarn is the kind of 'live-action' feature that the studio specialized in throughout the fifties. If you don't think a film that kids can enjoy will be your 'cup of tea', you might be in for a surprise! This is a terrific movie!

Ex-Marshal Jim Cole (played with rugged charm by 'Cheyenne' Clint Walker) moves his family onto a small ranch, hoping to get away from the dangers of his previous line of work. His loving wife, Angela (popular '60s star Martha Hyer) is overjoyed by their new life, and the kids soon develop a bond with the beautiful countryside, and the small town nearby.

Not EVERYONE is happy about the arrangement, however; town bigshot Jed Curry (Keenan Wynn) wants Cole's land, and his sons are soon attempting to provoke Cole, in an unsuccessful attempt to force him to leave. When a monstrous killer grizzly appears, and starts killing off Cole's livestock, Curry sees his opportunity; as the primary shareholder at the bank, he makes it nearly impossible for the rancher to get loans to replace stock.

The grizzly, nicknamed 'Satan', terrorizes the countryside, killing men, horses, and farm animals, and Cole methodically begins hunting it, in hopes of getting the $750 bounty that would 'save' his ranch!

The arrival of bounty hunter Cass Dowdy (played with cold-blooded menace by veteran screen villain Leo Gordon) further muddies the waters; Cole had once arrested him, and Dowdy spent two years in the 'pen', vowing revenge! Adored by the eldest Cole child, Charlie (Kevin Brodie), Dowdy announces he will kill the grizzly and accept the bounty, simply to ruin Cole! The pieces are now in place for a thrilling finale, as Cole, Charlie, and Dowdy confront the enraged beast, in a scene eerily similar to the climax of 'Jaws'!

The film offers a supporting cast of Hollywood 'pros', including Jack Elam ('Cannonball Run'), as bizzare but sweet Hank, who is 'adopted' by Cole's young daughter, Gypsy (the wonderful Victoria Paige Meyerink, in her second film); Nancy Kulp (TV's 'The Beverly Hillbillies') as the spinster owner of the local mercantile store; Ron Ely (TV's first 'Tarzan') and Sammy Jackson (TV's 'No Time for Sergeants') as Dowdy's sons; and Regis Toomey ('Burke's Law'), as the sympathetic banker.

This is a film to cherish, and enjoy, again and again! Gather the family...They'll thank you for it!

NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY is a fun traditional western with a few horror trappings. Amusingly enough, upon the release of THE REVENANT in cinemas early this year, a couple of TV channels took the opportunity to show other 'bear attack' movies, including GRIZZLY and CLAWS. I took the opportunity to watch this one, a film I'd never heard of previously.

What's refreshing is that from the very outset NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY is a well-mounted production with much to recommend it. It has plenty of fine cinematography and great colourful establishing shots of the western terrain. The characters are traditionally drawn (read: stereotyped) but the casting director draws in established talents (Jack Elam, Keenan Wynn) who give assured performances. And the hulking Clint Walker is an excellent choice for the lead, a man you have to believe can go up against a grizzly bear himself.

The bear action is quite limited, but that makes it more effective, and the bear himself is a believable performer. The other western staples, like romance and rivalry and of course more than a few fist fights, are present and correct here. NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY will never be the kind of movie to set the world on fire, but it certainly proves to be a fun little watch.

I remember watching this film when I was about three years old the first time, and being scared to death. In fact, every time I watch this film a part of me gets a little scared at the thought of a giant grizzly terrorizing a farm.

Watched this on TV a few months ago and was eventually more entertained than I expected to be as the story elements began to fall into place during the first reel or two. The script builds to an exciting and suspenseful climax, one that rivals quite well, indeed, some of today's overwrought nailbiters.

At first I thought Clint Walker and Martha Hyer were an odd pairing as an Old West couple with a family. But Clint, of the awesome physique, was actually quite a winning performer when he had the good fortune to be directed by a good director with, at least, an acceptable script. And Martha, after playing spoiled and elegant socialites and jealous ladies who often didn't get the objects of their dreams in several of her earlier roles, is warm and convincing as a wife in love with her husband and who deeply cares for her children.

With terrifically capable performers like Keenan Wynn, Ellen Corby, and the inimitable Nancy Culp to round out the cast, this one had quite a bit going for it. The Techniscope (the Technicolor Corporation's bargain-basement version of CinemaScope and Panavision) and Technicolor cinematography looks a bit overlit in some of the interior scenes (a common practice back then), and now the 2.35:1 ratio is probably lost forever. (The TV broadcast I saw was, of course, "formatted" and the VHS version is, no doubt panned-and-scanned.)

When I first saw this movie I was at the drive-in with my parents. I remember hiding behind the back of the seat scared out of my wits! My father is a gunsmith and I've always had a healthy respect both for guns and wildlife. And I know for a fact that there are things in the woods that are much bigger than I am. And the fact that what occurs in this movie could actually happen without aide of CG or any other technical assistance makes it even scarier. OK, the acting itself could have been better but you have to remember the age of the movie.

I hate to think how it would be "gorified" if remade. It was gory enough as it was.