The Trap

I saw this movie one late night on TV in the early 70's while living in NYC. The image of Eve and Jean La Bete discovering themselves set against the Northwest wilderness never left me. Over the years this movie kept creeping back into my head like few other movies have. It is not the best produced movie ever made, but it tells a story that is unique, simple and compelling. Reed brings a "bull in the china-shop" masculinity to the character Jean La Bete that at first conflicts with, but then blends with the very subtle beauty and inner strength of Eve, played perfectly and silently by Rita Tushingham. (Tushingham also plays the adult daughter of Laura and Dr. Zhivago in Dr. Zhivago.) I didn't see "The Trap" again until a few years ago when I came across a cheap used copy online. This is a very unusual love story. "The Trap" might catch you like it did me years ago.

Having been lucky enough to find this movie in a box of thrown away tapes (actually among about 30 thrown out at a dump sight I work at, and they are in excellent condition!!!) I have just watched it (twice) over the weekend. I am like most people who have reported on "The Trap", I loved it and remembered it from probably 35 years ago, and always wanted to see it again. I was so glad to be able to watch it again and will definitely keep the movie.

The thing that no one else has mentioned but I think I saw in the movie was how much Jean cared for his mother as he mentioned her several times, often sang the song that she taught him and even from the start respected Eve as a woman. Here was a lonely Quebecois trapper, with no social skills, who had not been with a woman in years, paid $1000 (I would imagine like $500,000 today) for what he expected a wife would give him. He was much bigger that Eve in height and weight and could have easily over-powered her, even when she held a hatchet or knife ... but he still respected her fears.

I wish this movie could have continued for another half an hour so we could have seen what being together as a couple could have brought them. As far as visual effects, etc. for a film made in 1966 I think it was done exceptionally well. Someone mentioned that the "bad natives" were portrayed by white actors and the good by real native people ... I am sure a sign of the times. I am sure I saw a cameo of Chief Dan George at the start ... I must look into this.

This is the first review of a movie I have ever made ... hope it was okay.

Lush Canadian scenery that stretches as far as can be imagined, and yet this film manages to convey claustrophobia on the part of a traumatized girl compelled to wed a brutish-seeming fur trapper. The two leads play off each other very well. Miss Tushingham cannot speak yet shows powerful emotions in her facial expressions and body language. Mr. Reed gives a bravuro performance as a rough man trying to show his underdeveloped tender side. The plot is tight, the cinematography excellent, and the acting first-rate. One comment to those who wonder why Eve didn't use sign language or write: In frontier, fur-trapping Canada, when this film is set, most folks were illiterate and no universal sign language system had yet been developed. And sorry the Indians weren't acted by real ones, but that seems a minor point in light of the job the cast and crew did on an obviously limited budget. Flaws aside, this was a gripping love story.

I've seen this movie only twice. Once when it first hit commercial television, and again about 15 years ago, and it is unforgettable. It's great to see I'm not alone in my appreciation. I think it's a classic . . . . a "must see" for anyone who considers themselves a cinefile.

The two leads, Tushingham and Reed, are at the height of their powers and both give brilliant performances. (no hyperbole) The story is well conceived, well developed and executed to perfection. It holds together. The movie is a little gem.

Considering when it was made, the budget it was made under, and the politics of the time, (you couldn't find "real" Native American's in the actors union), it is an extraordinary work.

To criticize this movie for using an Italian "Indian" is like dismissing "Saving Private Ryan" because of a half-dozen glaring continuity errors. It means you've missed the point. Close your mind and open your heart. You will be rewarded for watching it, if in no other way than to witness, deeply and completely, the archetypes of what the masculine and feminine essences are in the universe.

Tushingham (Eve) IS the frightened rabbit that Reed (Jean) says she is. She has been torn from civilization to witness all manner of horrors of life in the wilderness. And what can be said of Reeds LaBete? Even those who laud this actors genius underestimate him.

While we're on the subject, how is it possible that during the Acadamy Awards Ceremony, when Reed's last movie "Gladiator" won BEST PICTURE, that he was overlooked when they did their eulogizing segment on those important figures who had passed away during the previous year? Conspicuous and tragic was his omission from that roster.

Do yourself a favor. See "The Trap". And then . . . . see it again.

8

Interesting Western based on a story and screenplay by David Osborn . A fur trapper nicknamed La Bete or The beast (Oliver Reed) arrives in a Canadian village after three winters in the snow ; having missing annual auction , he takes a mute girl (Rita Tusingham who does not utter a single word in the entire film) as his unwilling wife to live with him in his remote cabin in the woods . The picture narrates the odyssey of an adventurer that dreary of civilization lives in nature becoming into mountain man , a young who is part of the wildlife of the landscape , he is an expert hunter who shoots efficiently his preys and turning into a feared new myth named ¨La Bete¨ . Meanwhile , the girl early develops his senses from his first feeble and failed attempts at survival to become a skillful trapper .

Solid frontier western with exciting events , violent fights , emotions , thrills and spectacular outdoors . From the initiation until the final are proceeded continuous battles against nature and a survival fighting versus wintry wilderness , savage Indians , wildlife such as wolves and bear , among others . The story is a crossover of various films , the battle against nature of ¨Adventures of Jeremiah Johnson¨ and ¨Man of a wilderness land¨ along with ¨Taming of the shrew¨ theme , as well as the obstinacy and stubbornness of a misfit couple who discusses and contends with no rest . The magnificent cast is starred by an excellent Oliver Reed , a simple , brute man with violent tendencies and Rita Tushingam who plays a perfect role as an agreeable and sensitive mute young girl . Splendid cinematography in Panavision and glimmer color by Robert Krasker (expert cameraman on super-productions as The Cid , Fall of Roman Empire , Heroes of Telemark and The third man) as is reflected on spectacular outdoors filmed in sighting , rousing natural parks and filmed on location in Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada (village) , Hollyburn Film Studios, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Pinewood Studios, England . However , being necessary a right remastering because of the film-copy is washed-out . Special mention to a lively and evocative musical score by Ron Goodwin , the piece of music used as Oliver Reed canoes down river is now used by UK broadcaster The BBC for its coverage of The London Marathon.

The motion picture was professionally directed by Sidney Hayers . He entered cinema world in the early 1940s and began his directing career with ¨Violent Moment¨ in 1958 and carried out second-unit directing labors on epic films like ¨A night to remember¨ (1958) and ¨A bridge too far¨(1977). The journeyman director's roster of credits also includes episodic TV on both sides of the Atlantic , a multitude of TV movies and episodes such as A team , Baywatch , Knight Rider , T.J. Hooker , Hunter , Remington Steele , Magnum P.I . Furthermore , he directed acceptable films such as ¨Night of eagle¨, ¨Circus of horrors¨, ¨Assault¨ , ¨Finders keepers¨, ¨The Southern star¨ and of course ¨The trappers¨ .