Challenge to Be Free

"Challenge to be Free" was one of the first films I saw as a child. It was also one of the first VHS tapes that I owned. I hadn't seen the movie in years, so yesterday I decided to stick the tape in and watch it. Wow. The story is as powerful now as it was the first time I saw it. I think now that I am older I can better apreciate the values that are implanted in the movie. (Self-reliance, The value of Freedom, and the love of nature) It is a "B" movie, to be sure, but it's one that you'll remember for years, especially if you see it as a child.

About as good as you'd expect a low-budget film of this type from the 70s to be - that is, not good at all.

There was a lot of promise here but gets squandered by its "cheapness" and ridiculous scenes, questionable acting.

It had a Jeremiah Johnson feel to it at first, which drew me in. I enjoyed the way this Trapper bloke was towards animals - handfeeding chipmunks, becoming friends with wolf cubs, playing games with bears. It made me smile and laugh.

But then things go downhill. Way too much animal cruelty takes place and this god damn awful fake laugh of Mike Mazurki's takes over. It goes from weird Disney-esque 70s documentary, to poorly made manhunt movie in the wilderness.

Dead dogs, brutalised mountain goats, suffering wolves and an annoying main character all helped destroy things and make me question why I bothered giving this a go.

Just read the true story instead.

After reading the description I thought this is a movie I have to see.I searched it on the internet & found out it was based on the same story Death Hunt was based on which made me want to see it even more.Let me tell you straight away, if you're expecting another Death Hunt, forget about it.This movie version is the complete opposite of what Death Hunt was.After watching it or what I was able to watch of it, I'd say skip this movie & watch Death Hunt instead.Challenge To Be Free reminded me of some of the Disney movies I was forced to watch as a kid (I don't know why but at the time I HATED Disney movies) I watched about 35 minutes & after nodding off a bunch of times,I gave up & let sleep take over.Normally I'd fight sleep but this time I just did not care.If you want to watch the family friendly version of the story, watch Challenge To Be Free.If you want to watch the adult version, watch Death Hunt.I don't know about you but I prefer Death Hunt myself

This is an excellent true story, one of the gems of mountain man folklore, set in 1930's Northern Canada. The story of Canada's most famous northern manhunt, the Mad Trapper of Rat River and his running gun battle with the R.C.M.P. in the winter of 1931-32.

The Mad Trapper was thought to be named Albert Johnson, complaints were received about Johnson tampering with people's traps. When the Mounties were sent to investigate one was shot and wounded in an exchange of fire. They withdrew for help and later returned to the isolated cabin with a nine man posse and 20 pounds of dynamite. Meanwhile Johnston had reinforced the cabin and dug a pit under the floor. When the Mounties threw the dynamite at the cabin it blew the cabin apart, but when they went in expecting to find a dead or wounded Johnston he fought them off.

The Mounties withdrew again, and later when they returned to the cabin they found it abandoned. After a long search of the area, they ran into Johnston again, but one of the Mounties was shot dead in the exchange and Johnston managed to slip away.

The Mounties could not catch Johnston so they called in aerial surveillance. The plane picked up Johnstons trail and directed the Mounties to his location. The outcome of the ensuing gunfight was left a mystery, did he get away. Nobody knows.

This Mike Mazurki version is a rather sterile version, of the story. Made in a style akin to an early Walt Disney movie.

It's still a passable enough version of the mystery of the "Mad Trapper". Though maybe it dwells a bit much on the large animal cast.

It definitely invites a remake. It was called Death Hunt (1981).

I condemn the tone of this film. At every turn, it seems the writers; Anne Bosworth, Chuck D. Keen felt it necessary to drill it into our heads that the pursuit of this gentle man was necessary and warranted. I'm wondering if it escaped any viewer's attention, the fact that Trapper was completely innocent (first shot, which wounded McIntire, was from a misfire from his over-zealous partner's gun. The second shot, which killed the over-zealous cop, was in self-defense). Who, in their right mind, would start firing into a house (or cabin), because of a theft report?

I am appalled that McIntire was hired to narrate the story, and was actually paid to recount the murder of an innocent man. In the context of the slew of shooting deaths by police, recently, in many areas of the U.S., Trapper's story is a warning of what could happen if we do not change our priorities, and restore our rights as citizens.

Shooting someone in the back is NEVER legal...ESPECIALLY when it is done by those who are sworn to serve and protect. This film is a story of a travesty, sugar-coated to seem legitimate. Mr. McIntire should be ashamed of himself.., and should be arrested.

It was great to see Mazurki as Trapper, though. Trapper seemed a righteous man.