Meuterei am Schlangenfluss (1952)

Meuterei am Schlangenfluss: Directed by Anthony Mann. With James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Julie Adams, Rock Hudson. When a town boss confiscates homesteader’s supplies after gold is discovered nearby, a tough cowboy risks his life to try and get it to them.

“Bend of the River is the second Anthony Mann/James Stewart western and the first in technicolor. The technicolor is used to best advantage here with some great footage of the Columbia River and surrounding vicinity. And Mann used in support of Stewart, Jay C. Flippen, Harry Morgan, Arthur Kennedy and Rock Hudson all of whom had appeared in Mann films before and/or would again. Anthony Mann is never given credit for the stock company he had. Like John Ford, Mann liked using the same players in his films.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eJimmy Stewart is guiding a group of settlers west and along the way saves Arthur Kennedy from a lynching. Turns out theyu0026#39;re both former border raiders from the Missouri/Kansas area, but Stewartu0026#39;s decided to go honest. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen they arrive in Portland, the settlers are warmly greeted and a deal is made by settler leader Jay C. Flippen for needed supplies for his people during the winter. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen Stewart and Flippen return for the supplies, thereu0026#39;s been a gold strike and the town is mad with gold fever. They have to take what was due them and then have to fight to get the supplies back to the settlers. Seems some prospectors want them also. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe point is that there are no options for Stewart and Flippen. These supplies have to get to their colony or they will freeze and starve during the winter. They have to fight prospectors, townspeople and treachery in their own group to get the goods where they are needed.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThereu0026#39;s no law here to help them. Itu0026#39;s broken down totally along with all kinds of behavioral virtues when gold fever has struck. One of the best performances in the film comes from Howard Petrie town merchant who canu0026#39;t do enough for the settlers on their first arrival. When we see him next when Stewart and Flippen come for their goods, itu0026#39;s like weu0026#39;re seeing a totally different human being. Petrie has practically morphed into Fred C. Dobbs.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI donu0026#39;t think Jimmy Stewart has ever been more ruthless on the screen than he is here. His characters in Anthony Mann films are always purpose driven whether itu0026#39;s revenge like in Winchester 73, an outlaw bounty so he can start a new life in The Naked Spur, or even an idea he has like offshore oil drilling in Thunder Bay. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut in Bend of the River itu0026#39;s a matter of survival and to prove to himself that he can and has changed his character for the better. Itu0026#39;s as much an internal struggle for Stewart as it is with the forces allied against him.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s another ten star winner for the Stewart/Mann team.”