La rivière de la poudre

Louis King means squat to me as a director: the only other film of his that I saw was DANGEROUS MISSION! And I cannot remember it in any detail though I rated it 7/10.

Rory Calhoun rules the roost here: he blends Wyatt Earp and Destry, though at the start he is a humble, no nonsense gold digger who knows who killed his mining sidekick, wants to avenge that death, takes on the role of sheriff, and never wears a gun - very much like Jimmy Stewart in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN.

In turn, Cameron Mitchell plays Mitch Hardin, an ultra quick gun hand who, like Doc Holliday, boozes far more than good health requires. As if that were not disruptive enough, he also coughs and suffers from severe headaches that disable him every so often, at times right in the middle of a shootout. I found myself laughing at his plight, but Hardin - the name of a real and famous killer among gunfighters in the Old West - is loyal to Calhoun, even if their relationship does not get off to a wholesome start, as both have their eye on the same female. In the end, poor handsome Calhoun gets no girl but Hardin - who saves his girlfriend's life by removing a bullet from her chest, so he is a qualified but often inebriated medical doctor - sounds ever more like Doc Holliday.

Good cinematography, fair screenplay. Generally good fun. 7/10.

When the story begins, Chino Bull (Rory Calhoun) is working his claim along with his partner. A couple jerks come to their camp and threaten to take their horses....and Chino and his partner drive them away. However, the criminals threaten revenge...and leave. A bit later, Chino leaves for town...and when he returns he finds his partner dead and their gold has been stolen. He assumes the two jerks from earlier must have been the culprits. So, he returns to town and becomes the sheriff...so he can search for the killers and bring law to this crappy little town. There's much more to the film....but you'd best see it yourself.

"Powder River" is a good western. However, I didn't score it higher since there are a bazillion good westerns from this era. The acting is nice and the story modestly interesting. And, like most westerns, it promotes several myths about the time and people...no big surprise there.

By the way, this is a very nice looking western thank to it being filmed in color AND its location shoot in Glacier, Montana.

More than Lose Remake of "My Darling Clementine" (1940) the John Ford Classic.

Rory Calhoun Vehicle with a Smattering of Gun-Play with a "Powder River" Ferry-Boat Scene a Highlight.

Good Cast with Cameron Mitchell as the Doomed Doctor and Corinne Calvet as "Frenchy" a Fiesty Saloon-Owner-Gal making an Impression.

Never Reaching Heights of its Own, the Movie is Watchable for the Cast, Technicolor, and Proven Story.

Rory Calhoun is a bit More Animated than Usual.

The First-Half is the Better Half.

But Still Maintains Enough Interest to Carry yet Another 1950's Western to its Predicable Feel-Good Exit for Post-War Western Fans who were Legion.

If you're thinking that you might have seen Powder River before you would be right. If you saw Frontier Marshal or My Darling Clementine and noted in Powder River's credits that it's derived from a book by Stuart Lake than you'll know the source. Rory Calhoun plays a Wyatt Earp like marshal who has quit law enforcement for prospecting.

But when his partner Frank Ferguson is bushwhacked and robbed of the gold they've panned, Calhoun takes on the marshal's job. He also makes the acquaintance of a pair of outlaw brothers Carl Betz and John Dehner. And a terminally ill and alcoholic doctor Cameron Mitchell who is lightning fast with a six gun.

There's also a bit of Destry Rides Again added to the mix with French speaking saloon owner Corinne Calvet. The good girl from back east who wants to bring Mitchell home to save his life is former Roy Rogers leading lady Penny Edwards.

The best part of Powder River is a nice action gunfight in a foiled stagecoach robbery with Calhoun and Mitchell joining forces. The guys and the stagecoach are on a river ferry with the outlaws firing on them from shore and the ferry cut loose is heading for the rapids. All nicely staged.

If you've seen My Darling Clementine or Frontier Marshal you know how this one comes out. Calhoun made several good westerns in the Fifties and Sixties. But it's Mitchell who has the best role, the Doc Holiday part is always the best one every time this story is retold.

Rory Calhoun was a staple hero in all kinds of films during the 50s. His performances were always great, abetted by his handsome, rugged looks and the ease into which he fit into a number of hero roles. In this one, a kind of standard western, he plays an ex-lawman who returns to the trade when his partner is killed. During the time he cleans up the town, defeats bad guys played by veteran character actors Carl Betz and John Dehner, gets his semi-revenge, on the antihero, played by Cameron Mitchell, wows the French bombshell, Corinne Calvert and, of course, gets the girl. It's great 50s entertainment with a total lack of CGI action, extensive blood and gore and good honest villains and good guys. (*sigh) They just don't make movies like this any more. Watch for it on the late show. There's no DVD or video listed. Calhoun was always worth the price of admission.