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The second of five genre defining Westerns that director Anthony Mann made with James Stewart, Bend Of The River was the first one to be made in colour. The slick screenplay is written by Borden Chase, adapted from William Gulick's novel "Bend Of The Snake," with support for Stewart coming from Arthur Kennedy, Julie Adams, Rock Hudson & Jay C. Flippen.

Stewart plays guide Glyn McLyntock who in 1847 is leading a wagon - train of homesteaders from troubled Missouri to the Oregon Territory. What the group are hoping for is a new start, a paradise, with McLyntock himself hoping for a new identity to escape his own troubled past. Unfortunately, after rescuing Emerson Cole (Kennedy) from a lynching, it's an act that once McLyntock and the group get to Portland turns out to have far reaching consequences.

In typical Anthony Mann style, McLyntock is a man tested to the maximum as he seeks to throw off his shackles and find a new redemption within a peaceful community. Cloaked in what would be become Mann's trademark stunning vistas (cinematography courtesy of Irving Glassberg), Bend Of The River is often thought of as the lighter tale from the Stewart/Mann partnership. This is most likely because it has more action and no little amount of comedy in the mix, yet although it's a simple story in essence, it is however given a hard boiled and psychological edge by the makers. An edge that asks searching questions of the "hero" in waiting. Can "McLyntock" indeed escape his past? And as a "hero" is it OK to use violence when he is wronged? This is potent stuff that is acted with tremendous gravitas by Stewart.

One of the main plus points on offer is that of having a strong cast operating within. It's thrilling for a Western fan to see Stewart and Kenendy side by side, particularly as the screenplay provides them much opportunities for machismo play. There's also a surprise in store, further allowing two fine actors of their era to solidify the film's credentials. Flippen is a reassuring presence, overseeing things like a genre uncle, Hudson rocks up for some dandy dude duties who joins in the gun play, and Adams (here billed as Julia Adams) is beautifully vivid under Glassberg's colour lenses.

Bend of the River is very much a recommended picture, as in fact are the other four films on the Mann/Stewart CV. 7.5/10

The second of five westerns Anthony Mann did with James Stewart, this one involves a trail boss with a shady past named Glyn McLyntock (Stewart) who takes a wagon train of settlers west from the Missouri to Oregon. Along the way, he saves a man named Emerson Cole (Arthur Kennedy) who's about to be hanged by some trappers for stealing a horse. He pulls a rifle on them and tells them to clear out. Cole feels indebted (for now) and hooks up with McLyntock and the wagon train.

Then they run into some Indians and Laura Baile (Julie Adams), the daughter of the trail master (played ably enough by Jay C. Flippen) gets wounded by an arrow. They finally reach Portland and purchase supplies there that will later be sent to them upriver. They also leave Laura in Portland to heal up while Cole stays on to seek his fortune at the gambling tables, running into good-natured Trey Wilson (Rock Hudson) in the process.

When they go upriver and reach the spot they want to settle down in, the settlers start to clear the land before the winter sets. In the meantime the supplies they paid for down in Portland haven't come yet, so they send McLyntock down to see what's happened and to get word from Laura Baile with whom they haven't heard from in months.

It turns out that the seller of the supplies, Tom Hendricks (Howard Petrie) has ripped them off and reneged on the deal. McLyntock, Cole (who goes along for the ride) and Trey Wilson shoot it out with Hendricks' men, and head upriver in the steamboat with the supplies (and Laura Baile) while Hendricks' men are right behind. McLyntock wants the boat to stop downstream in order to throw Hendricks off their trail for a little while, but Hendricks picks up on it and is still doggedly determined to get those supplies back. They ambush Hendricks and his men, killing most of them including Hendricks himself.

There's more double cross and backstabbing going on as we already suspect that Emerson Cole is the low down dirty snake that he really is, and is only concerned about his own greed. Cole knows full well he can get more money for those supplies at the mining camp, so he and his crew overpower McLyntock and take the supplies, leaving McLyntock behind to fend for himself.

But McLyntock trails not far behind on foot and then rides a stray horse that was secretly left behind by Laura so he can catch up. There's the inevitable showdown in the rapids when McLyntock and Cole get into a fistfight and Cole is swept away by the rapids and drowns.

This is an above-average western that has some of the elements we'd later see in THE NAKED SPUR (1953) and THE FAR COUNTRY (1954), both of which I prefer over this one. I guess this is mostly due to the fact that Robert Ryan and John McIntyre make better over-the-top villains than Arthur Kennedy does.

7 out of 10

One pure masterpiece western from the magician, the wizard of western: Anthony Mann. I discovered it in the seventies, when I was a kid and fell in love with it at first sight. The settings are absolutely outstanding, jaw dropping, unique. Mind blowing. Those landscapes literally steal the whole film. I forget the story but only those mountains, rivers, forests.... This movie enchanted my young years. Pure Anthony Mann's piece of work where Borden Chase seemed to be involved too. Action packed, it also offers romance and the usual lines of a western. Among my favourites from Anthony Mann. I prefer it to TIN STAR for instance.

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.

Jimmy Stewart is guiding a group of settlers west and along the way saves Arthur Kennedy from a lynching. Turns out they're both former border raiders from the Missouri/Kansas area, but Stewart's decided to go honest.

When 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.

When Stewart and Flippen return for the supplies, there'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.

The 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.

There's no law here to help them. It'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 can't do enough for the settlers on their first arrival. When we see him next when Stewart and Flippen come for their goods, it's like we're seeing a totally different human being. Petrie has practically morphed into Fred C. Dobbs.

I don'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 it'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.

But in Bend of the River it's a matter of survival and to prove to himself that he can and has changed his character for the better. It's as much an internal struggle for Stewart as it is with the forces allied against him.

It's another ten star winner for the Stewart/Mann team.

Moving Western in which a gunfighter called McLyntock must battle nasty miners , ambitious prospectors and a corrupt owner , including spectacular landscapes . From Universal-international a breathtaking as well as rip-snorting Western that shows the greatness , the glory , the fury of the untamed Northwest frontier . Stars a tough , hardened gunslinger guide McLyntock (James Stewart) who leads his wagon train challenging the gold-rich glory that was Oregon full of mountains with snow , scarlet with sin , yellow with the dust that lured him on . As a self-minded , haunted cowboy (James Stewart) leads his wagons plenty of settlers (Julie Adams , Lori Nelson , J.C.Flippen) and herd to Portland , in hopes of huge profits . Glyn McLyntock saves from a lynching and befriends another gunfighter , Cole (Arthur Kennedy) , and when they arrive in Portland both of whom lead and transport cows by boat . At last , they arrive in Portland , a bustling little town filled with prospectors and usual saloons . Later on , they have to escape from nasty town boss who confiscated homesteader's supplies after gold is discovered nearby . McLyntock and his partners end up having supplies and herd back from the villain baron .

One of a series made by star Stewart with director Anthony Mann , it features splendid Western vistas , fierce gun-play and fist-play , ambiguous roles , impressively busy crowd sequences and many other things . Adventure western movie in which a two-fisted cowboy leads his wagons and herd through Oregon territory , pitting himself against the wilderness , bandits , mean prospectors , traitors and an ambitious , corrupt boss town . This is an epic western filled with ambiguity , thrills , emotion , dual characters , some ambivalent roles in which stand out their corruption and ambition and being ¨Greed¨ their essential objective . The film is divided in three parts , the first one describes on rout to their destination ; the intervening period dealing with the busy town Portland and third part concerning on the trip back to the settlement , up river and over a mountain . Set late XIX Century , it shows the moral obligation to build a civilized community and need to a collective effort , joining individuals against corrupt and selfish people . Interesting and stirring screenplay based on the novel titled ¨Bend of the snake¨ by Bill Gulich . Sympathetic as well as brave acting by the great James Stewart as the stubborn Mclyntock who must fight frontier lawlessness and locks horns with a crooked colleague , magnificently played by Arthur Kennedy . Stewart is top-drawer as an ex-Pistolero who risks his life to attempt and get provisions to homesteaders to build their promised land . Stewart has top grade character written all over it . Gorgeous Julie Adams as the good-bad girl who must be forgiven in the end . Support cast is frankly extraordinary with a large plethora of illustrious names , such as : Lori Nelson , Harry Morgan , Jack Lambert , Frank Ferguson , Royal Dano , Cliff Lyons , and special mention for Jay C. Flippen as the grizzled westerner and a show-stealing acting by the always great Chubby Johnson who gives the comic relief talking about river Mississipi . And one of the first important roles for Rock Hudson who received extreme cheering and applause at the premiere .

Lyric and stirring musical score by Hans J. Salter . Colorful cinematography in Technicolor Irving Glassberg , and the Oregon sets takes it out of the ordinary Western scenarios , being shot in Oregon , mostly in Mount Hood, Timberline, Columbia River, Sandy River, Oregon , Sacramento river in northern California , Rooster Rock State Park, Palmer Glacier , Mount Hood, Columbia River Gorge , Washington . The motion picture was stunningly directed by Anthony Mann . Being made during Mann's best period of work . The film forms a stunning diptych along with ¨Bend the river¨ by the awesome quartet : Anthony Mann , screenwriter Borden Chase , producer Aaron Rosenberg and James Stewart who made a great number of top-notch films . This is another superbly powerful triumph from Anthony Mann who realized various Western masterpieces such as ¨The furies¨ , ¨Devil's doorway¨ , ¨Tin star¨ , ¨Man of the West¨ and several with his habitual star , James Stewart , many of them playing more violent , ruthless and cynical roles than usuals , such as : ¨Winchester 73¨ , ¨Bend the river¨ , ¨The far country¨ , ¨Man from Laramie¨ , ¨Colorado Jim¨ , ¨Thunder Bay¨ , ¨The Glenn Miller story¨. Rating : Above average ; it is probably one of the best Western in the fifties . Well worth watching .