La valle dell'orso

Was skimming through some videotapes I'd made from past TV broadcasts yesterday and, lo and behold!, came across one I'd recorded (but failed to label, oops!) of this title from an American Movie Classics broadcast quite some time ago. It was uninterrupted by commercials and promotional tidbits AND it was letterboxed, as any widescreen film, of whatever quality, deserves to be.

Ever since AMC opened the floodgates to commercial advertisers, dispensed with presenters like Bob Dorian, Nick Clooney, Cesar Romero, et al., and generally cheapened this venue into an unwatchable rival to the worst of its cable TV bedfellows, it has made the presentation of a widescreen film in the letterbox format a rarity on a par with, let's say, a politician telling the truth and/or admitting a mistake.

"The Night of the Grizzly," though it's not a work of deathless cinematic art, is a good example of what entertained us almost forty years ago: a good cast, a serviceable script, modest but not skimpy production values, and direction that builds the tension to a genuine climax, all without fiery explosions and violence that brutalizes its potential audiences

Big Cole (Clint Walker) is an ex-lawman who wants a peaceful existence as a rancher heads to Wyoming along with his family formed by wife (Marta Hyer) and children with aim to begin a new life in wild country left him by a relative. He faces off opposition from a neighbor (Keenan Wynn) who wishes that land for his own sons , and especially is threatened by a killer grizzly bear, nicknamed "Satan", that goes on a murderous rampage , attacking his family , friends and keeps killing Cole's livestock. Big Jim Cole had come to the rim of Hell and nobody but nobody was going to push him over! The story of a night lengthened by a thousand terrors!...Big Jim Cole Had Come to Stay!!!

Nice Western contains adventures , thrills , brawls , swoops , an enjoyable family life and colorful outdoors well filmed by top-notch cameramen . A decently paced , well made and decidedly action Western in which normal human lives are intertwined correctly with just that proportion of natural tragedy that have haunted families in the old West . Clint Walker gives a good acting as Marshal "Big Jim" Cole who turns in his badge attempting to forge a new life in order to settle on some land inherited from a relative . The highlights of the movie are the creepy appearances of the marauding killer bear terrorizing the residents of the Wyoming countryside that have a savage realism and some funny scenes as a drunken cockered . Support cast is pretty good , such as : Keenan Wynn ,Nancy Kulp , Ellen Corby , Jack Elam , Ron Ely , Don Haggery , Regis Toomey , and especial mention for Leo Gordon as a bounty hunter . It contains colorful and evocative cinematography by Loyal Griggs and Harold Lipstein, the photography catches perfectly the feel of countryside . Lively and stirring musical score by Leith Stevens , including songs by Jay Livingstone .

The motion picture produced by Burt Dunne was professionally directed by Joseph Pevney . This veteran filmmaker Joseph Pevney was a good artisan , being well known as a very organized and precise filmmaker who was nonetheless relaxed on the set . He was even a singer kid and participed at WWII , subsequently he acted in only five films (1946-1950) , all of them films noir, his first as a piano-playing killer in Nocturne (1946). He spent most of his career behind the camera and his first film as a director was Shakedown (1950) in which he makes a Hitchcock-style cameo as Keller the reporter, his last on-screen part. After spending the 1950s as a contract director at Universal, he switched to television where his early credits include five episodes of Alfred Hitchcock presnts (1962) , and many others . He directed a lot of movies of all kinds of genres such as Wartime : Torpedo run , Away all boats , Air cadet . Adventures as Yankee Pasha , Tammy , Twilight for the God, Congo crossing ,Ring circus , Legion of desert . Western : Lady from Texas , The plunderers . Thriller : Undercover girl , Flesh and fury , Man of a thousand faces , Iron Man , Shakedown , The strange Door , 6 bridges to cross , Istanbul. Rating : 6.5/10 . Passable and decent adventure movie . The flick will appeal to Clint Walker fans .

NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY is a fun traditional western with a few horror trappings. Amusingly enough, upon the release of THE REVENANT in cinemas early this year, a couple of TV channels took the opportunity to show other 'bear attack' movies, including GRIZZLY and CLAWS. I took the opportunity to watch this one, a film I'd never heard of previously.

What's refreshing is that from the very outset NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY is a well-mounted production with much to recommend it. It has plenty of fine cinematography and great colourful establishing shots of the western terrain. The characters are traditionally drawn (read: stereotyped) but the casting director draws in established talents (Jack Elam, Keenan Wynn) who give assured performances. And the hulking Clint Walker is an excellent choice for the lead, a man you have to believe can go up against a grizzly bear himself.

The bear action is quite limited, but that makes it more effective, and the bear himself is a believable performer. The other western staples, like romance and rivalry and of course more than a few fist fights, are present and correct here. NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY will never be the kind of movie to set the world on fire, but it certainly proves to be a fun little watch.

Although 'Night of the Grizzly' was released by Paramount, it's easy to mistake it as a Disney film! Long on family values and gentle humor, this adventure yarn is the kind of 'live-action' feature that the studio specialized in throughout the fifties. If you don't think a film that kids can enjoy will be your 'cup of tea', you might be in for a surprise! This is a terrific movie!

Ex-Marshal Jim Cole (played with rugged charm by 'Cheyenne' Clint Walker) moves his family onto a small ranch, hoping to get away from the dangers of his previous line of work. His loving wife, Angela (popular '60s star Martha Hyer) is overjoyed by their new life, and the kids soon develop a bond with the beautiful countryside, and the small town nearby.

Not EVERYONE is happy about the arrangement, however; town bigshot Jed Curry (Keenan Wynn) wants Cole's land, and his sons are soon attempting to provoke Cole, in an unsuccessful attempt to force him to leave. When a monstrous killer grizzly appears, and starts killing off Cole's livestock, Curry sees his opportunity; as the primary shareholder at the bank, he makes it nearly impossible for the rancher to get loans to replace stock.

The grizzly, nicknamed 'Satan', terrorizes the countryside, killing men, horses, and farm animals, and Cole methodically begins hunting it, in hopes of getting the $750 bounty that would 'save' his ranch!

The arrival of bounty hunter Cass Dowdy (played with cold-blooded menace by veteran screen villain Leo Gordon) further muddies the waters; Cole had once arrested him, and Dowdy spent two years in the 'pen', vowing revenge! Adored by the eldest Cole child, Charlie (Kevin Brodie), Dowdy announces he will kill the grizzly and accept the bounty, simply to ruin Cole! The pieces are now in place for a thrilling finale, as Cole, Charlie, and Dowdy confront the enraged beast, in a scene eerily similar to the climax of 'Jaws'!

The film offers a supporting cast of Hollywood 'pros', including Jack Elam ('Cannonball Run'), as bizzare but sweet Hank, who is 'adopted' by Cole's young daughter, Gypsy (the wonderful Victoria Paige Meyerink, in her second film); Nancy Kulp (TV's 'The Beverly Hillbillies') as the spinster owner of the local mercantile store; Ron Ely (TV's first 'Tarzan') and Sammy Jackson (TV's 'No Time for Sergeants') as Dowdy's sons; and Regis Toomey ('Burke's Law'), as the sympathetic banker.

This is a film to cherish, and enjoy, again and again! Gather the family...They'll thank you for it!

I remember watching this film when I was about three years old the first time, and being scared to death. In fact, every time I watch this film a part of me gets a little scared at the thought of a giant grizzly terrorizing a farm.