La rivière de la poudre

I'm not really a fan of Rory Calhoun, but I enjoyed his character in this picture. It tells a story with a bit more depth and a few surprises, while still providing action, romance and some terrific western scenery. While Calhoun's character, Chino Bull, is still country-suave and in control, he doesn't convey the snide quality that was an undercurrent in his later television work. The story line carries some standard western baggage, but at the same time it veers away with unexpected plot developments that were a bit more sophisticated than the type of that era, presaging the so-called "adult westerns" that became the standard in the 1950s and '60s. The female characters, unfortunately, are given the usual supportive roles. Still, it's an interesting story against some beautiful backgrounds.

It demonstrates that black & white was perceived as the default position for serious postwar Hollywood cinema that this character-driven western potboiler was one of the very few colour films namechecked in Robert Warshow's 'The Immediate Experience'.

As for the film itself the most memorable characters are Cameron Mitchell as a doctor succumbing to headaches and blackouts due to a brain tumour and Corinne Calvet usually with a cigar protruding from her glossy red lips and wearing bright colours as a brassy 'businesswoman' known to the rest of the cast as 'Frenchie'.

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.

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.

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.