La piste des caribous

RANDOLPH SCOTT and BILL WILLIAMS share the co-starring credits in this rather weak western, nicely photographed in Cinecolor against some gorgeous western backgrounds in Canada. Unfortunately, the story of ranchers vs. gold prospectors has been done before with better results and it's not one of Scott's more memorable western roles.

Among the bad guys, it's interesting to note a young JIM DAVIS who would later make it big on "Dallas" TV. GEORGE 'GABBY' HAYES plays his usual rustic character, usually a sidekick for Gene Autrey or Roy Rogers. He has the sort of role as a grizzly old-timer usually played by Walter Brennan, calling all the other men "young fellas".

All of the ingredients usually found in a western of this kind--including shootouts and cattle stampedes--are here, but the results are pretty ordinary.

Summing up: Not recommended unless you're a die-hard western fan with time on your hands.

An accomplished assembly-line Randolph Scott western shot in feverish Cinecolor hues and enhanced by second unit work by Arthur Rosson and a large and interesting supporting cast including a youthful Dale Robertson and Mary Stuart (both of whom went on to long careers on TV).

It deals with two prospecting and cowmen, Randolph Scott, Bill Williams, head into Canadian mountains seeking their fortune in British Columbia, via the Cariboo trail, the golden west of Canada in the 1890s, as they intent to raise cattle and dig for gold . But the two Montanans find themselves opposed by claim-jumpers, ranchers and a ruthless land baron from a prosperous city , who is owner of the general store , trading post , Cariboo Hotel, and mining company called Walsh : Victor Jory, and his henchmen : Douglas Kennedy, Jim Davies . Meanwhile, Scott falls in love for the beautiful owner of the Gold Palace Saloon, Karin Booth.

Passable western with good cast in in which two gold diggers protagonists, Scott and Williams, fight in hopes a better life and stifle conflicts, but encounter problems instead. It is a medium budget movie with thrills, noisy action, shootouts, stampedes as well as fine players, nice production design and pleasing results. It is still a run-of-the-mill entry in Western genre, set when Gold Fever expanded in Canada in which Scott and his colleague Bill Williams go British Columbia leading their cattle hoping in achieving fortune. Actually shot in Colorado with adequate interpretations and solid sets . Made the same year that the Gaby Hayes show was aired. The picture is well starred by Randolph Scott . He was a prolific actor in Western, his career is divided in films directed by Budd Boetticher in Seven men from now, The tall T, Decision at sundown, Buchanan rides alone, Comanche station, Westbound. Henry Hathaway as : Heritage of the desert, Wild horse, Sunset Pass, Man of the Forest. Ray Enright directed him in : The spoilers, Trail street, Alburquerque, Coroner creek, Return of the bad men. Andre De Toth directed him in Men in the saddle, Carson city, The stranger wore a gun, Riding shotgun, The bounty hunter. Finally, his main testament, Ride the high country along with Joel MacCrea directed by Sam Peckinpah .Support cast is pretty good with notorious secondaries as the always sympathetic George Gaby Hayes, Victor Jory, Jim Davies, James Griffith, Douglas Jackson, Mary Stuart and Dale Robertson.

Atmospheric cinematography in a fading Cinecolor by Fred Jackson, though there are prints in black and white. Evocative and thrilling musical score by Paul Sawtell. Well produced by Nat Holt, the motion picture was professionally directed by Edwin L Marin. He directed in sure visual style and he made all kinds of genres, especially Westerns. As he shot various Westerns as Tall in the saddle with John Wayne and Ella Raines, Canadian Pacific, Fighting man of the Plains, Colt 45, Raton pass, The Younger Brothers . Randolph Scott starred his last Westerns until his early death at 53, such as The Cariboo trail, Sugarfoot, and Fort Worth.

I am certain that if I had seen "The Cariboo Trail" in the black and white version I would not have enjoyed it as much as I did. Luckily, I saw the restored color version and it is grand and beautiful to be sure. Some prints of the Cinecolor original are out there, too, and I took a look to compare and, well, with the color dull and and the image a little fuzzy, there isn't really any comparison! Unless one sees the restored version you may be shortchanging yourself with a considerably less pleasing viewing event.

Beyond that, although the picture is no epic, even though the incessant overwrought music seems to signal that it wants to be, it has plenty of action, beautiful scenic locales, distinctive Canadian town sets, and the always in-control personage of Randolph Scott. The supporting cast is fine, especially Victor Jory who nicely underplays his irritating and dastardly villainous character. George Hayes aka Gabby does his usual thing for the last time in a feature film. The makeup team should be given a nod because throughout the film those characters facing the hardships of outdoor work and travel look appropriate grimy and sunbaked.

Some of the roles may be a little predictably too by-the-book, but at least the romance doesn't get in the way of the story, including no ubiquitous vying for the lady's fair hand. And that may be why the picture comes in at an economical running time of around 80 minutes, not bad for a front-line western picture.

Recommended for Randolph Scott followers, Gabby Hayes completists, and for armchair enjoyers of scenic movies, but the latter only if you have the restored and enhanced color print.

Not without interest. You can see why "Cinecolor" was a Miserable Flop, You can see Gabby Hayes in His Last Movie (actually pretty good), and this Western does have some other Ingredients worth Noting.

It is Set in Canada (but does use some awful Studio Stuff for some outdoor Scenes), the Body Count is High, there's a Bitter One-Armed Gunslinger (Bill Williams), a Greasy, Slimy, Bespectacled Villain (Victory Jory), a couple of Tasty Women (Karen Booth, Mary Stuart), and a Mule Named Hannibal.

Not one of the Best Randolph Scott Westerns, but it Contains Enough Oddities to make it Worth a Watch for Western Fans. Sometimes Clunky and Awkward but Appealing in an Off-Handed kind of Way.