Terre damnée

Ray Milland gives an excellent performance to lift this above most of the Westerns of the period. Milland often lifted movies with his generally laid back style and occasional moments of striking intensity. One thinks of "Dial M for Murder," "X, the Man with X-ray eyes," "Love Story," and his appearances on "Columbo." He is like a great singer who knows you only have to hit a few striking notes to make a memorable song.

His character, Johnny Carter, is a gentle, humorous, trick shooter and vaudeville performer who dislikes violence and enjoys women. The character foreshadows the wonderful gambler, Maverick, that James Gardner would make famous seven or eight years later. Milland has the roguish charm of Cary Grant and a little of the blushing modesty of George Reeve.

Hedy Lamarr doesn't come off quite as well. This movie was two years after her hit movie "Samson and Delilah," She brings only a little of Delilah's sexiness to her role. At moments she does foreshadow Joan Crawford in "Johnny Guitar," but unfortunately there's not enough for her to create a memorable character as Crawford did in that role.

Macdonald Carey shines as a sheriff who abuses his power and gives law and order a bad name. He is not as psychotic as Jack Palance in "Shane," but he does stoop to shooting men in the back and refusing to fight fair.

As others have noted, the Technicolor is good and the movie is pretty fast paced, with enough plot twists and action sequences to hold our attention. Fans of Westerns should enjoy it and fans of acting should appreciate Milland's delightful performance.

The story is set on post-Civil War day where some copper miners , Confederate veterans , are blackmailed by Southern towners commanded by deputy Lane Travis (Donald McCarey) and his hoodlums . The copper-miners ask marksman nonpareil named Johnny Carter ( Ray Milland ) to help them , under the consideration that he is the former Southern Colonel Desmond . When the Johnny's spectacle comes to Coppertown he falls in love with the femme fatal Lisa Roselle ( Hedy Lamarr ) , whom the miners believe is at the origin of their problems . Later on , Johnny Carter assists fellow Sourtherners who are been continuously harassed by towner rebel-haters . Southern people attempt to transport a copper shipment from Coppertown until Mesa City when are attacked and beleaguered by local deputies .

This is an acceptable Western full of action , thrills , shootouts , romance and wonderful scenarios . Ray Milland faces with decision his role as Confederate veteran disguised as stage sharpshooter and of course a gorgeous Hedy Lamarr as lovely and astute gambler . Ample and agreeable support cast as Harry Carey Jr , Mona Freeman , Frank Faylen and eternal secondary Ian Wolfe . Special mention to Hope Emerson as robust Saloon-keeper. Colorist cinematography in glimmer Technicolor by Charles Lang and atmospheric score by Daniel Amfiteatrofh who includes splendid musical background on the main titles . The picture is fine and professionally directed by John Farrow . He was a veteran writer , producer and director who made several films as hits as flops . He directed various Western as ¨Hondo¨ , ¨Ride vaquero¨ , ¨California¨ and ¨Copper canyon¨ , among others . Rating : Passable Western that will appeal to Ray Milland and Hedy Lamarr fans .

As often throughout his long-running career, urbane Wales born Ray Milland takes on a role that seems on the surface atypical for his native skills, in this instance as Johnny Carter, a vaudeville trick shot artist who was formerly Colonel Desmond, a Confederate Army hero, now coming to the postwar West in search of financial profit and romantic adventure. Although the war is past, Desmond's ability as a military leader is sought by a group of ex-Confederate soldiers, now employed at copper mining, and needful of tactical shelter from a corrupt combine composed of former Union soldiers and mercenary lawmen that does not stop short of murder in preventing the Southerners from transporting their ore to be smelted. Desmond is reluctant to become involved in this affray and we learn that he is sought for the theft of $20000 which he took from the commandant's office in a Union prison camp upon his escape from that establishment, and is therefore determined to hide his true identity within his posture as Carter the entertainer. Through married complexities in the scenario, Desmond is convinced that he should assist his former compatriots and this gives Milland an opportunity to become engaged in a series of highly kinetic adventures involving riding, shooting and, in general, making of himself a nuisance to the villains of this cinematic western romp. On the distaff side, an extraordinarily beautiful Hedy Lamarr is impressive in an ambiguous role as an adventuress from New Orleans who may or may not be allied with the forces of evil, and there are fine portrayals by Mona Freeman, Peggy Knudsen, and giantess Hope Emerson as a dance proprietress. The cast is strengthened by Macdonald Carey as the primary villain of the piece, and he dominates virtually every scene that he is in, and there are solid performances from James Burke, impish Percy Kelton, and Harry Carey, Jr. as a Union officer in love with Caroline Desmond (Freeman), daughter of the patriarch of the miners. Filmed in Technicolor, COPPER CANYON is easy upon the eyes, and the post of director is capably filled by John Farrow, who deals nicely with an overabundance of subplots, yet who concentrates upon those elements which will move the action along smartly, yet allow for development of character. Unfortunately, the production is heavily cut and there are some instances of ragged editing, with a result that the climax and weaving of loose ends is stunningly rushed, and what might have been a standout motion picture must remain at present a pleasant bagatelle of its genre.

Copper Canyon is directed by John Farrow and written by John Latimer. It stars Ray Milland, Hedy Lamarr, Macdonald Carey, Mona Freeman and Harry Carey Junior. Music is by Daniele Amfitheatrof and cinematography by Charles Lang.

In the bitter period after the Civil War a band of Confederate veterans hoped to start life anew in the rich copper country of the West. They were prepared for the hardships of nature - but not for the greed of men.

Much of this production is beautiful and handsome, tech credits are high end, the Technicolor sizzling, costuming sharp, the locations (Vasquez Rocks/Red Rock Crossing/Cathedral Rock et al) a joy for the eyes. Then of course there's the stars, Milland with his elegant looks, Lamarr cute as a button with blood red lips, and Freeman, a classic beauty if ever there was one. So it's with a touch of sadness to report that prettiness is what you ultimately remember most about the pic.

Story relies of a filmic Civil War trait that has Yankees and Rebs still feuding post the war, on this occasion the Union people are trying to drive out the Confederates who are trying to make hay (copper) while the sun shines on copper canyon. Enter Milland, who is thought to be an ex Confederate leader now plying his trade as a magician/entertainer/marksman etc. Denying he is the ex soldier in question, he nonetheless gets well and truly involved in things, including courting Lamarr, who may or may not be the axis of the pain brought down on the Confederate miners.

The mystery angle involving the principals remains intriguing for the most part, and as old hat as it is, the good guy bad guy shenanigans (Mac Carey of course on chief villain duties) is fun viewing. There's splashes of action, with shootings and chases, the best of the latter unfurling through magnificent scenery, while the big battle at film's end is action packed - even if it is sadly a false dawn since the big face off is a damp squib. But in spite of the beauty and the highlights it still remains a nothing piece, a bit of dressage over substance.

It really should have been something more, something other than a pretty play kinda going through the motions. Frustrating. 6/10

Copper Canyon is a well turned out, but unremarkable Western -- on the whole not more than a cut above one of Randolph Scott's average numbers. Yet it is unusually pleasurable to look at because of its gorgeous old Technicolor cinematography, exceptionally good use of gorgeous Arizona scenery by top cinematographer Charles Lang, lush sets by Sam Comer and Ross Dowd, stalwartly staged action sequences by director John Farrow, and two of the most gorgeous ladies ever to grace the silver screen -- Hedy Lamarr and Mona Freeman. What more could you ask from a little 60-year old western!

Why do I say "old Technicolor"? I and other aficionados are always going on about the beautiful, luminous black & white movies of the late 'thirties, 'forties, and early 'fifties, when the crystal-clear nitrate film was in use. I don't know what kind of film they used for the three-strip Technicolor pictures then, but it seems to me that the color movies of the same period have a sharper, brighter, yet more subtle look than later ones. The color quality of Gone With the Wind (1939), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Canyon Passage (1946), and even the little movie were are discussing would never be surpassed in future eras, except perhaps by some of the Vista-Vision movies such as The Searchers (1956). (*see "Addendum" below)

Such sumptuous color seemed designed to bring out the staggering beauty of Copper Canyon's two female stars. Neither Hedy Lamarr nor Mona Freeman ever came close to winning a best actress Academy Award, but if the Accademy gave a Gorgeous Dame award, both would have been in the running. Never mind that Hedy was in her late thirties at the time. Those of us who are veteran devotees of beautiful women know that is in fact the age at which women are at their absolute best. And Hedy was living proof in Copper Canyon. She never looked more sultry and desirable. Mona Freeman, age about 24 in 1950, was as pretty and sweet looking a young woman as could possibly be found -- an angelic face with cupid-bow lips framed by golden locks borrowed from a Wateau painting. One of my picky, old wife's movie pet peeves is women in western and other historical settings accoutered with that blaring Tangee lipstick -- you know, the kind that shouts at you. But it sure looked good on the two gorgeous babes of Copper Canyon.

Oh, yes, Ray Milland was in the movie, too, as the reluctant hero. Macdonald Carey, usually a good guy but a virile and menacing villain here, nearly steals the show from the top-billed stars. Ray's suave, cool approach is always interesting, but he didn't seem to have his usual sharp edge in this one. Perhaps he was too busy admiring the scenery. Never mind, he and the other stars get lots of support from a pack of fine character actors, the most memorable of whom is the bizarrely colorful Percy Helton as a character named "Scamper".

Copper Canyon is a solidly entertaining western and a visual treat.

*Addendum: Never wonder about what you can look up. Since posting the above remarks, I have read the Wikipedia article on Technicolor. It was so stultifyingly technical, it would take a physicist (as the inventor of Technicolor was) or a professional photographer, or someone who was both to really understand it. I managed to wade through it armed only with my long ago liberal arts education, and here are the basics as best I can dope it out. The old 3-strip Technicolor process made such beautiful color because the special camera split the incoming light into the three primary colors registered on 3 film strips. These eventually, and magically to those of us technologically challenged, transformed to a single print on which the colors were actually dyed into he surface of the film rather than just printed on it. Result: clear, true, permanent color. The reason the color films from the late 1930's through early 1950's look so much better than most later ones is that they were true Technicolor and the later ones are not. In the late 1950's the studios went over to the cheaper and more convenient but inferior quality and less permanent Eastman Color system. Even later films called Technicolor were just Eastman Color developed at the Technicolor Corporation labs. Exceptions were the movies filmed in Vista Vision and Todd-AO or some other 70 mm wide screen processes. Those were true 3-strip Techicolor. Hope this has been helpful to others who have wondered about this.