La fureur sauvage

The Grand Tetons are unmatched for grandeur and are in the background through much of this flick. The plot is thin in places but it's a realistic look at the mountain man way of life. Well worth a view. I rated it 7.

Charlton Heston and Brian Keith are fur trappers out west during the mid 1800's. This one depicts white fur trappers' encounters with native Americans at the time.

The lives of mountain men are well portrayed; realistically dramatized. The roles of the "injuns" are not quite as well done; too Hollywood. The plot is basically indian bad guy, white man good guy. White man takes indian woman for wife. Indian man wants indian woman back and seeks revenge on white man.

The direction is pretty good. The cinematography is beautiful. The dialogue is very interesting to listen to.

Considering when it was made, before politcally correct was really in style(not that I approve of P.C. films), and considering its star is Charlton Heston, it's not a bad movie, I enjoyed it. I recommend it if you like American history, adventure and the great outdoors. I give it 7 stars.

This fanciful tale of isolation in Great Rocky Mountains , Yellowstone Parks and other wonderful locations reflects perfectly America's mood during 19th century on the new frontier . A duo of valiant frontiersmen named Bill (Charlton Heston) and Henry (Brian Keith) struggle Black Foot , Crow Indians , guzzle liquor , shoot efficiently his preys and in search for a legendary valley plenty of beavers that they jump right into their traps . Soon after , Bill steals a squaw (Victoria Racimo) and becomes the unwilling object of a long vengeance by an Indian chief ( Stephen Macht) when he proves to be the match of their warriors in one-to-one combat on the early frontier . As Indians set out to track down the mountain men on savage raids until a thrilling final . Both of them show obstinacy and stubbornness of relentless enemies who fight with no rest . They are continuously pursued by Indians because the chief seeks vengeance , going on a relentless chase .

Chronicle of life of adventurers with great sense of humanness , friendship and good feeling . This extraordinary Western results to be a slice of life about hermit men and a hostile environment . Intesesting screenplay by Fraser Clarke Heston , Charlton's son , narrates the odyssey of grizzled scouts , expert hunters that one time dreary of civilization go to West developing their natural senses and becoming into mountain man , as they take part of the wildlife and landscape . Solid western with interesting events , violent fights , emotions , thrills and spectacular outdoors . Gorgeous scenery and great roles for Heston and Keith in a thoughtful meditation on the American West . From the initiation until the final are proceeded continuous battles against nature and a survival-fight versus wintry wilderness , trappers , and savage Indians, among others . The story is a crossover of various films , the battle against nature of ¨Man of a wilderness land¨ and Indians as ¨ Man called horse ¨ and of course ¨Jeremiah Johnson¨ that bears a remarkable resemblance . The magnificent cast is starred by an excellent Charlton Heston , a simple man who has no taste for cities and becomes a tough and two-fisted mountain man and Brian Keith as feisty old trapper , both of whom developing an intimate relationship . Supporting cast is featured by various actors in brief and enjoyable performances as John Glover , Seymour Cassel , David Ackroyd , William Lucking and Stephen Macht as native obsessed a bloody revenge . Splendid cinematography in Panavision and glimmer Technicolor by Michael Hugo as is reflected on spectacular outdoors filmed in sighting , rousing natural parks from Bridger-Teton National Forest, Jackson, Wyoming,Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Shoshone National Forest, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA . Lively and evocative musical score by Micael Legrand who previously won his first Oscar for Best Music for "The Windmills of Your Mind" and was also nominated for Best Music for ¨The case Thomas Crown¨. The motion picture is professionally directed by Michael Legrand , son of also director Walter Lang . Richard is an expert filmmaker of TV episodes as ¨Melrose Place , Perry Mason , Matt Houston, Charlie's Angel ,Kung Fu , Harry O, Fantasy Island ¨ and eventually for cinema as ¨A change for seasons¨ and ¨Mountain men¨. Rating : Better than average . This outstanding frontier western will appeal to Charlton Heston fans and landscape lovers .

It's always good to have a movie star father and young Fraser Clarke Heston was able to get father Charlton to star in a film adaptation of his script about The Mountain Men. Of course Dad was able to get friend Brian Keith into the film as well, they had worked together previously on a western called Arrowhead back in the salad days of both of them.

Charlton Heston has always been generous with praise of his colleagues so I don't think he begrudged Brian Keith a bit for totally stealing this film away from the Heston clan. Keith's portrayal of the rollicking, hard drinking, hard cussing, mountain man pal of Charlton Heston is the highlight of the film. It's the main reason to see The Mountain Men.

Another reason is the grand location cinematography in the Grand Teton mountains in Wyoming where this was filmed. This in fact is where the Kit Carsons, Jim Bridgers, Thomas Fitzpatricks and the rest of that hardy breed of men worked at their lonely occupation of trapping beaver pelts for sale.

They were indeed a hardy bunch. Unlike the post Civil War west these guys were in fact outnumbered by the Indians who with their bows and arrows were actually possessing weapon superiority to the muzzle loading single shot muskets the trappers had. You learned Indian ways and skills of all kinds or you did not survive.

The plot of this film has Heston rescuing an Indian princess, Victoria Racimo, a Crow away from her Blackfeet captors and earning the undying hatred of Stephen Macht, a chief among the Blackfeet. Very similar to the plot of Robert Redford's Jeremiah Johnson where Redford was also an object of Indian vengeance.

This film marked the farewell performance of that grand character actor Victor Jory. Jory plays a Crow chief who may look old but seems to have found Viagara long before the FDA approved it.

Unfortunately for The Mountain Men it got caught up in the wake of the approval for Jeremiah Johnson. It suffers unfairly in comparison to the Robert Redford film.

Yet The Mountain Men can definitely stand on its own critically and every other way. And Jeremiah does not have the fabulous Brian Keith in it.

I bought this movie for $5 before I even seen it...I like westerns so it wasn't that big of a risk for me. Although this movie has a few lame parts here and there, it is a quite entertaining story about furtrapping, friendship, and even a little romance. There aren't enough movies out there about furtrappers or this extremely adventurous era of our country's history.

Brian Keith's character(Frapp)in the movie was the best part. He is a rough and tough "Injun" fighter who loves whiskey and cuss words. He provides some comic relief and is the most memorable character in the movie. Heston does an okay job as well. My favorite line in the movie is after the Crow Indian says "You give us gifts and we go in peace." and Frapp says "You can go in dog s***!"