Moving Western in which a gunfighter called McLyntock must battle nasty miners , ambitious prospectors and a corrupt owner , including spectacular landscapes . From Universal-international a breathtaking as well as rip-snorting Western that shows the greatness , the glory , the fury of the untamed Northwest frontier . Stars a tough , hardened gunslinger guide McLyntock (James Stewart) who leads his wagon train challenging the gold-rich glory that was Oregon full of mountains with snow , scarlet with sin , yellow with the dust that lured him on . As a self-minded , haunted cowboy (James Stewart) leads his wagons plenty of settlers (Julie Adams , Lori Nelson , J.C.Flippen) and herd to Portland , in hopes of huge profits . Glyn McLyntock saves from a lynching and befriends another gunfighter , Cole (Arthur Kennedy) , and when they arrive in Portland both of whom lead and transport cows by boat . At last , they arrive in Portland , a bustling little town filled with prospectors and usual saloons . Later on , they have to escape from nasty town boss who confiscated homesteader's supplies after gold is discovered nearby . McLyntock and his partners end up having supplies and herd back from the villain baron .One of a series made by star Stewart with director Anthony Mann , it features splendid Western vistas , fierce gun-play and fist-play , ambiguous roles , impressively busy crowd sequences and many other things . Adventure western movie in which a two-fisted cowboy leads his wagons and herd through Oregon territory , pitting himself against the wilderness , bandits , mean prospectors , traitors and an ambitious , corrupt boss town . This is an epic western filled with ambiguity , thrills , emotion , dual characters , some ambivalent roles in which stand out their corruption and ambition and being ¨Greed¨ their essential objective . The film is divided in three parts , the first one describes on rout to their destination ; the intervening period dealing with the busy town Portland and third part concerning on the trip back to the settlement , up river and over a mountain . Set late XIX Century , it shows the moral obligation to build a civilized community and need to a collective effort , joining individuals against corrupt and selfish people . Interesting and stirring screenplay based on the novel titled ¨Bend of the snake¨ by Bill Gulich . Sympathetic as well as brave acting by the great James Stewart as the stubborn Mclyntock who must fight frontier lawlessness and locks horns with a crooked colleague , magnificently played by Arthur Kennedy . Stewart is top-drawer as an ex-Pistolero who risks his life to attempt and get provisions to homesteaders to build their promised land . Stewart has top grade character written all over it . Gorgeous Julie Adams as the good-bad girl who must be forgiven in the end . Support cast is frankly extraordinary with a large plethora of illustrious names , such as : Lori Nelson , Harry Morgan , Jack Lambert , Frank Ferguson , Royal Dano , Cliff Lyons , and special mention for Jay C. Flippen as the grizzled westerner and a show-stealing acting by the always great Chubby Johnson who gives the comic relief talking about river Mississipi . And one of the first important roles for Rock Hudson who received extreme cheering and applause at the premiere . Lyric and stirring musical score by Hans J. Salter . Colorful cinematography in Technicolor Irving Glassberg , and the Oregon sets takes it out of the ordinary Western scenarios , being shot in Oregon , mostly in Mount Hood, Timberline, Columbia River, Sandy River, Oregon , Sacramento river in northern California , Rooster Rock State Park, Palmer Glacier , Mount Hood, Columbia River Gorge , Washington . The motion picture was stunningly directed by Anthony Mann . Being made during Mann's best period of work . The film forms a stunning diptych along with ¨Bend the river¨ by the awesome quartet : Anthony Mann , screenwriter Borden Chase , producer Aaron Rosenberg and James Stewart who made a great number of top-notch films . This is another superbly powerful triumph from Anthony Mann who realized various Western masterpieces such as ¨The furies¨ , ¨Devil's doorway¨ , ¨Tin star¨ , ¨Man of the West¨ and several with his habitual star , James Stewart , many of them playing more violent , ruthless and cynical roles than usuals , such as : ¨Winchester 73¨ , ¨Bend the river¨ , ¨The far country¨ , ¨Man from Laramie¨ , ¨Colorado Jim¨ , ¨Thunder Bay¨ , ¨The Glenn Miller story¨. Rating : Above average ; it is probably one of the best Western in the fifties . Well worth watching .

BEND OF THE RIVER is a film that is based on the conflict between two strong characters that have the same past. However, they completely opposite think about the future. The director in this film, pay attention to the story, psychological analysis and demonstrated the sheer sense for psychology of personality. The former robber is scout who seeks a caravan of immigrants to bring in their new home in Oregon. The story shows how he joins with a man similar to the past, but due to different views on the future, the two become enemies. Well, partly because of the beautiful immigrant. I'll be sure to praise the picture and realism conflict between two characters.James Stewart as Glyn McLyntock He experienced wins space in the film. The gunman who tried to escape from the past and become a farmer and cattleman. However, his past catches up him with every step. Mr. Stewart is a pretty good deal with the challenges in this film. Arthur Kennedy as Emerson Cole on the robber that his past can not be hidden. He's too fast on the trigger. Character that has a strange sense of justice and friendship, as long as he at one point smells money.Adventure western that is worth seeing.

Jimmy Stewart and Arthur Kennedy play Glyn McLyntock and Emerson Cole, two friends with mysterious(and questionable) pasts who agree to guide a group of homesteaders from Missouri into Oregon. They make camp outside of Portland as winter arrives, so Glyn and Cole bring them supplies which they will need if they are to survive. The homesteaders(led by Jeremy Baille, played by Jay C. Flippen, and his two daughters, played by Julie Adams & Lori Nelson) become close to Glyn, but Cole isn't so attached, and when they receive a better offer to divert the supplies to gold prospectors, Cole takes the supplies by force from Glyn. Enraged by the betrayal, he vows to kill his former friend, and help the homesteaders.Underrated western is beautifully filmed in color on location, with a compelling story, excellent direction by Anthony Mann, and fine performances, especially Stewart.Makes a fine double feature with "Winchester '73".

Not only is Bend Of the River a fine adventure, shot on location (an unusual location for a western: the Columbia River and Mount Hood, Oregon), but it's a nifty psychological western, with fascinating characters whose motives will keep you guessing throughout, and some I-never-saw-that-coming plot twists that really will surprise you.The cast is first-rate. James Stewart is extraordinary in one of his finest, most likable, most heroic, most intense performances. Stewart was finally coming into his own in the early fifties, as a tougher, more mature actor, and his work here is every bit as good as in any of the dramatic films he made later. His work is so deceptively simple.Arthur Kennedy (who worked with costar Julia Adams the year before, in his Oscar-nominated performance in Universal's Bright Victory) is fantastic as the enigmatic Emerson Cole, brilliant at making you like him but also distrust him. He plays it just right.Julia Adams and young Rock Hudson - Universal contract stars, at that time - also play characters whose loyalties seem to shift and twist - we're never quite sure of anyone in this film - not even Stewart - and that's one reason it's so gripping and enjoyable.Cast, locations, music, screenplay, and direction are top-notch in this refreshing, exciting "Northern." My favorite of the Stewart-Mann collaborations.