Associate producer: Tony Braun. Producer: Sid Rogell. Copyright 28 June 1950 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. U.S. release: 24 June 1950. U.K. release: 11 September 1950. Australian release: 9 February 1951. Sydney release at the Regent: 9 February 1951 (ran 3 weeks). Australian length: 8,980 feet (100 minutes). U.S. and U.K. running time: 98 minutes. U.K. length: 8,818 feet.SYNOPSIS: Six climbers versus "The White Tower".NOTES: Location scenes filmed in the Swiss Alps and on the slopes of Mont Blanc. Originally designed for the Adrian Scott (producer) - Edward Dmytryk (director) team, the project was handed over to Rogell and Tetzlaff when the former gentlemen tangled with HUAC.COMMENT: A memorable film when I saw it on first release. The concluding image of the White Tower viewed from the back of a moving train as it glides into a tunnel, must rank as one of the great film moments of 1950. This moment is still super-charged today - and rendered all the more effective by a similar shot quite early in the film - in reverse - as Valli arrives. Unfortunately, these shots represent the high point of Tetzlaff s invention. Elsewhere he is little more than the competent servant of an attitudinizing philosophical script, and the (doubtless unwilling) slave to obvious studio-bound snow-storms and dialogue exchanges.However, if our belief in the proceedings is undermined by these factors, the major players go a long way towards restoring it. (Of the minor players, June Clayworth and Lotte Stein are effective, but Essler and Angold are strictly Hollywood artificers). Valli is both passionate and charming, accurately conveying the obsession of the devoted mountaineer - a neat contrast to Ford's typically relaxed, slow-to-get-involved idler. Bridges, in one of his strongest character roles, a member of the master race, powerfully conveys single-mindedness of a less attractive sort. Rains' shambling philosopher is much less exciting (though the scene in which he walks away from his burning tent is a thrilling image), Sir Cedric Hardwicke has disappointingly little opportunity to shine, while Homolka has an equally unobtrusive role as a conscientious guide.Studio cut-ins between real and faked locations, between actual alpinists and actors with immaculate hands pretending to claw across the studio floor, are more obvious to present-day viewers. Time has even dimmed some of the luster of Rennahan's color photography and muffled the emotional impact of Webb's music score. But even in a less than perfect TV print, The White Tower remains a memorable excursion for armchair mountaineers.

The White Tower is an allegorical film about the need for cooperation among people and nations. It's no accident that this film was made during the early years of the United Nations when there was so much hope for its success. Maybe we will be one world, one day if we all cooperate.The story takes place in Switzerland and the White Tower is as yet an unclimbed Alp. Alida Valli's father died making an attempt and she wants to climb it. She manages to convince five guests of the resort hotel she's staying at to climb with her. Her party consists of Glenn Ford, Lloyd Bridges, Claude Rains, Oscar Homolka, and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. The story is what happens on the mountain and what the challenging climb brings out in all of them.Not all of them survive the trip. But you ain't gonna get me to spill the beans.Lloyd Bridges is the most interesting of the characters. He's a former Nazi who's doing it to prove Deutscheland is really uber alles. He gets quite a reality check on the mountain.The White Tower has some good color photography of some really fabulous mountain scenery. The story at times gets a big talky and bogs down, but the climax is both spectacular and real.

About the color anyway. I enjoyed this movie, especially Lloyd Bridges Nazi mountainclimber. But I only saw it in black & white, on video yet! That's right my Turner Home Entertainment copy (out of print apparently) of this film is black & white, and them being the Colorizaion Kings! Go figure.

This is one of those movies that is fitting to it's era... Actually, not a bad and personal romance and adventure with odd assortment of characters who each for their own reasons want to climb this 'White Tower' mountain... With a great cast.. Claude Rains, L Bridges, C Hardwick, etc.. but most of all VALLI, a special woman among women.. (also in the 'The Third Man')... I'm a great fan of 'The Third Man' and fell in love with her,.... and seeing Valli again was a real treat..Great vistas (quite abit of on-location shooting in the French Alps), photography, color.... For those who know what I mean,.. this has a 'kinda' "High and Mighty" feel to it.. One other note germane to that era of film making, the ages to the characters/actors.. all older and more mature than what we're used to today... Chauk one up for the good old days.. ENJOY