Across the Wide Missouri (1951)

Fur-trapper in 1829 Colorado marries a Blackfoot Indian chief's beautiful, headstrong daughter, but runs afoul of her people. Adaptation of historian Bernard DeVoto's book was a peculiar choice for both MGM and its resident star, Clark Gable. Gable was probably too old for such an athletic role, although he gazes at María Elena Marqués with convincing adoration and gives the proceedings some charismatic panache. Otherwise, the usual western-genre elements are firmly in place, including a "Skip to My Lou" refrain on the soundtrack and the old jest of men dancing 'round the campfire with other men when the females become scarce (of course this lively, joshing scene breaks out into a fight to show us in the audience that these guys are 'real men'). William A. Wellman directed, and he seems to have been saddled with setting the narrative in quasi-flashback, complete with a narration (by Howard Keel!) of Gable's grown son telling us the story in elemental terms. William Mellor's Technicolor cinematography and the Rocky Mountain locales are stunning--more so than the plot--and yet, after awhile the landscapes begin to resemble color portraits adopted for effect for our benefit. ** from ****

This is a lyric Western about trappers , it's a homage to integration between human being and Nature , being inspired by the book by Bernard De Voton with screenplay by Talbot Jennings . The story of a tough trapper , titan of a woman and her love for dashing Indian girl . Created by a a great picture maker at incalculable cost with a superb cast of thousands in especially recreated old Rocky Mountains . Turbulent adventure set against the rich ,romantic tapestry of early Colorado state . Trapper Flint Mitchell (Clark Gable) and other mountain men from the Rendezvous join forces to enter virgin trapping territory but must contend with a resentful Blackfoot chief . Flint marries an Indian woman (Maria Elena Marques) so he can trap beaver pelts on her people's rich land . On the trip to the Indian territory however , he falls in in love with his bride .This colorful film contains beautiful scenery , tempestuous Indian attacks , war , lawless raids , a love story , intrepid men and women ; at last , in all its wild , brave magnificence , the motion picture of valiant trappers . Deliberately paced , elegiac Western , including marvelous landscapes from Rocky Mountains . Interesting historical/drama/Western is slightly marred by the continuous use of narration provided by Howard Keel . This poetic film focuses the insertion of human being into nature . Most of the "Native Americans" in this movie are all portrayed by Hispanic or Caucasian actors, because there was a noticeable lack of Native American actors at MGM at the time this movie was made. When the original version of the finished film was submitted to MGM executives, they didn't like it. The film went through heavy editing, and a producer had the idea of tying together the surviving pieces by adding voice-over narration from Mitchell's grown up son, as if he is telling his father's life story. Howard Keel, who had just finished making Magnolia, was brought in for this purpose as voice in off . The changes led to director William A. Wellman effectively disowning the film. When asked about it in an interview, he said "I've not seen it, and I never will" . Gable gives a good acting as a rugged fur trapper who marries an Indian woman , Clark along with Maria Elena Marques form a memorable couple . Clark Gable personally chose William A. Wellman to direct because he admired ¨Battlegroud¨. Lively acting from support cast as Adolphe Menjou as a French tippler , J Carrol Naish as quirky Indian Chief , and John Hodiak , Alan Napier as two Scottish men . Furthermore, debut of Timothy Carey and final film of Jack Holt .Evocative cinematography shot with heavy Technicolor cameras by William Mellor , filmed on location in Durango, Colorado,La Plata Canyon, San Juan National Forest, Durango, Molas Lake, Silverton, Colorado,Ouray County, Haviland Dam, San Juan National Forest, Little Boyce Lake, San Juan National Forest,Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, Durango, Colorado . Sensitive as well as enjoyable musical score by David Raskin , including an agreeable leitmotif . The motion picture was stunningly directed by William A Wellman , a veteran professional from silent cinema . Wellman has directed all kind of genres as Wartime : ¨Alas¨ , ¨Battleground¨ , ¨The story of GI Joe¨ , ¨Lafayette Escadrilla¨ , Drama : ¨Nothing sacred¨, ¨Blood Alley¨ , ¨Good my lady¨ , ¨Magic Town and the Oscarized ¨A Star is born¨ , his greatest success , Adventure : ¨Beau Geste¨ , Gangster movie : ¨Public enemy ¨, and Western : ¨Buffalo Bill¨ , ¨The Ox-Box incident¨ , ¨Westerward the woman¨ and this A¨cross the wide Missouri¨. rating : Above average , worthwhile watching .

Clark Gable plays "Flint Mitchell", a fur trapper living out west on the edge of Blackfoot territory. After discovering that an Indian maiden named "Kamiah" (played Marie Elena Marques) is the granddaughter of Blackfoot chief "Bear Ghost" (Jack Holt), he decides to acquire her in a trade from the Nez Pierce chief, "Looking Glass" (J. Carrol Naish) who stole her from the Blackfoot and raised her as his own daughter. The only way this will happen though is if Flint Mitchell decides to marry her. So, since Blackfoot territory has an abundance of beaver, he decides to take her as his wife. Love between them eventually develops. Even so, the relationship between the white fur trappers and the Blackfoot remains somewhat hostile. As a result, a group of fur trappers decide to take a secret route into Blackfoot territory and set up a fort. Bear Ghost is delighted to see his granddaughter but another Blackfoot warrior named "Ironshirt" (Ricardo Montalban) has no intention of making peace. Trouble results and both sides suffer tragedy. Anyway, filmed in color in 1951, this picture does a decent job of capturing the cold (but beautiful) wilderness the fur trappers had to endure. And while the language barrier between Flint Mitchell and Kamiah was annoying at times, I suppose it added to the realism. Most of the acting was adequate but I thought Clark Gable stood out with an excellent performance. In short, this was a pretty good movie which was probably well-received in its time.

At 79 minutes, this one had a short playing time, even by 1951 standards. Which works to it's advantage since it keeps the story moving along at a fast clip, but has production values that keep it from descending into a B western. It could also have something to do with the cuts MGM made before the film's release, but what you see today is what audiences saw when the movie premiered over 50 years ago.Clark Gable plays a 1830s trapper who 'buys' a Blackfoot maiden named Kamiah (Mexican actress, Maria Elena Marques), who was earlier captured by the Nez Perces indians, and uses her to gain entrance into Blackfoot territory in order to hunt beaver. Only problem is, he starts to fall in love with her and they eventually have a child.There's also the complication of Chief Ironshirt (Ricardo Montalban) who despises the white man and kills any of them who set foot on Blackfeet land. He makes for a pretty muscular, ruthless chief. It's pretty much a non-speaking part for Montalban except for a couple of lines spoken in Native Indian.There's little gunplay except at the end when Ironshirt's men ambush Gable and his trappers near the river, and Kamiah takes an arrow into her chest, killing her instantly. The horse carrying Gable's son races off into the woods with Ironshirt and Gable right behind and there is an excellent gunbattle in the woods as Gable is forced to shoot Ironshirt with his powder rod still stuck in his rifle barrel. It goes through Ironshirt like an arrow. Great scene.Howard Keel narrates as Gable's (now) grown up son. With excellent on location scenery somewhere in the Northwest ( I wish I knew where, I'd like to go up there) captured first-rate by cinematographer William Mellor and fast direction by William Wellman, I liked it. Wouldn't mind owning it on DVD, either.One of the best westerns Gable appeared in, even though he didn't make too many of 'em.7 out of 10