FrogGlace
In other words,this film is a surreal ride.
Roxie
The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
Jenni Devyn
Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
dougdoepke
A family feuds with one another, while a big cat menaces their homestead high up in the Rockies.Ordinarily, I don't follow a clock while watching a movie. I'm sorry to say this one couldn't end soon enough. I still can't figure out how two such gifted writers as novelist Van Tilberg Clark (The Oxbow Incident) and scenarist Bezzarides, (Kiss Me Deadly, {1955}) could come up with such a turgid gabfest as Track.... In short, the movie's a mess. There may be an engaging narrative buried somewhere in all the talk and formless editing, but if so, the patches never come together in coherent fashion. At the same time, that final showdown with the panther comes across more like a poorly staged after-thought than a gripping climax. Given the writing talent, plus ace director Wellman, I suspect the film's basic problem was interference from the executive level.Anyway, it's a waste of Mitchum and Wright, along with some fine alpine scenery and experimental cinematography. On the other hand, there's Phillip Tonge's clownish performance as Pa, an ill-advised attempt at comic relief. At the same time, bobby sox idol Tab Hunter does what he did best on screen: stand still with a blank stare. And just how did "Alfalfa" Carl Switzer end up as the wizened Indian Joe Sam, though he does well enough under a ton of heavy make-up.It's really no fun panning this scenic misfire. It's just that given the talent involved, I was expecting so much better.
mark.waltz
Almost an old dark house film set way up in Northern California, this somber drama is an analogy of good and evil, control and bitterness. The story concerns the Bridges clan, a truly unhappy family filled with resentments. Pa is a drunk; Ma is a bible thumping hypocrite. The three sons are in constant conflict, while the only daughter has become a dried up spinster. With the youngest son's fiancée visiting, resentments are at their peak. To make matters worse, an unseen wildcat has been stalking their livestock, so the two oldest sons venture out into the wilderness to kill it. This is not O'Neill, Inge or even updated Shakespeare, even if it seems like a filmed stage play. There is a bit of a "Petrified Forest" feeling to it with the cat taking on Bogart's role, metaphorically holding these people hostage. Carl Switzer is totally unrecognizable as the aged Indian handyman. The performances of the others range from weak (Tab Hunter) to melodramatic (Teresa Wright), with Beulah Bondi standing out as the mother with many layers to her character. As for Robert Mitchum, his imperious character is a fascinating look at a man consumed with controlling his siblings, and the lecherous look he gives Diana Lynn (as Hunter's fiancée) gives the impression that he intends to break one of the ten commandments.The real star of the film, however, is the beautiful Technicolor cinematography, with flashes of color appearing in the snow like a distant star in the sky. Mitchum's red coat is so blatantly blood-like it is almost a metaphor for his character. While based upon a novel, the story seems like an old melodrama from the golden age of traveling theater companies. In many ways, it reminded me of "Mourning Becomes Electra" and some recent western film noirs ("Pursued", also with Mitchum), and "The Furies" (in which Beaulah Bondi had a brief role), as well as "House of Strangers" and its 1954 remake, "Broken Lance". The mood of the film will not be for everyone, but if you follow the story closely and are not put off by its sometimes slow pacing, you may find yourself fascinated by it.
bkoganbing
Like that other famous film family the Corleones, the Bridges consist of three brothers and a sister all living under one roof. AFter that any resemblance just doesn't exist.The dominant one here is Robert Mitchum one brutish lout of a man, but someone who probably has held the family together on this ranch up in the mountain area of Colorado. It's wintertime and these people are trapped by the snows in their valley. They've also got a mountain lion who's feasting on their stock.William Wellman who did so fabulously by Walter Van Tilburg Clark's other novel, The Oxbow Incident, misfires with this one. It's visually stunning, the color cinematography dealing with the winter images that are black and white. The only other colors you see are the red of Mitchum's jacket and the yellow of the fire and Tab Hunter and William Hopper's hair. Oh, let's not forget the blood.Some really great images are in this film. My favorite is the scene of the funeral which is photographed looking up from the waiting grave. Who's funeral, you have to see the film to find out.I have to say though, the Bridges family after a while were just not that interesting to me. The film itself doesn't come alive. It lost money big time for Batjac productions and John Wayne and Warner Brothers. Still I'm sure that this film, failure though it was, led to Robert Mitchum being cast in much better films like Night of the Hunter, Cape Fear, and Home from the Hill.For Mitchum completists only.
size100
I found this movie very dreary, distracting, and slow going. Don't know if this was the intent of the production team, but if it was they succeeded admirably. Basically all it was to me was the very depressing story of an annoyingly dysfunctional family with seemingly very little else to offer the world --- not the kind of neighbors I would like near my ranch. Production-wise I did like Robert Mitchum's red coat and the movie did bring out the ultimate dreariness of wide open snow country. Some people like this sort of slow going, dysfunctional-family in the movies stuff. I generally don't, especially when the movie drags on as this movie does. Never thought I would place any Robert Mitchum or Teresa Wright (despite her relatively minor role) movie on my not-to-watch-again list of older movies, but that's where this film goes. One viewing is barely tolerable, any more would be just too taxing. I guess I'm not "sophisticated" enough. It's not why I watch movies. Blah!
