Bend of the River (1952)
 
Anthony Mann started out with low budget poverty row crime films that we now recognize as of the film noir genre.  After several of these potboilers in the late 40s, he branched out and made a western with the film noir elements called Winchester 73.  This was interesting for a number of reasons, for one showing the criminal behavior that even solid citizens can indulge in, but even more so, using a non-typical actor to play the he-man role.

Jimmy Stewart had specialized in light comedies and heart tugging performances that showed a nice guy everyman didn't always have to finish last. For some reason - I call it perversity, Anthony Mann seemed to feel he could remake the scrawny emotionally overwrought Jimmy Stewart in the action star mold and he tried to do it several times.  I have seen several of Mann's collaborations with James Stewart and I can't help remarking that he was miscast, even in Winchester 73, which was the best story with a superb set of characters and a better than average cast for these Anthony Mann cowboy movies. The other movies I've seen, The Naked Spur, and now Bend of the River have so-so casting and Jimmy Stewart's inadequacy at carrying the picture as action star is only magnified by the lack of good support.

Mann, of course, is going to insert some twists in the story and make most of the characters less than admirable because that's the type of films he was making but apparently it is much easier to incorporate these elements into a black and white urban drama than a Technicolor cowboy movie.  

Bend of the River is a western with James Stewart cast against type again as the tough trail boss of a wagon train headed for Oregon, we learn.  Of course, he has some skeletons in his closet and the first thing we know he is rescuing a man who is being lynched by vigilantes.  The man (Arthur Kennedy) also knows Stewart (surprise) from their days back on the Missouri/Kansas border as raiders, although it isn't clear if they were on the same side or not.

The movie has some innovations and certainly stands apart from the typical western, but it is imperfectly cast and directed.

James Stewart, while an interesting and capable actor within his limits, did not really develop much ability to get outside his normal sunny persona as typified in his earlier roles.  Maybe I should rephrase that; He did not develop credibility as a tough cowpoke action star.  Even Hitchcock could not make him into a real convincing man of action but he was Jimmy Stewart, and very lovable so people like his movies anyway.  This one he did fairly well but had very little to work with from the supporting cast.

Arthur Kennedy was cast as a tough guy (Ha!) - this is the only time I remember that casting decision being made.  Kennedy is usually a store clerk or a reporter, a talker, not a man of action. Still, he was more credible than Stewart.  Jay C Flippen must be Anthony Mann's buddy because he was in several of his films but he is not very interesting and Rock Hudson was also in there but, only just.  I did see familiar face Frances Bavier (Andy Griffith) as Flippen's wife.  The leading lady was Julie Adams who was a cute dark haired lady who played Flippen's daughter.

The movie goes along until the homesteaders need food to get them through the winter and Stewart gets the food wagon train hijacked from him by several people that were helping, Kennedy and Hudson among them. Of course, Stewart is able to follow them on foot and get the drop on them after overpowering one of the hijackers who had a Winchester.

Bend of the River is actually a pretty good western but it is not nearly in the same category as some of John Ford's better westerns.  The Universal DVD gives you the 4x3 theatrical format color movie with the trailer and subtitles as extras.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD