A bunch of loggers arrive in a country town determined to cut down a lot of trees and the locals are not happy about it, fearing that the logging may cause such damage as to destroy their property. A film ahead of its time you may think… but the loggers are supposed to be the heroes. Well, since they are led by Alan Ladd that’s the indication. Even in 1960 the environmental concerns of the homesteaders must have seemed more compelling than the loggers (I mean, it could cause a landslide).
But as the story goes on the loggers do become baddies – to wit, Gilbert Roland, as Ladd’s offsider who comes into conflict with him, the sort of part played by Robert Preston in Alan Ladd films during better days. Thinking of it, many Alan Ladd films featured Ladd in a triangle with a buddy and a woman: Shane, Saigon, Wild Harvest, Whispering Smith, The Glass Key, etc.
Alan Ladd looks awful in this film, pasty-faced, overweight and puffy. He’s trying but it’s depressing to see him force a smile and take part in fist fights. And it hurts the film when there’s meant to be instant attraction between him and Jeanne Crain, who is still pretty. Crain plays the leader of the homesteaders and at one stage actually says “get off my land”.
There’s lots of fun with Frankie Avalon playing a teen homesteader who is sympathetic to Ladd and his men; he also sings two songs and romances a young girl (Alana Ladd). There is some pretty photography of some pleasing locations and the logging angle is unusual. But this is a very average film. It was the last one made by Ladd’s company, Jaguar, under their agreement with Warners.
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