A bit of script doctoring could have made this into a really enjoyable little thriller. As it is there are some pleasures, notably a fine cast and colour photography, plus it’s setting in a National Park. (For some reason I always enjoyed thrillers set in National Parks, with their isolation, mountains, rangers and wood-panelled cabins, eg High Sierra, North by North West. They always look like such fun.)
It’s got a familiar sort of set up executed unusually. A waitress sees a a gangster shoot someone; he’s worried she’ll will turn evidence at his trial, so he sends someone to kill her. Only thing is, we don’t know who the girl is until 40 minutes in or so – cute souvenir shop girl (Piper Laurie) or love-sick Indian (Betta St John) who has a father wanted for murder. And we don’t know who the killer is until 30 minutes – mysterious Victor Mature or photographer Vincent Price. Well, who do you think it’s going to be?
Suspense that might have worked on the page is undone by casting – they could have used this to their advantage, making Mature is baddie and Price the goodie, but it was not to be. Also it’s going to be obvious that Laurie is the witness – but the last act consists of Price (cops closing in) trying to escape the National Park, so he gets St John (who doesn’t know he’s bad) to show him the way out… So Mature and Laurie go after him. Laurie, witness of a crime, chases after the assassin sent to kill her! It would have made sense if St John had been the actual witness, and Laurie had only been pretending to be one to protect her. As it is, it’s extremely foolhardy (both of her and Mature to allow it to happen).
It’s also frustrating that there are two big action set pieces during the middle – an avalanche and a forest fire – but they’re not really integrated into the story. They just sort of happen and don’t impact on any of the subsequent action. Why not, say, have this mean everyone was cut off, or cause the reveal of someone’s identity? And how about putting some effort into seeing Victor Mature and Piper Laurie actually fall in love?
It’s a shame because when this is good, it’s good. There’s a great moment where a fat jovial tourist reveals himself to be one of the mob to Price. The action sequences are quite well staged, the scenery and photography are pleasant, the acting is accomplished (Laurie isn’t as pretty as she is in her Universal films – this was made by RKO, one of their last movies – but is engaging, William Bendix plays a ranger).
There’s a scene where the resort holds a country and western dance, leading to some very silly outfits.
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