"Colorado Territory" is the November Film Classic in Bigfork

This 1949 movie has all the parts a great western of the period needs and it puts them together in a classic fashion.  “Colorado Territory” has action, drama, wonderful locations, romance, a train robbery, and, a musical score to match as well.  It is actually a remake of a 1941 movie “High Sierra” based on a book of the same name.  But the “Colorado Territory” version brings true 50’s style western adventure to the levels the genre deserves. “Colorado Territory” stars Joel McCrea, and Virginia Mayo.  If you like a good Western, this is one you can see many times and enjoy it all the time.  This November Movie Classic will be shown on the big screen of the Edge Theatre in Bigfork by Jack Nachbar. It will be accompanied by Jack’s presentation providing a better understanding of the time period of the movie.  Date: Thursday, November 9^th. Time: 6:30PM. Price: free of charge.

A jail break by an outlaw intending to go straight, but circumstances, double dealers and a woman get in the way. With a train robbery to help out an old friend being the path to a better life, your can guess where that can lead, but the viewer is never sure what is ahead for the stars and the action.  There are enough twists and turns to this action packed western to keep the viewers attention even with the beautiful scenery. A good old train robbery plus a double crossing gang member furthers the complications that are already mixed up. The rest of the action you need to see to appreciate it, and it will not disappoint.

Joel McCrea (1905-1990) For an actor whose career spanned almost 5 decades and 75 movies with lots of different roles, it was the Western that made him most comfortable. He once said, “I always felt so much more comfortable in the western. The minute I got on a horse and a pair of boots on, I didn’t feel like I was acting anymore.” Maybe that was because he was working in film studios long before acting holding horses for stars and doing odd jobs to be around the action.   But his career included much more from a Hitchcock spy film to comedy classics.  He once listed his occupation as a rancher and his hobby as acting. 

Virginia Mayo (1920-2005) was best known for a series of comedy films with Danny Kaye and was Warner Brothers biggest money-maker in the late 1940s. But Raoul Walsh, the director of “Colorado Territory” was one of the few directors to recognize Virginia’s potential as a dramatic actress. In this movie she was not only a good dramatic actress, but played a very hard character. Her character was capable of standing toe to toe and shotgun to shotgun with her man to prove it. Her role as a “Half-breed” saloon-singer is considered one of Virginia’s best roles of her career. 

Westerns have been basic stock for movies since movies began and continued right into the television era.  Most often you just can’t beat a good western for a chance to see lots of scenery, good and bad guys, and gals, horses and lots more.  Well, partner, saddle up and come and see this one on the big screen where it was supposed to be shown in the first place.  

You can do that by coming to Bigfork and see this great film example of a Western for yourself.  And if you might need a nudge or two a little more, you can read what a reviewer of the period, Bosley Crowther, published in June 25 1949 in the New York Times: “…And that's what it is, in essence—a hard-riding, ya-hoo Western film about a good hearted, well-intending bandit who is caught in the death-grip of fate. Sprung out of jail by his henchmen and snagged by the smile of a "decent" girl, he still can't escape the environment of crime into which he has been plunged. And so he gets into that last hold-up—a two-gunned honey on a high-balling train, secretly loaded with marshals and a pair of double-crossing scalawags—he gets shot, he discovers the "good" girl's treachery and rides off, with his …. http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9403E2DC113EE03BBC4D51DFB0668382659EDE

So come and great western thriller of a movie. Place: The Edge Center for the Arts, Bigfork. Date and time: Thursday November 9^th  at 6:30PM. It will be worth going to Bigfork, because Jack will provide you with background about the movie and a cartoon of the period. An appropriate snack will be served courtesy of Jack and his wife/projectionist, Lynn.