Evening star., 1952-09-11

dealing with the winning of the '
Another interesting facet of
is that it marks the introduction
of the three-dimensional screen
to Washington. This injectS into
big screen viewing an effect of
depth that Is especially arresting
in the case of settings as violently
damatic- as those in "The Big
Sky"
A foreword explains that the
background was found by Hawkes.
in Grand Teton Park and hard
Souled adventures could ask no
grander landscape to test their
courage and endurance.
The big sky about which Guth-
rie wrote in the original is that
which hung over the Missouri
river from st. Louis to Montana
in the year 1882.
This comprised a vast area Of
challenge to restless man and
Guthrie selected a likely lot to
write about in his prize e-winning
novel. Two of these were young
Jim Deakins (Douglasl and
Boone dewey Martini. It was
adventure primarily that they
were looking for and they were
to find it in the voyage of a fiat
bottom boat bound up the Mis-
souri, to buy furs from the Black
feet Indians in remote Montana.
The screenplay written by Mich
OILS gives moviegoers less a chance
to share in the narrowing turns
of the trip than to enjoy the ro-
bust humor of the strange voy-
ayers. Their relatively light
hearted reaction to even the most
dire incidents of the journey di-
minishes the excitement Of "The
Big Sky"
Hawkes., who could not love the
outdoors more If he were its IA
ther, is in his element in the di-
rection of the new Keith's at
traction. He is working here
with all of his favorite film in
gradients, reckless men. a track
less waste subject to natures most
violent upheavals and savage In
dianS.
In addition, to fill Hawkes. cup
to overfiowing, there is one fe-
male in "The Big Sky" She is
precisely the right one for the
setting, an Indian princess bud
ding into red womanhood and
ideally designed to work havoc
among group of men so far
from home and mother. Eliza
beth Threat is the girl chosen
for the role of Teal Eye and the
fight she puts up for honor is
one for which the Blackfeet might
well make her an honorary prin-
cess in 1852.
The big sky above Hawkes. cam
eras looks down upon some sturdy
men and stirring incident IN
Keith's film. It was no easy trick
to traverse the Missouri in a fiat
bottom boat in 1882. Free men
signed up for the expedition
worked like galley slaves, now
rowing, now towing and now pol
ing the sluggish craft against the
rivers currents.
The scenery around them was
beautiful but they were too busy
to notice it. Every housekeeping
moment was one of conflict. When
the river was not a threat to life
the Indians living along it were
Then there was the company,
the organized fur-trading concern
which resorted to any violence OF
corruption to forestall the rugged
individualists who ventured into
competition with it.
Within the expedition itself
there were few inharmonies but
these were endlessly lively.
There is the triangle, for in
stance, involving Douglas, Martin
and the Indian girl. It is instantly
obvious that there is something
Freudian between this trio. It is
most especially evident in the
case of Martin and Miss Threatt
He is a direct action type with an
antipathy for Indians but he can
not resist an attraction he finds
in the girl. For most of the jour-
ney they fight it out with fists
and knives with Douglas sitting
around cagily just outside the
battle zone waiting for Miss
Threat to win.
X -
"The Big Sky" Is not one OF
those westerns characterized by
acting that is likely to prove men,
orable. Performances of key roles
are calculated to give audiences
hardly more than a rough idea Of
the characters involved.
Douglas is only moderately sue
cessful in sketching the adventur-
Gus Deakins and young Martin is
content to let his colleague set the
standard for the intensity of his
own performance. Arthur Hunni-
cutt turns in a beguiling sort OF
portrait of one of those omni-
potent, roguish guides. however
and Miss Threat is an Indian gir