Bend of the River (1952)

(YouTube streaming, October 2022) James Stewart is back on the trail in Bend of the River, once again teaming up with director Anthony Mann to play an imperfect middle-aged man who learns better over the course of the film. I like the idea of a solidly fortysomething protagonist with a bit of personal growth to do, and so here we find him as an ex-outlaw who has settled into being a guide to settlers heading west. His motto is simple: get the people to destination, nothing more. But that intent is tested when the Gold Rush makes it so that his prepaid provisions are no longer available. Suddenly feeling responsible for the fate of a few dozen people, the rest of Bend of the River sees him forming closer bonds with those he took in charge. The vivid colour cinematography helps a lot in ensuring that this film has aged well—the rest being a solid story of easterners heading west, and the caravan required for this kind of (re)settlement. Stewart is exemplary here in his 1950s western phase, playing characters with charm, but not entirely concealing a strong streak for violence. There’s a nicely stripped-down quality to the plot that goes well with shots of unspoiled wilderness—back to basics in many ways. Rock Hudson has a supporting role here, but there’s little to notice him. The film definitely loses points for overt colonialism and the usual kind of racism so prevalent at the time. Still: I don’t particularly enjoy 1950s westerns, but Bend of the River is better than most, and it does feature Stewart at an interesting point in his career.