ferbs54
Sporting a title seemingly more appropriate for a reggae song (maybe because it later WAS the title of a reggae song, on Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come" album), "Many Rivers to Cross" (1955) is rather an odd hybrid of screwball comedy and action-packed Western, filmed in CinemaScope and Technicolor. Dedicated to the women of the Kentucky frontier, the picture introduces us to a trapper and hunter named Bushrod Gentry, a roving free spirit in the Kentucky of what the viewer must infer is the early 19th century. After a run-in with a band of Shawnees, and suffering a fairly serious knife wound in his arm, Bushrod lays up at the home of Cadmus Cherne (Victor McLaglen, in one of his final films), his wife, four sons and daughter, Mary Stuart. Unfortunately for old Bushrod, Mary takes an instant hankering to him, vowing to make him her husband...no matter what! What follows are some very amusing sequences in which Mary gets her blowhard suitor Luke Radford (Alan Hale, Jr.) to fight with Bushrod, a shotgun wedding is concocted, a shooting match goes down, and those pesky Shawnees mass for another attack, during which time Mary drives Bushrod to the point of distraction with her incessant, borderline maddening attentions....As played by hunky Hollywood leading man Robert Taylor, Bushrod is an extremely likable fellow, as handy with a whip as Indiana Jones and better looking in a coonskin cap than Fess Parker in TV's "Daniel Boone" show of almost a decade later. As manly as can be, even a knife through the arm doesn't prevent him from engaging in a fisticuffs dukeout with Radford THE VERY NEXT DAY! Stretching the viewer's credulity a bit further, however, is Bushrod's determined efforts to AVOID Mary Stuart's amorous advances. Played by Eleanor Parker at the very peak of her gorgeousness, a hot-blooded spitfire just seething with sexuality, Mary is quite a gal, despite her annoying ways. That director Roy Rowland (who had worked with Taylor the previous year on the great film noir "Rogue Cop") could go an entire picture without giving Parker a single close-up, or show off her brilliant red hair to better effect, really does boggle this viewer's mind (granted, I know next to nothing about making pictures). Eleanor was one of Hollywood's most sensational-looking actresses of the '50s (check her out in 1952's "Scaramouche" if you don't believe me), and to keep her in medium range in any given shot is a waste of raw material, sez I! Still, the film has its compensations. Parker shows herself to be an excellent PHYSICAL comedian here, taking pratfalls, swimming, fighting, shooting guns and arrows, rolling in the dirt and so on; a great dramatic actress in a rare comedic role. She and Taylor make a wonderful, handsome couple (as they had the previous year in "Valley of the Kings"), to put it mildly. Adding to this film's pleasures are James Arness (who later that year would embark on a little 20-year Western of his own, TV's "Gunsmoke") as a boisterous frontiersman, Russell Johnson as one of Mary's brothers (yes, along with Alan Hale, Jr., that's two future "Gilligan's Island" alumni in one film a decade earlier), and a catchy theme song, "The Berry Tree," that lilts its way through the entire picture (although it should be mentioned that the song's opening line "The higher up the berry tree, the sweeter grow the berries / The more you hug and kiss a gal, the more she wants to marry" is a possible non sequitur!). Oftentimes verging on the cartoonish with its action and hijinks, "Many Rivers to Cross" is lighthearted fun for the entire family. Oh, and a message to "the Academy": Howzabout a well-deserved, honorary Oscar for Eleanor while she's still with us?!?!
easy_eight
I agree with the other poster who wonders where all these positive comments came from. This is the worst movie I have ever seen. The female lead is so obnoxious and annoying that I am surprised the male lead doesn't just either kill himself or kill the entire family. Neither Rod Taylor nor Eleanor Parker seem to be able to act and are terrible in their respective "comedic" roles. The dialog and plot is ridiculous and the characters are ill-conceived and not believable. And the soundtrack is one big orchestral cliché. This movie was painful to watch and predictable. The theme is dated and I believe is an insult to women. I would love to talk with the people who liked this movie and find out more about them. If this movie were released today, it would last one weekend, if released at all. Interesting enough, many of the actors and actresses in this movie have done fine work in other movies and in the Theater. The fault falls upon the shoulders of the director and the producers. This is a movie that should never have been made. I had stop watching this movie because it was so bad.
Boba_Fett1138
Are you guys kidding me? What's up with all the positive reviews on here. I enjoy watching old movies but you have to give credit where it is due and this movie does certainly not deserve all of that praising.It's a very simple made little movie. The story is incredibly simple and is not really heading anywhere. It's unclear to me what this movie is trying to be; A comedy, a romantic movie or an adventurous one. The movie mixes many of all those elements and the end result is a mixed bag of a movie with an awkward love-story, sporadic action and a vague main plot line.This is really one of those movies that is heading nowhere and makes a pointless impression. Perhaps if the movie had a more clear main plot line and other small things, such as perhaps a more villainous opposite character, the movie would at least had been more interesting to watch.The movie mostly relies on its love-story but it is a rather awkward one, that is far from credible or likable. It tries to be original but ends up being annoying instead.The fun characters are about the only redeeming quality of this movie. They still make sure that the movie is a light and fun one to watch. The main character, played by Robert Taylor, is also quite good and enjoyable. A sort of Indiana Jones like character set in the Wild West. Not as good obviously but certainly comparable.Certainly not unwatchable but far from a good- or even interesting one to watch.5/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
gateman16
This is an excellent movie. It may be too slow paced for those of you who are only looking for whiz-bang, but for others with a little more spirit it is a classic. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie several times. It captures a long lost frontier spirit and accurately portrays it on the screen. The music is good, but not overwhelming. It matches the pace of the story very well. Robert Taylor is the freelance fur trapper who is passing through. On his way he is rescued by Eleanor Parker and her sidekick Sandak. Following this, the battle of the sexes begins. It is frontier wits versus feminine charm, and guile.I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
