James Stewart and western director Anthony Mann have collaborated for the sixth time. Stewart portrays a cattle driver and obsessive loner in this film who has revenge in his heart and has a history of murder. The movie was filmed on location in Northwest Canada’s harsh terrain. Stewart, accompanied by comic relief Walter Brennan, herds a herd of cattle into Dawson in the hopes of profiting from the Klondike gold rush. However, problems arise when dishonest judge seizes their inventory, and the scenario deteriorates from there.
About The Far Country
The 1954 American Technicolor Western The Far Country, starring James Stewart, Ruth Roman, Walter Brennan, John McIntire, and Corinne Calvet, was directed by Anthony Mann. The film was manufactured in the United States. The United States of America served as the film’s production site. Borden Chase wrote the screenplay for the film, which tells the story of an independent adventurer who confronts a vengeful and corrupt judge while bringing cattle to Dawson in the Yukon Territory.
The judge seeks vengeance on the independent adventurer. Even though the shooting took place outside of the state, it is one of the few Westerns that takes place in Alaska (others include The Spoilers and North to Alaska). Western film legends Anthony Mann and James Stewart worked on this production for the fourth time.
Movie Plot
Jeff Webster (James Stewart) and Ben Tatem (Walter Brennan) brought livestock to Dawson City, Yukon, in 1896. In Skagway, he irritates self-appointed Judge Gannon (John McIntire), who seizes his herd. After promising to provide food to Dawson, Jeff and Ben return to town to get the animals before fleeing in pursuit of Gannon’s men. Jeff fires a few warning shots in Canada to urge Gannon’s team to abandon the hunt, but when he returns to Skagway, the judge vows to hang him.
When Jeff arrives in Dawson, he finds little lawlessness, which he disregards. He sells his herd to Ronda Castle, a bar owner and one of Gannon’s business associates, for $2 per pound ($70/lb currently). She outbids the local hash house co-owners Hominy, Grits, and Molasses. Jeff draws Ronda and Renee Vallon to himself. Jeff and Ben quadruple their money by investing $40,000 ($1.3 million now) in an existing gold claim.
Ronda and Gannon exploit miners by opening a bar. When Gannon and his shooters arrive to get their share, the danger level in Dawson rises. Jeff intends to flee by the river while Gannon is occupied. Instead, Ben purchases more coffee for the extended journey, tipping off Gannon, who then murders Ben and wounds Jeff, forcing him to choose sides.
The Cast Of The Far Country
In 1896, a cowboy and his companions transported cattle from Wyoming to Alaska. Once there, a corrupt sheriff steals their herd, forcing the cowboy and his companions to engage in combat with the sheriff to recover their pack. This is one of James Stewart’s eight collaborations with director Anthony Mann and one of their four westerns.
