Garry Willard

Solid story along familiar but stereotypical (I don't like the term 'cliched') Western Themes (wealthy corrupt powerful authoritarian figures exploiting, cheating and mistreating the honest down trodden working class citizens and the lone but reluctant avenger who only intervenes when it becomes personal); however with a less usual setting and an anti-hero protagonist. Most struck by the spectacular location backdrops in Alberta Canada (though set in Alaska and the Yukon territory), and the large array of familiar and prolific Western character actors in the supporting cast. This includes Walter Brennan as Jimmy Stewart's sidekick, John McIntyre and Robert J Wilke as villains, Jack Elam, Harry Morgan (Col Potter from MASH), and Steve Brodie as fellow antagonists, Also Jay C Flippen, Chubby Johnson, Royal Dano, Connie Gilchrist and Eddy Waller amongst the aggrieved townsfolk. The 4th of 5 westerns (and the 6th of 8 Films) on which director Anthony Mann and star Jimmy Stewart collaborated during the first half of the 1950's, it is one of the better Westerns from that era. Have seen it a few times and don't really get sick of watching it.