No review here as such, but this enjoyable little semi-Western puzzled me a bit, for the female star (playing one of the Dennis Morgan characters' sister), is given as Elizabeth Earl, a name used in only a couple of late films instead of her real one, Elizabeth Ingles, used more often earlier. Since I could not remember encountering her under either name before, and she was a really comely lass (the character is Scottish), a good actress, and reasonably charismatic, I was amazed that she would be in a good-sized production like this and disappear more or less totally from future view, so I looked her up in the actor biography section provided by IMDb (just hit her name in the cast listing and you are there) and found out that she left the screen shortly after for marriage and that Elizabeth Earl/Elizabeth Ingles is the mother of Sigourney Weaver(!). How about that? The screen lost a pretty good actress when she left, but she produced a sci-fi film legend to compensate. She could have done worse! In fact, cinematically-speaking, she almost did in this film, for she is surely the only actress in film history who would have chosen to marry Victor Jory instead of Dennis Morgan; one must assume she hadn't met Henry Daniell yet!
6 Reviews
The Mountie always gets his Man
ksf-219 March 2013
George Tobias could just play any part, although his accent does come and go in this one. Here, he's a supporting character "Dijon", helping our main character to escape. Our lead man is Dennis Morgan, playing both a convicted man (John Keith)and the County Mountie (Connison) assigned to chase him down. While it is a shortie, it is quite well played. There is some comedy in this "Canadian Western"... every couple minutes, Dijon's girlfriend comes running into the picture to make a big scene, even though Dijon promised to keep a low profile. He even starts a bar-room brawl as a pretense to get one of the bad guys in jail. Of course, there are a couple of chase scenes, and even a fist fight on the edge of a cliff. Victor Jory is Talbot, the "foil" in the story.
Directed by Ray Enright, who had worked his way up in the business in the early days of Hollywood. Based on the story by James Curwood, a prolific writer who seems to have written numerous novels about the outdoors, and the wild west. Fun film to watch. It starts as a serious drama, but seems to turn into a lighter comedy/drama about halfway through.
Directed by Ray Enright, who had worked his way up in the business in the early days of Hollywood. Based on the story by James Curwood, a prolific writer who seems to have written numerous novels about the outdoors, and the wild west. Fun film to watch. It starts as a serious drama, but seems to turn into a lighter comedy/drama about halfway through.
Way up north, where the big trees are.
mark.waltz18 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The subgenre of the "northern" is a sub-sect of the western, usually set in the Canadian Rockies or the Yukon Territory, and sometimes featuring a musical score by Rudolf Friml. Jack London was famous for these kind of manly-man stories, and James Oliver Curwood wrote series of successful ones as well. This is the third version of Curwood's story, and even better than the 1930 initial sound version. The Warner Brothers sound creates a brassy, woodsy atmosphere, with Dennis Morgan and George Tobias absolutely top notch in the leafs.
Morgan plays a dual role, a convicted killer determined to prove his innocence, and the lookalike mountie who finds him in hiding way up north. Dying due to the elements, the mountie on his death bed pretends to be the convicted killer, certain of the other's innocence. Taking the mountie's place, the surviving Morgan strives to prove that wealthy Victor Jory actually committed the crime, and is jealous over the fact that the mountie's sister, Elizabeth Inglis, begins to date him.
An enjoyable comic relief, Tobias is more than just your standard sidekick, although I could have done without the spitfire Steffi Duna chasing after him even though he's not interested. That's the one weak element of the film as the intense murder investigation is top notch and the outdoorsy photography is breathtaking. Good music and editing too. It may not have been an A+ for Warners thar year, but it's certainly one of their best.
Morgan plays a dual role, a convicted killer determined to prove his innocence, and the lookalike mountie who finds him in hiding way up north. Dying due to the elements, the mountie on his death bed pretends to be the convicted killer, certain of the other's innocence. Taking the mountie's place, the surviving Morgan strives to prove that wealthy Victor Jory actually committed the crime, and is jealous over the fact that the mountie's sister, Elizabeth Inglis, begins to date him.
An enjoyable comic relief, Tobias is more than just your standard sidekick, although I could have done without the spitfire Steffi Duna chasing after him even though he's not interested. That's the one weak element of the film as the intense murder investigation is top notch and the outdoorsy photography is breathtaking. Good music and editing too. It may not have been an A+ for Warners thar year, but it's certainly one of their best.
Silly 'B' mystery
JohnSeal6 February 2003
Calling this a mystery is a stretch as the only mystery is when the incredibly credulous townsfolk of River's End, Alberta, will figure out that Dennis Morgan is actually an escaped convict and NOT the Canadian Mountie sent in pursuit of him. Yes, it's the old chestnut about the two fellows who look exactly alike and switch identities in order to right the wrongs of an imperfect judicial system. If you can accept the premise, you'll enjoy this speck of fluff. Victor Jory offers the only interesting performance as a relatively likeable bad guy.
The pursuer and the pursued
bkoganbing1 May 2019
This film from Warner Brothers B picture unit has Dennis Morgan as a criminal on
the run from a date with the hangman and the Mountie that is looking to get his
man. But it's the Mountie who gets himself lost and sick with exposure to the
cold. When the fleeing felon takes him in and they talk the Mountie realizes
this guy may just be innocent.
But when Morgan the felon shaves off his beard the dying Mountie realizes these guys could be twins. So he assumes the Mountie's identity and starts his own investigation. He's after Victor Jory who he feels framed him.
What's a bit hard is when Elizabeth Ingles as the Mountie's sister seems to accept him as her brother. I can't believe she wouldn't know her own brother no matter how much they look alike. Worse is that Jory is courting her, the fiend.
Good comic relief is provided by George Tobias who played many an ethnic role at Warner Brothers at the time and did a few as a French Canadian.
But you got to believe Ingles would know her own brother.
But when Morgan the felon shaves off his beard the dying Mountie realizes these guys could be twins. So he assumes the Mountie's identity and starts his own investigation. He's after Victor Jory who he feels framed him.
What's a bit hard is when Elizabeth Ingles as the Mountie's sister seems to accept him as her brother. I can't believe she wouldn't know her own brother no matter how much they look alike. Worse is that Jory is courting her, the fiend.
Good comic relief is provided by George Tobias who played many an ethnic role at Warner Brothers at the time and did a few as a French Canadian.
But you got to believe Ingles would know her own brother.
Featuring the common Hollywood cliche of the identical strangers.
planktonrules29 July 2022
"River's End" uses one of the worst and more common cliches in old movies and TV shows...the identical stranger! You'd think watching these many films and shows that we all have doubles all over the place! In fact, it's extremely rare...and never are the pair truly identical...except in films/TV!
When the film begins, John is on trial in Canada for murder. He is convicted but soon manages to escape...and he's gone for many, many months hiding out in the wilderness of the old Northwest Territories. Soon a Mountie, Sergeant Conniston, is sent to find John....and the Mountie is John's double...and NO ONE recognizes this!! Talk about suspending disbelief!!!
After many more months, John stumbles upon the injured Sergeant and he takes him to his cabin and nurses him. Sadly, the Sergeant STILL dies a few days later...but only after he's convinced that John is innocent. So, he persuades John to assume his identity and work as a Mountie to find the true murderer! And, because they are such perfect matches, no one seems to take much notice. And, when they note that Sergeant Conniston has forgotten something, they pretty much ignore it or chalk it up to the long time he was in the Canadian wild.
Dennis Morgan plays both roles and he does a fine job...as you'd expect from this excellent actor. But the film clearly is a B-movie from Warner...and like many Bs the script is a bit brainless! But, it IS well done despite this and is watchable....and did I mention brainless?! After all, the trial and murder occur in the town of River's End....and after John replaces the Sergeant, the rest of the film takes place in the same town...and none of the locals notice!! And, don't get me started about the Sergeant's sister and the budding romance between her and John!!
When the film begins, John is on trial in Canada for murder. He is convicted but soon manages to escape...and he's gone for many, many months hiding out in the wilderness of the old Northwest Territories. Soon a Mountie, Sergeant Conniston, is sent to find John....and the Mountie is John's double...and NO ONE recognizes this!! Talk about suspending disbelief!!!
After many more months, John stumbles upon the injured Sergeant and he takes him to his cabin and nurses him. Sadly, the Sergeant STILL dies a few days later...but only after he's convinced that John is innocent. So, he persuades John to assume his identity and work as a Mountie to find the true murderer! And, because they are such perfect matches, no one seems to take much notice. And, when they note that Sergeant Conniston has forgotten something, they pretty much ignore it or chalk it up to the long time he was in the Canadian wild.
Dennis Morgan plays both roles and he does a fine job...as you'd expect from this excellent actor. But the film clearly is a B-movie from Warner...and like many Bs the script is a bit brainless! But, it IS well done despite this and is watchable....and did I mention brainless?! After all, the trial and murder occur in the town of River's End....and after John replaces the Sergeant, the rest of the film takes place in the same town...and none of the locals notice!! And, don't get me started about the Sergeant's sister and the budding romance between her and John!!
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