The Yellow Mountain (1954)

War of the Mines!

The Yellow Mountain is directed by Jesse Hibbs and collectively written by George Zuckerman, Russell Hughes, Robert Blees and Harold Channing Wire. It stars Lex Barker, Mala Powers, Howard Duff, William Demarest, John McIntire and Leo Gordon. Music is by Joseph Gershenson and cinematography by George Robinson.

The yellow mountain of the title is in Goldfield, Nevada, and there is gold up there in that thar mountain. There are two local factions in opposition for mining superiority, something is clearly going to have to give...

She thinks I'm a philanthropist.

Lovely tidy Oater this one, it's for the discerning Western fan who has a love for the 1950s boon of the genre. It begins with a fun punch - up as Barker's Andy Martin arrives in town and renews his fremeny relationship with Duff's Pete Menlo, and of course the presence of the gorgeous Nevada Wray (Powers) muddies the testosterone waters still further. Uneasy alliances will be formed and director Hibbs slots in some Western staples (chase/fights/stare-downs etc) as the story progresses, with some very nifty stunt work into the bargain.

Technical credits are way above average. Barker has left Tarzan behind and is playing cowboy, and he's OK, but more of a presence than a fleshy character. Main problem for Barker is the strength of the supporting cast who outshine him. McIntire and Gordon are the weasels, which is always a bonus for Western fans, while Duff and Demarest, the latter of which owns the film, give great character driven turns. With nice outdoor scenery photographed around the Mojave Desert and appealing costuming on show, production is as safe as a brick out-house.

Stoic fans of Westerns will know exactly where it's all going to end up, but formula is fine if the journey is fun and engaging, such is the case here. It isn't going to make anyone's top 100 Westerns list, but genre fans should catch it if they can. 7/10

"Menlo" (Howard Duff) enters into a slightly uneasy partnership with "Andy" (Lex Barker) to exploit some gold claims they have - much to the chagrin of "Bannon" (John McIntire) who has designs on some of those as he wants to create a sort of mini-conglomorate. They are not interested, instead they are more focussed on "Nevada" (Mala Powers) who has her cap set more at "Andy". Disillusioned, "Menlo" decides to ally with "Bannon" just as they conclude that her mine-owning father "Jackpot" (William Demarest) might hold the key to the entire network of lucrative veins. With plenty to play for, you get the feeling that days might be numbered for "Andy" and his allies. Except, well this is all just a little too formulaic from start to finish and though Powers offers a little more than the usual simpering damsel in distress, Barker is totally charm-free throughout in the face of the equally non-menacing Duff. Demarest makes more of an effort and delivers more engagingly, as does McIntire and there is some action to be had, but the whole look of this has more of an assemble edited television feature than a gritty adventure of the pioneering west. Watchable, sure, but little better than standard afternoon fodder that really needed a star.