{{short description|1952 film}} {{for|the 1979 novel by V. S. Naipaul|A Bend in the River}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Use American English|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox film | name = Bend of the River | image = Bend of the River - 1952- Poster.png | caption = Theatrical release poster | producer = Aaron Rosenberg<br>Frank Cleaver | director = Anthony Mann | screenplay = Borden Chase | based_on = {{based on|''Bend of the Snake''<br>1950 novel|Bill Gulick}} | starring = James Stewart<br>Arthur Kennedy<br>Julia Adams<br>Rock Hudson<br>Lori Nelson<br>Jay C. Flippen<br>Stepin Fetchit | music = Hans J. Salter | cinematography = Irving Glassberg | editing = Russell F. Schoengarth | color_process = Technicolor | studio = Universal Pictures | distributor = Universal Pictures | released = {{Film date|1952|2|29|Los Angeles|1952|4|9|New York|ref1=<ref name="schallert"/>|ref2=<ref name="crowther"/>}} | runtime = 91 minutes | country = United States | language = English | gross = $3 million (U.S. rentals)<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1953-01-07 |title=Top Grossers of 1952 |journal=Variety |volume=189 |issue=5|page=61}}</ref> }} [[File:Stepin Fetchit-Chubby Johnson in Bend of the River.jpg|thumb|right| Stepin Fetchit and Chubby Johnson ]] '''''Bend of the River''''' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Julia Adams and Rock Hudson. The screenplay, written by Borden Chase, is based on the 1950 novel ''Bend of the Snake'' by Bill Gulick.
''Bend of the River'' was filmed on location in and around the Sandy River, Mount Hood, the Columbia River and Timberline Lodge, Oregon.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Stockard |first=Mildred |date=1952-01-13 |title=Rugged Mountain Country Provides Scenery for "Bend of the River" |work=Houston Chronicle |department=''The Houston Chronicle Magazine'' |page=21}}</ref> The film is the second Western collaboration between Mann and Stewart.
==Plot== In 1866, remorseful former border raider Glyn McLyntock is guiding a wagon train of settlers to Oregon. While he is checking the trail ahead, he rescues Emerson Cole from being lynched for stealing a horse. Laura Baile, one of the pioneers, fancies McLyntock. That night, they are attacked by five Shoshone Indians and Laura is wounded by an arrow. McLyntock and Cole confront the Shoshones and Cole saves McLyntock's life in the process. McLyntock welcomes Cole, but Jeremy Baile, the leader of the settlers, does not trust him and does not believe that a man can change from bad to good. McLyntock, trying to leave his old life behind, thinks that Baile is wrong.
When they reach Portland, Oregon, Laura remains there to recover. Cole also leaves the party, saying that he wants to travel to California to find gold. The rest establish a settlement in the wilderness after arranging with Tom Hendricks for their winter supplies to be sent later. That night, they host a party and meet professional gambler Trey Wilson.
With winter fast approaching and the supplies at least six weeks late, they begin to worry when the food runs low. McLyntock and Jeremy return to Portland to investigate. They find that a gold rush has enormously inflated prices. Laura and Cole are working for Hendricks and do not intend to reside at the settlement. Jeremy is unhappy about his daughter's relationship with Cole. Hendricks sells the group's supplies for a much higher price to a mining camp. McLyntock secretly hires some men to load the supplies to return to the settlement, but Hendricks discovers their plan, instigating a shootout. Cole and Trey side with McLyntock. When they are pursued, McLyntock springs an ambush that kills Hendricks and some of his gang, and the rest are driven away.
On the way to the settlement, some of the miners appear and offer an exorbitant sum for the supplies. The hired men consider commandeering the wagon train. Cole cannot resist the temptation of the money and double-crosses his friend, but he does not kill him. McLyntock finds them and retakes the supplies with the assistance of Jeremy, Laura and Trey. Cole brings some miners, but they are defeated during a river gunfight. McLyntock fights and kills Cole, whose body is carried away by the current. They reach the settlement with the supplies, and it is apparent that Laura and McLyntock are now together.
==Cast== {{Div col}} * James Stewart as Glyn McLyntock * Arthur Kennedy as Emerson Cole * Julia Adams as Laura Baile * Rock Hudson as Trey Wilson * Lori Nelson as Marjie Baile * Jay C. Flippen as Jeremy Baile * Howard Petrie as Tom Hendricks * Chubby Johnson as Captain Mello * Stepin Fetchit as Adam * Harry Morgan as Shorty * Jack Lambert as Red * Royal Dano as Long Tom * Frances Bavier as Mrs. Prentiss * Frank Ferguson as Tom Grundy {{div col end}}
==Production== The screenplay was written by Borden Chase based on the 1950 novel ''Bend of the Snake'' by Bill Gulick.
The film's star James Stewart and director Anthony Mann had worked together on ''Winchester '73 (1950)''. Six more films pairing Stewart and Mann followed, including the Westerns ''The Naked Spur'' (1953), ''The Far Country'' (1954) and ''The Man from Laramie'' (1955). Stewart, who drew a percentage of the profits, earned an estimated $750,000 (${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|750000|1952|r=-5}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) from the film.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Scheuer |date=1955-07-24 |title=Top Stars Now Share in Profits of Major Pictures |page=2, Part IV |work=Los Angeles Times|first=Philip K.}}</ref>
The film was shot on location over the course of five weeks around Mount Hood and along the Columbia River in Oregon. Filming at the 8,000-foot level of Mount Hood posed a significant challenge. A bulldozer was employed to cut a twisting road up the mountain, and covered wagons and heavy equipment were hauled by caterpillar tractors. An enormous steel cable was attached to the wagons to prevent them from falling down the side of the mountain. Cast and crew members were transported up the mountain by riding a mile-long ski lift. The sternwheeler ''Henderson'', named ''River Queen'' in the film, had been built in 1912 and was modified to resemble a ship of the film's much earlier era.<ref name=":0" />
Arthur Kennedy, who plays Emerson Cole, sprained his knee while filming a violent fight scene.<ref name=":0" />
== Release == To promote the film, a {{convert|3.6|mile|km|adj=on}} steamboat race on the Columbia River was staged on January 24, 1952, featuring the ''Henderson'', with several of the film's stars aboard, against the newer sternwheeler ''Portland''. The ''Henderson'' won the race.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM68VH_The_Henderson_Gone_by_Not_Forgotten_Hood_River_Oregon|title=The Henderson – Gone by Not Forgotten – Hood River, Oregon – Oregon Historical Markers on Waymarking.com|website=www.waymarking.com}}</ref>
In the United Kingdom in the 1950s, the film was released under the title ''Where the River Bends''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sloman|first1=Tony|author-link1=Anthony Sloman|title=Bend of the River – review|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/film/cwtkq/bend-of-the-river/|access-date=2017-12-21|work=Radio Times|quote=|archive-date=2016-07-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712181200/http://www.radiotimes.com/film/cwtkq/bend-of-the-river|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Reception== In a contemporary review for ''The New York Times'', critic Bosley Crowther called the film "a present for the Western outdoor fans" and wrote: "The distinction of 'Bend of the River' ... is the fact that it brings into conflict two rarely contending groups and keeps you guessing as to which of its male stars is going to turn out 'good' and which 'bad.'"<ref name="crowther">{{cite news |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |date=1952-04-10 |title=The Screen in Review |work=The New York Times |page=37}}</ref>
Critic Edwin Schallert of the ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote: "This is top-notch among productions of the great outdoors, magnificently photographed in Technicolor, and with the strong onmarching conflict to distinguish it from the rout and rabble of open-air films. ... The picture is a big one in its panoramas and its plot scope. It will be a winner with those who see it, and those who like the sort of film that Hollywood seems much of the while to do the best."<ref name="schallert">{{Cite news |last=Schallert |first=Edwin |date=1952-03-01 |title='Bend of River' Big in Drama, Scenery |work=Los Angeles Times |page=8}}</ref>
==Awards== In 2008, ''Bend of the River'' was nominated for inclusion in AFI's 10 Top 10 list of the greatest Western films.<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's 10 Top 10 Ballot|url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100years/10top10-ballot.pdf#page=45|website=www.afi.com|publisher=American Film Institute|page=45|access-date=2017-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729052932/http://www.afi.com/Docs/100years/10top10-ballot.pdf#page=45|archive-date=2017-07-29|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{AFI film|50416|Bend of the River}} * {{TCMDb title|id=19428}} * [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/bend-of-the-river-am44717 ''Bend of the River'' at AllMovie] * {{IMDb title|id=0044413|title=Bend of the River}}
{{Anthony Mann}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bend Of The River}} Category:1952 films Category:1952 Western (genre) films Category:English-language Western (genre) films Category:American Western (genre) films Category:Films about gold rushes Category:Films set in 1866 Category:Films set in Oregon Category:Films shot in Oregon Category:Films directed by Anthony Mann Category:Films based on American novels Category:Universal Pictures films Category:Films scored by Hans J. Salter Category:1952 English-language films Category:1952 American films