The Big Sky (film)

Not to be confused with Big Sky (film).

The Big Sky
File:Poster of The Big Sky (film).jpg Film poster
Directed by	Howard Hawks
Produced by	Howard Hawks
Written by	Dudley Nichols
Based on	The Big Sky by A.B. Guthrie Jr.
Starring	Kirk Douglas Dewey Martin Elizabeth Threatt Arthur Hunnicutt
Music by	Dimitri Tiomkin
Cinematography	Russell Harlan
Edited by	Christian Nyby
Production company	Winchester Pictures Corporation
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release dates	July 29, 1952 (1952-07-29) (Premiere-Chicago) August 19, 1952 (1952-08-19) (US)
Running time	140 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.65 million (US rentals)

The Big Sky is a 1952 American Western film directed by Howard Hawks, based on the novel of the same name. The cast includes Kirk Douglas, Arthur Hunnicutt, Dewey Martin and Elizabeth Threatt. Though not considered among Hawks' major achievements by most critics, the film was chosen by Jonathan Rosenbaum for his alternative list of the Top 100 American Films.

Plot

In 1832, Jim Deakins (Kirk Douglas) is traveling in the wilderness when he encounters an initially hostile Boone Caudill (Dewey Martin). However, they soon become good friends. They head to the Missouri River in search of Boone's uncle, Zeb Calloway (Arthur Hunnicutt). They find him when they are tossed in jail for brawling with fur traders of the Missouri River Company. When 'Frenchy' Jourdonnais (Steven Geray) comes to bail Zeb out, Zeb talks him into paying for Jim and Boone too.

The two men join an expedition organized by Zeb and Frenchy to travel 2,000 miles up the river to trade with the Blackfoot Indians, in competition with the Missouri Company. Zeb has brought along Teal Eye (Elizabeth Threatt), a pretty Blackfoot woman Zeb found several years before after she had escaped from an enemy tribe. Zeb intends to use her as a hostage, as she is the daughter of a chief. On the journey, they encounter another Blackfoot Zeb knows, Poordevil (Hank Worden); they take him along. Later, Teal Eye falls into the river and is rescued from rapids by Boone.

The Missouri Company knows about the threat to their monopoly. One day, it makes its move. A party led by Streak (Jim Davis) captures Teal Eye and tries to burn the boat, but Frenchy wakes up before the fire causes much damage. Poordevil tracks the enemy and Zeb and Jim rescue the woman. Later, the expedition puts in at a company trading post and leaves a warning not to interfere. A week later, they repulse an attack by Crow Indians. Jim is separated from the group and shot in the leg. Boone, followed by Teal Eye and Poordevil, finds him, extracts the bullet and waits for his friend to heal. When they rejoin their band, they find Streak trying to buy the boat and the goods on it. Jim compares the bullet dug out of his leg with one of Streak's and finds them to be the same. Streak and his men are killed in the ensuing shootout.

The expedition reaches the Blackfeet and begins trading. Teal Eye tells a very disappointed Jim that she loves him... like a brother. Boone follows her back to her teepee. When he emerges much later, he is surprised to find out he is now married. However, Teal Eye makes him buy her from her father, so that he can leave any time he wants to. With winter coming on, the men begin the long return trip. However, Boone changes his mind and decides to stay with Teal Eye.

Cast

• Kirk Douglas as Jim Deakins
• Dewey Martin as Boone Caudill
• Elizabeth Threatt as Teal Eye
• Arthur Hunnicutt as Zeb Calloway
• Buddy Baer as Romaine, one of Frenchy's men
• Steven Geray as 'Frenchy' Jourdonnais
• Henri Letondal as Labadie
• Hank Worden as Poordevil
• Jim Davis as Streak

Awards and nominations

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards:

• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor - Arthur Hunnicut
• Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White - Russell Harlan

Home video releases

• 1988 Turner Home Entertainment, RKO Collection, VHS, ISBN 1-55960-014-4

Soundtrack releases

The eight-minute suite for The Big Sky was released on Lost Horizon: The Classic Film Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin (1976), performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Gerhardt. Recorded in London in December 1975, the RCA Red Seal album was re-released on audio CD in 1991 and 2010. UPC 8-8697-77933-2-5

The original motion picture soundtrack for The Big Sky was restored by the Brigham Young University Film Music Archives for a 2003 compact disc release. The limited-edition CD (BYU FMADT111) includes 28 tracks and nearly 80 minutes of orchestral music.

External links

• The Big Sky at the TCM Movie Database
• The Big Sky at IMDb