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Released By: Olive Films
Released On: 04/05/2011
Director: Edward Dmytryk
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Claire Trevor
The Film:
With all of the great older movies that have never seen the light of day on DVD, I sometimes have to wonder why companies choose to release the titles that they do. That was certainly what was on my mind when I checked out the recent Olive Films release of the Paramount title, The Mountain.
Other than the fact that it starts Spencer Tracy and Robert Wagner, two big name stars of the day, The Mountain doesn't have much going for it at all. Starting off with a plane crash in the French Alps (where the movie was filmed, in VistaVision, no less), The Mountain tells the story of two brothers who attempt to climb the mountain to get to the wreck after an initial rescue party comes back with a dead guide. Zachary (Spencer Tracy), is the older of the two (so much older, in fact, that it's almost unbelievable that Robert Wagner is his younger brother), the responsible member of the family who continued to look after the farm after his parents died, herding sheep for a living. An earlier dalliance with the mountain that left a colleague dead has put him off of climbing, but after realizing that his younger brother Christopher is determined to get to the crash site to alleviate the victims of their money and jewels, decides to give mountain climbing one more go, if only to make sure that his selfish sibling comes back alive.
Once the decision is made, the main problem with The Mountain starts up; namely, the mountain itself. Although the effects might have been top-notch back in 1956, the close-up studio-set mountain shots are not convincing, especially when intercut with non-matching shots of actual climbers in the Alps. The suspense that should exist during this climb, which takes up approximately two-thirds of the film, is just not there. Sacrificing any further character development to put this fake-ass climb front and centre does not work out for it in the end. By the time that they reach the top of the peak and find a survivor in the wreckage, you will be so emotionally unattached to the characters that what happens next will hardly register. Granted, in 1956, this may have been edge-of-your-seat action adventure, but in 2011, it's not happening.
What little performances and dialogue exchanges that we do get are somewhat lacking. Even Tracy's monologue at the end of the film, meant to be profound and shocking, falls flat. Wagner's earlier scenes are very good, however, and he carries the first part of the film relatively well.
The Mountain may have found its way into some viewers' hearts and hold some kind of nostalgia, but it's just not that good of a film.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The Mountain is presented in an anamorphic aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and it looks pretty solid for a 55 year-old film. The colours are fairly vibrant and the print damage is minimal. There are a few instances of some strange colour fluctuations, but overall, it's pretty sharp looking. The Dolby Digital mono audio track is more than sufficient for the action happening on the screen, and the dialogue and score are nicely balanced.
Unfortunately, given the rather high MSRP of the title, there are no extras to be found on this disc.
The Final Word:
If this film holds a special place in your heart, you'll be impressed at the quality of the presentation. If you're curious because of the cast, you may be let down. It's nice to see a company putting out some older titles, but this one is a bit of a disappointment.
