Main Cast: Kirk Douglas, Dewey Martin, Elizabeth Threatt, Arthur Hunnicutt, Buddy Baer, Hank Worden
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 122 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
The Big Sky is based on a popular novel by A.B. Guthrie. Kirk Douglas and Dewey Martin play a pair of Kentucky frontiersmen who embark upon the first keelboat trip up the Missouri River way back in 1830. Joining Douglas and Martin are Martin's grizzled old uncle Arthur Hunnicutt and garrulous Frenchman Steven Geray. Running afoul of various Indian tribes, Douglas nonetheless romances Sioux princess Elizabeth Threatt (their off-screen relationship was on the kinky side, as an embarrassed Douglas reveals in his autobiography). Director Howard Hawks leavens the Boys' Own Adventure atmosphere of the film with a few isolated comic sequences, including a sidesplitting scene in which Douglas' gangrenous finger is cut off. Produced for RKO Radio by Hawks' own Winchester Pictures, The Big Sky was released at 141 minutes, though the TV print runs 122 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Big Sky falls short of being the classic it wants to be, but it's a good film nonetheless. Part of its problem is simply its length: it goes on too long and, especially in the middle section, doesn't always seem to know where it's going. While it would be nice to think that this was director Howard Hawks' clever way of commenting on the characters' actual journey, where being in alien territory made them feel they didn't know where they were going, it's doubtful in the extreme that this is what was intended. Hawks was a sensational director; he simply didn't find the right answers to the problems confronting him with Sky. But he was absolutely the right person to direct this film, as it combined his love of rugged, manly subjects with his penchant for humor, especially of a somewhat dark vein. No one else would have filmed the amputation scene as a comedy and gotten away it (brilliantly, one might add). Hawks was blessed with a great cast; Kirk Douglas is in very fine form, and Arthur Hunnicutt deserves the plaudits he received for stealing the film away from its stars. And Russell Harlan's cinematography is beautiful and evocative. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Though not considered amongst Hawks' major achievements by most critics, the film was chosen by Jonathan Rosenbaum for his alternative list of the Top 100 American Films.
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 2000 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.
