Many Rivers to Cross

Finders keepers was the law of the forest!

Many Rivers to Cross is directed by Roy Rowland and adapted for the screen by Harry Brown & Guy Trosper from a story by Steve Frazee. It stars Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, Victor McLaglen, Jeff Richards, Russ Tamblyn, James Arness & Alan Hale Jr. Music is by Cyril J. Mockridge and photography by John Seitz. It's a CinemaScope production in Eastman Color.

"The more you hug and kiss a gal, the more she wants to marry"

The film opens with a written statement informing us that the film is respectfully dedicated to the frontier women of America. Those tough gals who aided their men as they settled the Kentucky wilderness. It's a nice touch, but, after the film has finished you wonder if those...

Whilst not the most naturally obvious of casting here, the dynamic between the Calamity Jane-esque "Mary Stuart" (Eleanor Parker) and trapper "Bushrod" (Robert Taylor) works quite well. He is a bit of an heart-breaker who has an altercation with some Indians in the Kentucky wilderness and is luckily saved when she comes to his rescue. She takes him to her family's settlement where she lives with her father "Cadmus" (a slightly understated Victor McLaglen) and her four brothers. They take to him, he takes to them - and he stays a little longer than planned starting an amiably comedic will they/won't they relationship with "Mary Stuart". Now here is a woman who is determined to get her man! It's all very predictable, but along the way we have...