Track of the Cat
| Track of the Cat | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | William A. Wellman |
| Produced by |
Robert Fellows John Wayne |
| Screenplay by | A.I. Bezzerides |
| Based on | the novel Track of the Cat by Walter Van Tilburg Clark |
| Starring |
Robert Mitchum Teresa Wright |
| Music by | Roy Webb |
| Cinematography | William H. Clothier |
| Edited by | Fred MacDowell |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Release date
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Running time
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102 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2 million |
Track of the Cat is a 1954 film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Robert Mitchum and Teresa Wright. The film is based on a 1949 adventure novel of the same name by Walter Van Tilburg Clark. This was Wellman's second adaptation of a Clark novel, the first being The Ox-Bow Incident. Track of the Cat was produced by John Wayne and Robert Fellows for their Wayne/Fellows production company.
The squabbling Bridges family spends a harsh winter on their remote ranch in northern California in the early years of the 20th century. Crude and quarrelsome middle brother Curt (Robert Mitchum) bullies his noble, unselfish eldest brother Arthur (William Hopper), while youngest brother Harold (Tab Hunter) endures Curt’s abuse in browbeaten silence. Their mother (Beulah Bondi) is a bigoted religious zealot and their father (Philip Tonge) is a loquacious, self-pitying drunk. Bitter old maid sister Grace (Teresa Wright) is temporarily gladdened by the arrival of Harold’s fiancé, spirited Gwen (Diana Lynn).
Their ancient Native American hired hand Joe Sam (Carl Switzer) alerts the family to a panther prowling the hills. Many years before his family was wiped out by a panther. Joe Sam’s superstitious dread of the panther irritates domineering Curt. Curt and Arthur split up to track the panther while the family tensely awaits their return.
Gentle Harold tries to avoid conflict with his parents while Gwen tenderly encourages him to assert his claim to an equal share of the ranch. Although Grace tries to support her youngest brother and his fiancé, Ma Bridges spews hateful suspicion at Gwen, but she ignores the family’s histrionics calmly for Harold’s sake.
By the end of the story, the major conflicts have been resolved, but not without tragedy and loss. The remaining characters seem hopeful that their ordeal may have created the basis for a happier future.
The outdoor scenes were filmed on Mount Rainier, Washington and Mitchum regarded shooting in the deep snow and cold as the worst filming conditions he had ever experienced.
Director William A. Wellman had always intended to film a black & white movie in color. His idea was that if a movie were to be shot in mostly monochromatic shades, with stark blacks and whites and otherwise mostly very subdued colours that were almost shades of grey, he could use bright colors very sparingly for intense dramatic effect. The photography of William Clothier was designed to highlight black and white and downplay colors. Only key elements like the blue matches, the fire, and Mitchum's red coat stand out.
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