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Track of the Cat

Play trailer Poster for Track of the Cat Released Nov 27, 1954 1h 43m Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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In a snowbound homestead in Northern California, the Bridges family lives in contentious squalor. Brothers Curt (Robert Mitchum) and Harold (Tab Hunter) fight over the attentions of their beautiful neighbor, Gwen (Diana Lynn), while the boys' boozing father (Philip Tonge) suffers under the abuse of their religiously minded mother (Beulah Bondi). The family dysfunction only intensifies when a panther kills Curt's timid brother, Arthur (William Hopper), and Curt sets out to slay the animal.
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Track of the Cat

Critics Reviews

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Bosley Crowther New York Times It has no psychological pattern, no dramatic point. There's a lot of pretty snow scenery in it and a lot of talk about deep emotional things. But it gets lost in following some sort of pretense. Rated: 2/5 Sep 30, 2006 Full Review Richard von Busack MetroActive Track of the Cat (1954) a late period William Wellman picture in fine CinemaScope, exemplifies the 1950s Westerns that were trying to muscle in on Eugene O'Neill's turf. Aug 25, 2017 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews It's one of those overlooked great films that somehow slips under the radar, in this case probably because it's unique as a Western. Rated: A Dec 23, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member The film is not about the Cat but about the foul humanity. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member A complete wastes of time. Absolutely awful. Can you believe Alfalfa is in it hidden in a hugely laughable caricatured Indian? Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Found this William Wellman film somewhat disjointed with almost two separate tales being told. Visually interesting but overall not a success. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member often overlooked western actioner Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Great western movie classic. Heart throb, Tab Hunter plays Harold, low esteem, youngest son of the Bridges family. Harold's love for Gwen (Diana Lynn) meets disapproval of matriarch, Ma Bridges (Beulah Bondi). His older brother, Curt, wants Gwen for himself, and sets out to show Gwen what she's missing. Arthur (William Hopper) eldest son, tries to keep the peace. A panther has other ideas;moreover, so does Gwen. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review walter m At first, Joe Sam(Carl Switzwer), an elderly Indian, is the only one to hear it. After he wakes up the Bridges brothers, Curt(Robwert Mitchum), Harold(Tab Hunter) and Arthur(William Hopper), they also hear what might be a big cat threatening the family's cattle and is maybe even the mythical black panther that Joe Sam has alluded to on occasion over the years. At the very least, Curt and Arthur go out into the snow to see what they can find which gives their mother(Beulah Bondi) plenty of time to harangue Harold on his upcoming engagement to Gwen(Diana Lynn), the paid companion to Grace(Teresa Wright), who like her brothers is also unmarried. First, "Track of the Cat" is something of an odd duck in trying to turn its typical western premise of man versus nature on its head. And I would agree with anybody who says that this movie is meant mostly to be allegorical about the closing of the frontier in favor of settling down into a life of domesticity. But ignoring the hunt in favor of the household squabbles is a mistake, as anything Robert Mitchum does in general, much less in the stark white landscape, is much more interesting than anything going on inside the house where the primary lesson is to always find plenty of places to hide your booze. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Track of the Cat

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Movie Info

Synopsis In a snowbound homestead in Northern California, the Bridges family lives in contentious squalor. Brothers Curt (Robert Mitchum) and Harold (Tab Hunter) fight over the attentions of their beautiful neighbor, Gwen (Diana Lynn), while the boys' boozing father (Philip Tonge) suffers under the abuse of their religiously minded mother (Beulah Bondi). The family dysfunction only intensifies when a panther kills Curt's timid brother, Arthur (William Hopper), and Curt sets out to slay the animal.
Director
William A. Wellman
Producer
John Wayne, Robert Fellows
Screenwriter
A. I. Bezzerides
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 27, 1954, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 14, 2014
Runtime
1h 43m
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