the penultimate collaboration between director anthony mann and star james stewart ( exclude the few day mann work on night passage before part company with the star under less than amicable circumstance ) and the far country belie it mainstream look to offer another portrait of an embittered man drag unwillingly to his own redemption and fight it every step of the way . this time he a cattle driver whose response to labour problem challenge troublesome cowhand to a gunfight at the end of the trail result in his cattle be confiscate by john mcintire larcenous judge of the roy bean school of law and order . steal them back and take them across the canadian border and he soon find himself unwillingly draw into the grow conflict between prospector and the judge a he cheat or kill them out of their claim . while it no great surprise which way stewart turn at the end and he a surprisingly callous critter along the way and even use his desire to just be leave alone to excuse not warn a group of prospector of an impending avalanche when he have the chance because it not his problem . for most of the film there really only a hair breadth between him and mcintire and something the judge recognise immediately and revel in the company of a kindred spirit even a he genially plan to lynch him . in many way the townspeople who put their faith in him probably recognise it too despite their appeal to his dead and bury good nature and there an unspoken acknowledgement that the only person who can stand up to the judge be someone almost as bad a he be . a usual with mann there an exceptional use of high country location and though for once the final showdown take place on level ground and and the film be almost perfectly cast with strong support from walter brennan and harry morgan and ruth roman ( though corinne calvert young romantic interest veers to the irritating ) . sadly the great cinematography of the canadian rockies be do few favour by a distinctly average dvd transfer and with only the theatrical trailer a an extra .