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The Mountain Men

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VH10590
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The Mountain Men (1980)

Additional Information

Additional Information
Alone each is a bombshell. Together they're dynamite!


This gorgeously shot western, filmed in the Bridger-Teton National Forest and the Shoshone National Forest, stars Charlton Heston and was written by his son Fraser Clarke Heston. The story concerns two grizzled mountain men -- Bill Tyler (Heston) and Henry Frapp (Brian Keith) -- during the dying days of the fur-trapping era. The plot begins when Running Moon (Victoria Racimo) runs away from her abusive husband Heavy Eagle (Stephen Macht) and comes across the two seedy fur trappers. The mountain men take her in, unaware that Heavy Eagle has dispatched an army of Indian braves to reclaim her.

Bill Tyler (Heston) is an argumentative, curmudgeonly mountain man. Henry Frapp (Keith) is Tyler's good friend and fellow trapper. Together, they trap beaver, fight Indians, and drink at a mountain man rendezvous while trying to sell their "plews", or beaver skins, to a cutthroat French trader named Fontenelle.
Tyler looks for a legendary valley, in Blackfoot territory, "so full of beaver that they just jump in the traps." Running Moon leaves her abusive husband, a ruthless Blackfoot warrior named Heavy Eagle, and comes across the two trappers in the dying days of the fur trapping era. While at first Bill only wants to take her to safety at the rendezvous, she eventually becomes his woman. While trapping Bill and Henry are attacked by Blackfeet and Henry is scalped by Heavy Eagle in front of Bill. Bill runs back to camp and he and Running Moon flee only to be caught. Later, Bill (thinking Running Moon has also been killed) is given a chance to run (similar to the real life event of John Colter) and is chased by warriors whom he initially eludes by hiding in a beaver den. They pursue him until he and Heavy Eagle fall into a raging river. Heavy Eagle makes it to shore and Bill goes over a waterfall. Heavy Eagle tries to make Running Moon his woman again which he cannot do. He knows Bill Tyler survived and will come for her as he had done.
On his survival trek Bill comes across Henry who had survived the scalping and eventually learns that Running Moon is still alive. He and Henry set out to rescue her while they are followed by a pair of trappers (Cassell and Lucking) also looking for the valley of beavers.
The story takes place during 1838, although it's never stated in the film, based on the fact that the beaver market was declining and the rendezvous was held on the Popoagie River. The "Era of the Mountain Man" ended two years later.
The story was written by Heston's son. The film was Lang's directorial debut. This was Victor Jory's last film.

Release Date: September 13, 1980


Distrib: Columbia Pictures

Related Releases2

The Mountain Men (1980)
Release Year
Catalog Number
60061
Primary Distributor (If not listed, select "OTHER")
Catalog Number
60061
Format
Packaging
100 mins (NTSC)
Country
The Mountain Men (1980)
Release Year
Catalog Number
VH10590
Primary Distributor (If not listed, select "OTHER")
Catalog Number
VH10590
Format
Packaging
N/A (NTSC)
Country

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