The White Tower!!

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Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Sep 25, 2009 - 12:21am PT
Survival & Nick d:

Thanks for the White Tower thread and the Sheridan Anderson cartoon.

Great Fun!

It was based on one of the climbing books by: James Ramsey Ullman.

I have old memories of seeing the movie, but have not read the book:

Movie review from Answers.com: Mountain climbing movies are a tough act, and while The White Tower is a moderately entertaining entry into this unusual genre, it's not the one that proves the game is worth the candle (dramatically speaking). As with many other films of this type, Tower gathers together a motley crew and puts them through the torturous ascent, during which they discover important truths about themselves and their true characters. Unfortunately, the truths that they discover are fairly clichéd, and so we spend a lot of time with stock characters, who in turn spend much more time than is necessary hashing and re-hashing things we know about them already. On the plus side, however, these characters are enlivened by a solid cast, starting with Glenn Ford's likeable Ordway. While Ford's performance is not one of his finest, it's important in keeping audience interest, as his appealing quality goes a long way. Alida Valli is appropriately alluring (in a good way), Claude Rains does the best that can be expected with his melancholy character, and Oscar Homolka finds freshness in what could be rather stale proceedings. Of course, it's the mountain climbing moments that count, and director Ted Tetzlaff and cinematographer Ray Rennahan turn in sterling work here. (Make sure you watch the color version, rather than the inferior black-and-white.) Tower doesn't approach the heights of its subject, but it does offer enough assets to make it worth a viewing. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Cast

mark miller

Social climber
Reno
Sep 25, 2009 - 12:29am PT
Wow fritz, thanks maybe it should be Fritz and Ebert, great and intellectual review.Now I really have to find it on DVD...
Does anyone remember the late 70's TV movie where 3 different groups were heading up to rescue a group, somewhere like Yosemite. One group was an ol' dude and his estranged wife, the other were the rescuer's and a third was a free soloist ( probably M Hoover)....Cheesy as warm canned cheese but I'd like to see it again.
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2009 - 01:18am PT
Mark, I don't remember that film, but I love anything like that. Let me know if you figure out the name.

Fritz, thanks for the review. I found it much better than that guy did, but whatever, I rarely agree with the critics.
I have a more sensitive pallet donchaknow......
mark miller

Social climber
Reno
Sep 25, 2009 - 01:44am PT
Survival I've spent the last 30 minutes searching the web but can't come up with that movie, I thought it had Lindsay Wagner in it but Nope....I'll try to remember some other details and continue the quest tomorrow, It's knott a "bad" film.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Sep 25, 2009 - 04:18am PT
hey there fritz, say, thanks for the review notes...

also as to this:
"cinematographer Ray Rennahan turn in sterling work here."

wow, indeed for this man---the old "laramie" tv show was blessed indeed to have this man working the show....

his work was fantastic... three cheers for the mention of this name...
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2009 - 10:46am PT
Indeed, the cinematography was excellent.

Hey Gobee,
"Tarbuster looks like Glen Ford! "

Uh.... actually, he looks like the Brit geologist....same hairdo...HA!!!!
aldude

climber
Monument Manor
Sep 25, 2009 - 05:08pm PT
Saw this on TCM the other night as well. Must disagree on Ford's performance as I found his character insufferable. Talk about climbing for the wrong reasons - if he were my partner I'd send him down with the crusty doctor - whiny, non-commital whatever kind of guy with nary a piece of essential gear. The chick was the star and without Ordway she probably would have summited. And Lloyd Bridges was excellent if slightly exaggerated and cliched as the nazi...reminded me of the uber climber and Clints' foil in the Eiger Sanction. ** 1/2 * !
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2009 - 05:49pm PT
aldude, loved your post.
Yeah, Glenn Ford wasn't my favorite either, it just wasn't his best acting. Whaddya mean climbing for the wrong reasons?

Lots of guys have climbed to get closer to...or further away from a skirt!! And what a nice skirt it was too.

The Nazi was awesome!!

I loved the writer and the guide though.
Messages 21 - 28 of total 28 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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