The Wild Country (1970)

A family (Steve Forrest, Vera Miles with Clint and Ron Howard as their sons) from Pennsylvania resettles in Wyoming hoping to make a go out of farming. But they must contend with both the elements and man, specifically the rancher (Morgan Woodward in the film's best performance) whose dam intentionally withholds the water from their land. Based on the novel LITTLE BRITCHES by Ralph Moody and directed by Robert Totten (THE QUICK AND THE DEAD). Since this is a Disney movie, the film espouses the usual wholesome family values but there's a strong element of violence that's unusual for a Disney film. There's nothing particularly noteworthy about the film but there are two sequences that stand out. A horse giving birth is handled very well and there's a well done tornado sequence, the more impressive considering there were no computer generated images used like there would be today. Young Ron Howard is a rather colorless actor, it's probably just as well that he turned to directing but still, he's far better than his younger brother Clint who is just awful here. The beautiful Wyoming locations are nicely rendered by Frank Phillips' cinematography. Robert F. Brunner is responsible for the derivative score (it sounds like watered down Jerome Moross). With Jack Elam in a rare good guy role, Frank DeKova, Dub Taylor and Karl Swenson.