Canadian Pacific (1949)

A surveyor (Randolph Scott) for the Canadian Pacific Railway finds himself targeted by a group of fur trading backwoodsmen who fear the railroad will destroy their livelihood. The antagonism escalates to violence and killing. Directed by Edwin L. Marin, this colorful western was shot in the Cinecolor (which unlike Technicolor was a two strip process) by Fred Jackman Jr. and his lensing of the striking Canadian Rockies location in Alberta as well as British Columbia takes full advantage of the stunning locations. As for the film itself, it's fitfully entertaining if routine. The film does feature a rather unusual romantic triangle. Scott is torn between a pacifist doctor (Jane Wyatt) who believes in avoiding violence at any cost and a much younger fiery backwoods hellcat (Nancy Olson). I doubt there's much veracity to the film's account of the building of the railroad through to British Columbia but western fans should be content with the product. Dimitri Tiomkin does the rather subdued (for him) underscore. With J. Carrol Naish, Victor Jory and Don Haggerty.