Duello nella foresta

The skies of Montana are red because of forest fires and this film is about the men who jump into those fires to put them out. Red Skies Of Montana's main feature is the on location cinematography in Missoula, Montana in a national park of the smoke jumpers who go in from the air like paratroopers to contain and then extinguish forest fires.

Sad to say the film is tied to a rather pedestrian plot situation. Joe Sawyer who is a veteran smoke jumper is among many killed when they're caught in a fire that springs up and overwhelms the men of Richard Widmark's crew. Widmark is the only one who survives, he's rescued by head smoke jumper Richard Boone. Widmark is suffering burns and a bad case of amnesia as to what happened.

Of course there is an inquiry, but that does not satisfy young Jeffrey Hunter who is Sawyer's son and who believes Widmark personally culpable for Sawyer's death. That's the basis for the conflict in the film and if you're any kind of veteran film watcher you know how this will resolve itself.

But the incredible location cinematography done in color and with newsreel footage of men actually fighting the fires is the main feature of Red Skies Of Montana. Some of the best you'll ever see. I'm really surprised the Motion Picture Academy did not recognize this film for both editing and color cinematography.

To see a good film about some brave men who now include women in their ranks by all means see Red Skies Of Montana.