Customer Reviews

The Far Horizons

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Released theatrically in 1954, "The Far Horizons" is an entertaining film about the Lewis and Clark expedition at the turn of the ninteenth century, a pivotal event in the history of the United States. I suspect that historians will roll their eyes at the "Hollywood" version of this famously long, arduous but important expedition that ultimately ensured that America would reach from "sea to sea". Personally I have no problem with actual events being "enhanced" for the entertainment, as well as the enlightenment, of an audience.

President Thomas Jefferson (avuncular Herbert Heyes) has just completed the massive Louisiana Purchase deal with Napoleon, greatly expanding the territory of the United States. However, this vast area now needs to be explored and mapped. The President decides that his loyal secretary, Meriwether Lewis (steadfast Fred MacMurray), is the man for the job, along with a soldier experienced in fighting Indians, William Clark (a driven, intense Charlton Heston). The Lewis/Clark partnership gets off to a rocky start since both men are in love with the same woman, Washington socialite, Julia Hancock (long-suffering Barbara Hale--Della Street on TV's "Perry Mason").

Fortunately, these necessary but rather dull opening scenes soon give way to the expedition itself, at which point the film remains consistently engrossing. Of course, this new territory is by no means uninhabited--many Native American tribes have long established themselves, and regard the coming of the "white man" with great suspicion, even outright hostility.
Clark, a veteran of various "Indian wars", has little patience or sympathy for these people. It is Lewis who must use all of his diplomatic skills to gain their trust, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. They meet the Shoshone maid, Sacajawea (lovely Donna Reed), a prisoner/slave of an enemy tribe. After a few "hurdles" are overcome, she agrees to serve as their guide--as it turns out, the trip would not have been successful, and they would not have survived without her. Her intelligence and beauty soon melt Clark's hard heart, and Lewis finds that he has the distraction of a romance on his hands, as well as more hostile tribes and natural disasters to contend with.

There are many scenes in this film which are gorgeous--the natural beauty of America's plains, rushing rivers, lush forests and snow-capped mountains more than compensate for the hardships that our intrepid explorers must endure.

The DVD is presented in widescreen format with outstanding colour--the sound is mono--don't look for extras.

"The Far Horizons" is a rousing adventure that the whole family can enjoy. Mr. MacMurray, Mr. Heston and Ms. Reed are all highly watchable stars, and kudos to Paramount for releasing this lovely disc.

Enjoyed seeing the movie "Far Horizons" again. Watched part of it filming in Jackson Hole country back in 1954. Nice to have it on DVD.

This movie is not worth your time. If you are hoping for an accurate portrayal of the amazing Lewis and Clark expedition and the courageous young Sacagawea, this is not for you. If you want to see Hollywood revisionism at its worst, then it is. To list some of the inaccuracies:

1) There was never any romantic love triangle between Lewis and Clark with Sacagewea. While they truly respected her and her help was invaluable, Sacagawea was a)married to the trapper Charbonneau b)pregnant when they met her and with a baby the rest of the trip and c) an actual Indian (Shoshone -- at least they got that right), not a blue-eyed Donna Reed in grease paint. Lewis and Clark were best friends before, during and after the expedition. There is no record of them ever even arguing with each other during this difficult trip.
2) The Indian ambush portrayed in the middle of the movie by the Mandan and the Hidatsa never happened. In fact, there were only two hostile actions from Indians during the trip. The first was a narrowly averted battle with the Teton Sioux who were known to demand tribute for travelers on the Missouri. The second was a brief clash with a group of Blackfoot Indians where two Blackfeet were killed. In fact only one American man was lost during the expedition and that was due to natural causes.
3) Charbonneau was not scheming with the Indians. He was a fairly well-liked cook and received a hefty payment of $500 when the expedition was over with. Sacagewea stayed with him for the rest of her life (most accounts place her death in 1812 although there is a legend that she lived to be 100 years old.) At Sacagawea's request, Clark did take and raise her son after the expedition but never had contact with her again that we know of.
4) Sacagawea did not speak English.
5) Sacagawea made no trip to the White House and never would have called it the "White House."

Why the writers felt they had to embroider this truly extraordinary trip is beyond me. Add this to a particularly dull plot and wooden acting by a cast of otherwise fine actors (even Charlton Heston couldn't save this one) and you have no reason at all to wast time or money on this dud.

Lewis and Clark are rolling in their graves at this movie. It bares almost no resemblance to the actual trip. It would take too long to list all the factual mistakes. In addition, 3 pretty good actors gave the worst performances of their careers. Watch this only if you want a good laugh.

Both my husband I have watched this DVD video and enjoyed it very much. It is much like the Lewis & Clark Expedition. I recommend it to anyone who likes westerns. We like to watch this type of movie over and over again.

We purchased this movie because it was based on the book "Sacajawea of the Shoshones" written by my grandmother Della Gould Emmons.

The company did a good job digitizing the original Movie and it is wonderful to have a copy on DVD for our children and grandchildren.

Thanks so much for offering this movie again.

It is quite interesting to view an old Hollywood version of the corps of discovery.
The historical truth is far from being respected, the Native Americans speak beautiful english, Lewis and Clark are rival lovers...still, the film is worth viewing if you want to compare the story line with that of the real trail blazer's story.

What a HOOT! For out and out Hollywood History at its best this is the film for you. Absolutely laughable from start to finish. We get blue eyed Donna Reed as Sacajawea gazing like a cow at at Charlton Heston as William Clark. "Oh Bill!", "Oh Janey!" they croon. (Nevermind that Sacajawea actually made the trip with her baby and husband.) The insanely ridiculous climax of this affair takes the form of an awkward love triangle...in the White House no less! Yes, Sacajawea, wearing a stunning powder blue leather outfit to offset her eyes, does a non-existant turn in Washington D.C. vying for the hand of "Bill". Throw in non-existent conflicts with Indians, a non-existent near-courtmarshall of William Clark and, I'm not making this up, a giant rope net slung across the Columbia River by "savages" in an effort to slow our intrepid heroes and you've got a whale of a tale. When I wasn't holding my sides in laughter I simply stared at this puppy in slack jawed wonder. A must see.

Apparently, the screenwriters thought an expedition that resulted in no battle casualties and no real fights with the indians was not sufficiently dramatic. So they larded the story up with romantic nonsense between Clark and Sacajawea (and a non-existent love triangle among Lewis, Clark and Julia "Judith" Hancock). For good measure, they threw in two pitched battles with indians. None of this ever took place.

I think the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition is exciting enough to be told accurately. Someone should develop a new movie of the Lewis and Clark expedition, one that tells the story straight.