Red Skies of Montana (1952)

Directed by Joseph M Newman; produced by Samuel G Engel

A team of fire-fighters, dropped into the woods of Montana to contain a small blaze, are overwhelmed when the fire suddenly enlarges, all but their leader, Cliff Mason (Richard Widmark) being killed. As he recovers from his harrowing experience – the climax of which he can’t remember – Mason must grapple with his shattered confidence and the possibility that his actions led to the deaths of his comrades.

An exciting adventure of men whose routine is routinely dangerous, Red Skies of Montana benefits from Widmark, a fine and versatile actor. Only five years - but ten movies - separate this performance from his debut as the psychopathic Tommy Udo in Kiss of Death, but it shows how different the characters are that Widmark played. Though other actors are given screen-time, it is he who anchors the film.

Richard Boone, as the ‘smoke-jumper’ department’s supervisor, and Jeffrey Hunter, as a young firemen and the son of another, do well, too, though neither is indispensable in his rôle. Constance Smith, reputedly brought from Britain for her part, was, hopefully, paid well; her performance is good but unnecessary, as the character – Mason’s wife - had little point, and not much more to do. Of more interest may be Charles Bronson and Richard Crenna in uncredited small bits as fire-fighters.

The story is satisfactory. It includes a suspicion by young Ed Miller (Hunter) that his father died as a result of Mason’s panic, and subsequent abandonment of his team. This does lend tension to the story, and a confrontation which, in its aftermath, allows for an important revelation. Nonetheless, it is rather melodramatic, and could have been left out of the story without harm or much re-writing. On the other hand, it does no damage, and does not feel contrived.

The direction is commendable. Newman, who would direct the well-known science fiction movie This Island Earth, successfully incorporates footage of genuine fires and creates enough realism to make a viewer wonder if part of a forest was actually burned for some scenes.

One interesting aspect is the technology used by the fire-fighters. Clearly, this reflects the real-life work of the ‘smoke-jumpers’ as it was at the time. Little is specifically pointed out; most is shown to the viewer as a normal part of the firemen’s work, yet allows for good insight into what they did and how.

Some of the technology is very dated. While it may cause amusement to modern audiences (Mason uses a walkie-talkie the size of a small Yule log, and his boss catches the team’s attention by flying over them and hailing them with a loud-speaker), it was state-of-the-art then, and, after all, one must walk before one runs.

While some improvements could have been made, Red Skies of Montana is an enjoyable adventure story, with a suitably exciting climax.