weezeralfalfa Not to be confused with the1951 western "Along the Great Divide" nor with the rather similar "The Adventures of the Wilderness Family", which came out the year before, with the same producer(Arthur Dubs) and director(Stewart Raffill) and same male lead((Robert Logan). I would say this film is more interesting than the prior film. It features a friendly runaway crooked gambler(Logan as Coop), being chased by an angry party. He encounters a couple of kids(perhaps 11y.o. Holly Smith and her perhaps 7y.o. brother Jason) said to be on their way to Oregon to claim a 400acre farm. Everyone seems woefully prepared to survive such a trek! Virtually nothing is said about food, through the film. They shot one deer, but had to give it up due to interference by a bear. This was the first of 3 life-threatening encounters with a grizzly. They are also attacked by a partially grown cougar and by a pack of howling wolves. Of course, they suffer minimal injuries, in ferocious-looking encounters. Don't know how they staged these? In between, there are various non-threatening encounters with wildlife, especially young animals. Their dog sometimes plays with them, including a herd of bison. At one point, they encounter a friendly Indian tribe and spend a night with them. They maneuver a canoe through some rapids, before ditching it. Now, they need horses again. They happen upon a group of trappers with some extra horses. They try to buy 2, but lack enough money for one. Thus, Coop suggests a card game. With trickery, he keeps winning, until they have enough money for the 2 horses. Unfortunately, the mountain men are sore losers, and are ready to dispatch Coop when Holly comes to the rescue.......In all, a great family picture especially for kids, who can identify with the kids in the film and be wowed by the animal encounters. The majestic mountain scenery and verdant foreground make for a relaxing environment between animal emergencies.

christophaskell Holly and Jason Smith (Heather Rattray and Mark Edward Hall, respectively) are a brother/sister combo out on the open trail. Trying to get to Oregon before their miserly uncle claims some land that is rightfully theirs, the kids run across a kind-hearted gambler, Zachariah Coop (Robert Logan). Although they get off to a rocky start, their relationship together grows out of necessity of their dependence on each other. They slowly learn to trust one another, and as a team make steady progress to Oregon. Director Raffill has directed quite a few of the outdoor, family adventure films as of late, and his love for nature shines through his lens. `Across the Great Divide' had a few gratuitous `fear for your life' moments, but definitely holds its own against other outdoor adventure films made in the 1970's. For viewers looking for films with good morals, this also has lessons learned out the wazoo. Rating: 25/40

flikflak In 1976, at the height of the John Denver phenomenon, all us college kids flocked to the theatres to see the awesome Rocky Mountain scenery. The story did not appeal nearly as much then, as it does now, watching my kids watch it. In midlife I have come to enjoy it in totality. The scenes (Utah and British Columbia) are breathtaking. The child actors are spunky and yet charming. Logan is inimitable in his mannerisms. After a while you are drawn into the situation as though you are part of it. Sit down with the kids or grandkids and enjoy it over and over.

gee-15 Plot: A professional gambler on the run stumbles across and eventually joins up with two orphaned children on their way to Oregon.Good stuff: The film has some amazing scenery and even more amazing scenes with animals. The performance by the actress playing the older sister is pretty good and there is some nice dramatic tension between her and Robert Logan's character. The card game between Logan and the horse traders was pretty amusing.Bad stuff: I thought the film ended rather abruptly. While there is a resolution of sorts, it would have been interesting if the film could have gone on for maybe another 15 minutes. In addition, Robert Logan seems far too pleasant to play the self-centered gambler character. Overall, not a great film, but one good enough to keep your attention and the attention of the kids.