MartinHafer While you might think that "Track of the Cat" is a western (as it's listed as one on IMDb), it really isn't despite its setting and look. Instead, it's more of a soap opera--a saga about a family that is sick to the core.The film begins on a lonely ranch in the mountains--somewhere like Colorado or Wyoming about 1900. On this ranch are three brothers--Curt, Arthur and Harold (Robert Mitchum, William Hopper and Tab Hunter respectively). They live with the rest of their family--the father a spineless drunk, the mother a stern and nasty sort whose bile spreads to those around her (Beulah Bondi) and Arthur's wife (Teresa Wright). A guest (Diana Lynn) is visiting and Harold is lovestruck over her.The home is disrupted when a mountain lion shows up and kills some cattle. Curt is determined to kill the animal--mostly to feed his ego. Arthur accompanies him on this task. However, when Arthur goes from hunter to the hunted, the true dynamics and sickness of the family becomes apparent through the course of the rest of the film. This is NOT a normal or healthy family, that's for sure! And, you also realize that the film really is a family saga that is at heart a soap opera--not a western. Now this isn't a complaint--just an observation about the genre to which this film should be identified. The locale and the mountain lion are just plot devices--the story is really about greed, the disintegration of a family and the decay of the soul.The film is very strange to say the least. While Robert Mitchum is the lead, he really isn't in the film all that much and he plays a very atypical and unlikable sort. And, for the most part, the rest of them play against type as well, though Bondi did occasionally play nasty old matriarchs--and she's mighty nasty here. A particularly strange casting decision was having Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer play Joe Sam--an ancient American Indian though he was only 26 and not even remotely Indian-like under all that makeup! Add to that the beautiful full color and location shoot, it's obviously NOT a typical film but something very unique. William Wellman did a good job with this one--and the film is quite memorable, if not always pleasant! It's also one of the more unpredictable films of the era that I've ever seen, that's for sure! It's FULL of metaphorical significance and is, like some pointed out, almost like an art film--and a lot like "A Lion in Winter"! Well worth seeing but intensely strange--and a film, believe it or not, produced by John Wayne's production company! Not for everyone, but I sure appreciated and enjoy it.

JLRMovieReviews Brothers Robert Mitchum and Tab Hunter are living way off the beaten path and, every winter, a certain panther starts killing their livestock and is never caught. This winter will be different. I'd like to give this movie the benefit of the doubt, as to what this philosophical drama may actually be trying to say, but this is basically a major disappointment, considering the talent of its stars, including Teresa Wright, Diana Lynn, "Alfafa" (as an Indian), and Beulah Bondi, who said this was her favorite role. I can see why, as her character is more interesting and complicated than her usual kind of motherly types. But that is all really of interest. If you catch a minute of this and are transfixed by its color photography of black and white, you'll find there's not much else to really see. The dialogue is tiresome, with the characters continually saying "That if the panther is black..." "If the panther is black...." "If the panther is black..." I do give it a '4', for some reason. I guess for its stars and intriguing ending, but this is a curiosity piece at best. I will say though, that the panther may be heard, but is never seen. I think it would have been more successful had it had more obvious action with a cat you could see and less talk, and "if the panther was black.". After reading other reviews, I do agree this was more of a mood piece, which centers on Tab's character growing up and standing up for himself. But, overall, you still leave the movie feeling somewhat bemused, let down, and on the whole, dissatisfied with it. "But if the panther was black..."

wes-connors Robert Mitchum (as Curt) stars as bullying, titular head of the arguing Bridges family, electing himself over both parents, and brothers Tab Hunter (as Hal) and William Hopper (as Arthur). In the dead of winter, the family is threatened by a marauding mountain lion; the animal must be destroyed before it eats the Bridges family. Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer (as "Chief" Joe Sam) is the Bridges' ranchhand; the mountain lion killed his entire family some years ago.This is an exceedingly slow-moving and pretentiously written "psychological drama". The direction (William A. Wellman ) and photography (William H. Clothier) might be its most interesting feature. The Bridges' home is decorated in blacks and whites, but shot in color; this highlights the actors' complexions, and an occasional symbolic item, like Mr. Mitchum's red jacket. Due to the "black and white in color" gimmick, or in spite of it, the film looks beautiful. But nothing can MOVE the "Track of the Cat" story, making the the film merely an interesting experiment. Beulah Bondi (as Ma) and Teresa Wright (as sister Grace) might fascinate fans. Surprisingly, Tab Hunter offers the film's leading performance; emerging as the film's focus. ***** Track of the Cat (11/27/54) William A. Wellman ~ Robert Mitchum, Tab Hunter, Teresa Wright, Beulah Bondi

size100 I found this movie very dreary, distracting, and slow going. Don't know if this was the intent of the production team, but if it was they succeeded admirably. Basically all it was to me was the very depressing story of an annoyingly dysfunctional family with seemingly very little else to offer the world --- not the kind of neighbors I would like near my ranch. Production-wise I did like Robert Mitchum's red coat and the movie did bring out the ultimate dreariness of wide open snow country. Some people like this sort of slow going, dysfunctional-family in the movies stuff. I generally don't, especially when the movie drags on as this movie does. Never thought I would place any Robert Mitchum or Teresa Wright (despite her relatively minor role) movie on my not-to-watch-again list of older movies, but that's where this film goes. One viewing is barely tolerable, any more would be just too taxing. I guess I'm not "sophisticated" enough. It's not why I watch movies. Blah!