The Walking Hills

Despite its setting in the desert sands of Death Valley, John Sturges’ The Walking Hills is a pretty cold film. Following ten characters from various backgrounds who join forces to hunt for a legendary wagon carrying $100 million in gold buried somewhere in the dunes, the film’s tension stems not from the treasure hunting but from the deceit and distrust among the group, which may include several murder suspects and at least one police detective. Tipped off to the location by young, naive Johnny (Jerome Courtland), who casually mentions that he tripped over a buried wagon just that morning, the group faces constant conflicts — both natural and criminal — that more than once threaten to end the mission. While technically leaderless, the group’s moral authority is cool-headed horse breeder Jim (Randolph Scott), who aims to keep the peace among his avaricious co-workers (John Ireland, Arthur Kennedy, Edgar Buchanon) amidst threats of violence, “accidental” injuries, brushes with death, an imposter transmitting Morse code via mirror reflection, and the only shovel duel to be found in noir (the symbolism of using the same tool to dig gold and kill each other isn’t exactly subtle). Ella Raines plays the former girlfriend of one of the searchers (William Bishop), who follows them into the dunes unbidden, and musician Josh White is on hand to serenade the men, especially at night beside the fire, with his soothing guitar and smooth ballads, a definite highlight. Cinematographer Lawton captures stunning vistas of the surrounding mountains, buttes, and mesas, except when the environs become engulfed in a violent sandstorm, while a flashback sequence recounted by an accidental murderer immerses us in deep noir territory as he flees the scene and hides in the shadows.