North of the Great Divide

North of the Great Divide
Theatrical release poster
Directed byWilliam Witney
Written byEric Taylor
Produced byEdward J. White
StarringRoy Rogers
Penny Edwards
Gordon Jones
CinematographyJack A. Marta
Edited byTony Martinelli
Music byR. Dale Butts
Production
company
Distributed byRepublic Pictures
Release date
  • November 15, 1950 (1950-11-15)
Running time
67 Minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

North of the Great Divide is a 1950 American western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Penny Edwards and Gordon Jones.

Plot

An Indian tribe, the Osekas, in the north-west near the Canadian border has been depending on the yielding of salmon fish out of a nearby river for centuries. They smoke them so as to have enough food supplies for the rest of the year. They enjoy a good relationship with The Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Roy Rogers, one of their most important friends, leaves to join the Office of Indian Affairs so as to defend their way of life more easily.

Mr. Banning informs the head man of the Oseka village, Nogura, that he is going to build a salmon cannery in the vicinity next to the river. Nogura worries the cannery is going to take all the fish from the river and not enough will remain for them, but Banning assures him there are enough for everyone. Banning wants to hire the Osekas to work for him, Nogura explains that fishing during the salmon run and making supplies.

As feared, the traps designed to catch salmon installed by Banning's cannery (and one on the Canadian side) catch all the fish and leave none to the Osekas. When Nogura complains, Banning and his foreman, Stagg, suggests the Osekas move further north where they "won't be in anybody's way" and give up fishing for hunting.

Henry Gates, District Supervisor at the Office of Indian Affairs, receives notice from Ann Keith, the district nurse, that conditions in the Osekas' village have become terrible. He sends Roy Rogers to prevent the threat of violence. Gates feels that the Office of Indian Affairs may need to move the Osekas onto a reservation.

Rogers comes to the rescue with a herd of cattle which will prevent them from starving. With Ann Keith, he takes all the necessary measures to avoid the possible breakout of a local Indian war, the Osekas threatening to rob the cannery industry. The managers of the cannery will not hesitate to do anything to defend their interests and make as much money as possible out of it. The foreman even suggests murdering Rogers. Mr Banning's plan is however much more deceitful since he pretends to compromise, letting for example some of the fish go through for the Indians to catch them and even meeting them in an apparently friendly way. Banning insists the Osekas have been damaging the property of the Canadian cannery.

Things get worse when a Canadian Mountie is found dead. Nogura, having been seen taking salmon from traps, is suspected to be the murderer. This suits Stagg who is actually responsible for the murder. Stagg and Banning decide to murder Nogura to prevent him from providing evidence of Stagg's guilt. Fortunately their plans of murder are being overheard by one of Roy's friends who can tell him. Roy brings Nogura to deputy sheriff Hartley's custody for extradition to Canada, but plans to prove his innocence. He suggests Canada and the United States should cooperate to draft international laws should be put in place to protect the salmon, and ensure sufficient food for the Osekas.

The Osekas are angered by Nogura's imprisonment. They break into the jail house to get Nogura out, but the find Deputy Sheriff Hartley insured, and Nogura is missing.

Roy and his Indian friends manage to rescue Nogura, and take him to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to prove his innocence and reveal Banning and Stagg's wrongdoings. Banning and Stagg had schemed to destroy the Canadian cannery in order fulfill a huge contract and improve their earnings before any laws could be put in place to protect the salmon. During a failed attempt to burn down the Canadian cannery, Stagg had been seen by the Mountie, so he killed him. Stagg and his men had later attacked Hartley and captured Nogura in order to frame him for their destruction of the Canadian cannery. Just as the Mountie sergeant accepts that Nogura is innocent, the protagonists learn that Banning and Stagg are again attempting to set the Canadian cannery on fire. During a final shootout, the arson plan is foiled.

The films ends as the Oseka celebrate that the last of Banning's traps has been removed. Rogers announces that new international treaties to protect the salmon run will come into effect before the next season, ensuring that everyone will get their share.

Cast

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