Just watched this obscure western on Netflix streaming. It stars Clint Walker as a former lawman with wife Martha Hyer and children buying a ranch in order to start a new life. But a bear threatens to make things hell for anyone crossing his path...This was quite a thrilling movie, in fact, I was surprised at how much gore there was for a movie made before the ratings system that went into effect a couple of years later. But there was also some good comic relief especially whenever Nancy Culp appeared with her big crush on Dan Haggerty and her singing "Beautiful Dreamer". Also, Keenan Wynn does his trademark bellowing whenever things don't get his way that I always found always made me laugh. He wants the land Walker owns but is more gentlemanly when trying to get it at least in the way he doesn't try to threaten him directly. And then there's Leo Gordon as a former associate of Walker's who ended up doing some jail time because of the latter's testimony against him for killing an innocent person. Really, all I'll say now is I highly recommend The Night of the Grizzly. P.S. I always like to cite whenever a player from my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life, appears in something else. Here, it's Ellen Corby who was the one Jimmy Stewart kissed on the cheek at the end of the run-on-the-bank sequence playing one of Walker's neighbors.

Just a few years after his successful run as Cheyenne Bodie, Clint Walker returns in all his hunky glory as a former lawman attempting to settle down to ranch life with wife Angela (Martha Hyer),two kids and an older niece Meg (Candy Moore). I thought it just a bit too gratuitous that the film makers would have him take his shirt off for the wood chopping scene but I guess the Sixties had their own way of demonstrating sex appeal on screen. I certainly wouldn't mess with a guy having a physique like that.

Most of the other reviews here are generally positive for the film as a family friendly movie experience, and though I agree, I couldn't help but notice that a lot of the situations and set ups seemed awkward and didn't flow very naturally. A case in point was the jump off the cliff by Cole (Walker) and his son Charlie (Kevin Brodie) when an early confrontation with Satan could have gone the wrong way. And the bear killing Sam (Don Haggerty) was probably uncalled for, I mean why mess with a potential romance for Miss Wilhelmina (Nancy Kulp) like that?

But the film had a few nice touches as well. I could be wrong but I don't think Clint Walker ever sang a song during the Cheyenne series run, and whoever came up with the drunken rooster idea deserves a drink on the house. The picture's depiction of family togetherness through good times and bad is a commendable one for present day, and might even have a teachable moment if it keeps just one youngster out there from getting skunked.

NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY is a fun traditional western with a few horror trappings. Amusingly enough, upon the release of THE REVENANT in cinemas early this year, a couple of TV channels took the opportunity to show other 'bear attack' movies, including GRIZZLY and CLAWS. I took the opportunity to watch this one, a film I'd never heard of previously.

What's refreshing is that from the very outset NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY is a well-mounted production with much to recommend it. It has plenty of fine cinematography and great colourful establishing shots of the western terrain. The characters are traditionally drawn (read: stereotyped) but the casting director draws in established talents (Jack Elam, Keenan Wynn) who give assured performances. And the hulking Clint Walker is an excellent choice for the lead, a man you have to believe can go up against a grizzly bear himself.

The bear action is quite limited, but that makes it more effective, and the bear himself is a believable performer. The other western staples, like romance and rivalry and of course more than a few fist fights, are present and correct here. NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY will never be the kind of movie to set the world on fire, but it certainly proves to be a fun little watch.