A man and his family (played by Clint Walker, Martha Hyer, Don Haggerty, among others) inherit a ranch in Wyoming, but find themselves facing problems from several sources: a dangerous grizzly bear, a wealthy landowner wanting the property (Keenan Wynn), that man’s disruptive sons (Ron Ely and Sammy Jackson), and someone connected to the past (Leo Gordon). “The Night of the Grizzly” (1966) was adapted from an unused script for Walker's earlier Western series, Cheyenne. Some viewers familiar with that show consider it a sort of unofficial final chapter, as Clint’s character frequently mentioned his desire to own a ranch. The film shares similarities in feel with “Shane,” featuring Ellen Corby and Nancy Kulp in the cast, but lacks some cinematic polish, likely due to its smaller budget and the direction of Joseph Pevney, who was known for directing well-regarded episodes of Star Trek like "Arena" and "The City on the Edge of Forever." This marked Pevney’s last theatrical film, though he continued working in television. While fans of traditional Westerns may dislike a somewhat sentimental quality that evokes Disney's take on the genre, those willing to accept this element will find plenty to enjoy, along with considerable action sequences including fistfights, gun battles, knife fights and very brutal bear attacks. It’s true that the bear’s violence is exaggerated, but savage bear assaults did occur in the Old West; for example, three cowboys were killed near the San Benito Ranch outside Hollister, California (south of the Bay Area) in 1870, with one victim being decapitated (!). Despite the chaos, the film has a genuine warmth and is enhanced by Walker’s portrayal of strength. At one point, he tells his love interest: “Angie, there ain’t a man alive that doesn't have trouble. How he handles that trouble is what counts. In every man's life there’s a Cass or a Satan, one kind or another, trying to whip him, beat him down, destroy him. He can't run away from it. He's got to stand strong and fight! Whatever it is, he's got to fight! That’s how God made a man.” The movie has a running time of 1 hour and 41 minutes and was filmed in the San Bernardino National Forest at Holcomb Valley north of Big Bear Lake, as well as Big Bear Valley, east of the lake. Studio work took place at Paramount Studios. Jack Elam also appears in the cast. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB