With an obvious lack of means ,actor Mark Stevens reveals himself a very good director ;set in Alaska ,the movie takes advantage of the splendid landscapes and even of the natives ' philosophy and wisdom (told by Martha Hyer ,rarely better).
This trite story of an ex-convict seeking revenge is given an effective treatment :the actor/director himself is excellent : he never cracks a smile, his cold face and his piercing eyes give the jitters ;he's determined to kill, even though it involves a child .
One only sees his "right" side in the first sequence .
The hero is a two-faced man,in every sense of the word :it takes all a little girl's tenderness and natural goodness to make him reveal his true colors ; the young actress ,never bland ,always moving,is superbly directed ;children are often difficult to handle without falling into the trap of sentimentality ,but Stevens brilliantly directed her : the scene when he tucks her in bed climaxes the film .As for the rest of the cast ,they rise to the occasion.
This trite story of an ex-convict seeking revenge is given an effective treatment :the actor/director himself is excellent : he never cracks a smile, his cold face and his piercing eyes give the jitters ;he's determined to kill, even though it involves a child .
One only sees his "right" side in the first sequence .
The hero is a two-faced man,in every sense of the word :it takes all a little girl's tenderness and natural goodness to make him reveal his true colors ; the young actress ,never bland ,always moving,is superbly directed ;children are often difficult to handle without falling into the trap of sentimentality ,but Stevens brilliantly directed her : the scene when he tucks her in bed climaxes the film .As for the rest of the cast ,they rise to the occasion.