There's a legacy legacy to be captured by the son of the man who died trying to climb the Matterhorn to get to the Citadel, the highest point at that part of the Alps. James MacArthur intends to get there no matter what his uncle, James Donald, says. Rescuing the stranded Michael Rennie just makes MacArthur more determined, and soon a group of men (which includes the still grumbling uncle and guide Herbert Lom) are headed towards the summit.
As a Disney movie, the viewer will automatically expect sentiment, but fortunately for the most part that is absent. It does get a little corny when the film concentrates on some Swiss cultural aspects, a bit twee and sappy. But the climbing sequences are very intense, good photography and sets representing this majestic part of the world.
The film gets pretty frightening with some incidents that claustrophobic viewers will find painful to watch, and the music (as was frequently the case with Disney films) overly dramatic and dominating. Critics question some of the accuracy considering the time period but for simple adventure purposes, this does what it sets out to do. I wouldn't exactly call this one of Disney's more family friendly movies as it's very adult in tone, but for young people interested in the sport of mountain climbing, it's a must.
As a Disney movie, the viewer will automatically expect sentiment, but fortunately for the most part that is absent. It does get a little corny when the film concentrates on some Swiss cultural aspects, a bit twee and sappy. But the climbing sequences are very intense, good photography and sets representing this majestic part of the world.
The film gets pretty frightening with some incidents that claustrophobic viewers will find painful to watch, and the music (as was frequently the case with Disney films) overly dramatic and dominating. Critics question some of the accuracy considering the time period but for simple adventure purposes, this does what it sets out to do. I wouldn't exactly call this one of Disney's more family friendly movies as it's very adult in tone, but for young people interested in the sport of mountain climbing, it's a must.