These Thousand Hills

These Thousand Hills is a 1959 Western film starring Patricia Owens, Alfred Hayes and Richard Egan, a story that takes many surprising turns along its course, Don Murray as Lat Evans, a sheltered rancher brought up under the stern gaze of his Bible-thumping father. Lat heads off into the world intent upon making his fortune, and befriends Tom (Stuart Whitman) on the cattle-herding trail. Eventually his friendship with Tom is tested in the fire of... more

These Thousand Hills is a 1959 Western film starring Patricia Owens, Alfred Hayes and Richard Egan, a story that takes many surprising turns along its course, Don Murray as Lat Evans, a sheltered rancher brought up under the stern gaze of his Bible-thumping father. Lat heads off into the world intent upon making his fortune, and befriends Tom (Stuart Whitman) on the cattle-herding trail. Eventually his friendship with Tom is tested in the fire of his craving for wealth and respectability, and he spurns the devoted love of Callie, a dancehall girl (Lee Remick) from who borrows money to buy a ranch, in favor of a conservative society woman, Joyce (Patricia Owens). Ultimately, Lat is faced with a choice between his ambitions and his loyalty to his old friends. Albert Gallatin "Lat" Evans (Don Murray), an earnest young cowboy determined to better his situation, wins a job with a cattle drive by busting a wild horse. Befriended by cowhand Tom Ping (Stuart Whitman}, Lat fantasizes about... less