The White Tower (1950)

Best Quote:
-Its two bottles of Brandy. One for medicinal purposes, and one for celebration when we reach the top.
-What if you don't?
-Then for consolation.

This movie about a diverse group climbing a Swiss Mountain has been completely forgotten and that's too bad. There's some good Technicolor Alpine scenery, and tense action scenes - that had my palms sweating.   Of course, Glenn Ford,  Claude Rains, Lloyd Bridges, Alida Valli,  and Sir Cedric Hardwicke* do most of their talking on studio sets - not at 12,000 feet -  but the film does a good job of "keeping it real."  Plus Ford/Valli have good chemistry.  Negatives? While well-acted, we needed less symbolism and talk.**  The German character might as well been called Nietzsche!  Although, in fairness, there's an interesting conflict at the end.  Summary:  A well-done Glenn Ford action movie with a good ensemble cast, slowed down by some occasional tedious talk.  But well directed and beautifully photographed.

Notes/Spoilers
* =  While 60 y/o Rains and Hardwicke look good on a Movie Marquee, they wouldn't be my first choices for deadly mountain climb.
** =  Poor Claude Rains is stuck with a character that should have died a noble death. Perhaps sacrificing himself to save the others. Instead for symbolism sake, he kills himself to escape a nagging  wife! He deserved better.