Very best movie i ever watch

Good concept, poorly executed.

Better Late Then Never

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I simply love this movie and have seen it many times over the years. Challenge To Be Free is one of the best titles of the wilderness adventure movies genre and is a film that's overflowing with gritty and rustic characters, exciting animal interactions and many breath-taking vistas; all of which adds up to one incredibly entertaining and rousing adventure film. The lead character "Trapper" is charismatically played by veteran supporting actor Mike Mazurki, a huge, hulking, rough-looking fellow of Polish decent, who's distinctively coarse and craggy mug adds much to the credibility of his character. In fact so much so that it's absolutely impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. Upon first viewing if there's one thing you'll notice about Trapper is that for someone well into his 60's, he sure could still get around and as you'll see in his adventures he goes ALL OVER the Yukon. The main antagonist is a fellow outdoorsman and fur-trapper, a guy by the name of "Frenchy" and in light of their often hilarious encounters he and Trapper share together (and because of his name), FRENCHY is one of my all-time favorite movie villains. Watch out for those snares Frenchy! Watch with glee during the scene near the end, were Trapper gives Frenchy a cold-shave with his hatchet, while hanging upside from yet another of Trappers snares. The first 25 minutes of the film play out like a very wholesome Disney-ish wilderness flick, constantly showing Trapper interacting with his animal friends and showing off his general "love for the land". It's when Frenchy enters the fray that thing's go bad for Trapper, specifically, a trap-line dispute is what ultimately gets the law involved. Two deputies are dispatched to Trappers cabin and due to stupidity on the part of "Officer Cabot" a hot-tempered rookie, his rifle discharges, prompting Trapper to blindly return fire through the cabin door "What about Cabot? - He's dead, he was hit in the head and chest with both barrels of buckshot - he was blasted 12 feet". It's this fateful encounter that forces Trapper to go on the run and an epic chase/cat-and-mouse game begins. "To become the longest of it's kind in history", says the narrator. That reminds me, the movie is narrated from start to finish by another veteran actor, John McIntire. After watching the film I think you'll agree McIntire proved to be the -perfect- choice for narrator. He's every bit as good in this, as Waylon Jennings was in The Dukes of Hazzard. Both were first-class narrators with the "perfect voice".The chase is a long drawn-out affair, Trapper is pursued by a dog-sled propelled posse of about 10 men, led "Backtrack Kelly" and Frenchy. Trapper manages to out-run and out-smart them the entire way, him and his pet wolf "Old Timer" for this epic journey is indeed THEIR challenge to be free. Special mention of Trappers laugh must be made, he belly-laughs with the best of them and he laughs or rather bellows a LOT, a most memorable laugh.Filmed on location in the Yukon territory on what looks like a pretty modest budget, yet at the end of the day, it doesn't under-funded, nor does it look lavish. This feature whether it's on VHS or DVD is always presented in the 1.33.1 full-screen ratio, the telecasts too. If it exists, I'd kill to see a wide-screen print of this, that and in these modern times, seeing it at long last in 1080p HD would be particularly schweet.And lastly... to any uptight parental hero's or moral crusader's out there, -Challenge To Be Free- is certainly suitable for any age group. Indeed it's a very wholesome feature, suitable for the easily offended crowd.

I condemn the tone of this film. At every turn, it seems the writers; Anne Bosworth, Chuck D. Keen felt it necessary to drill it into our heads that the pursuit of this gentle man was necessary and warranted. I'm wondering if it escaped any viewer's attention, the fact that Trapper was completely innocent (first shot, which wounded McIntire, was from a misfire from his over-zealous partner's gun. The second shot, which killed the over-zealous cop, was in self-defense). Who, in their right mind, would start firing into a house (or cabin), because of a theft report?I am appalled that McIntire was hired to narrate the story, and was actually paid to recount the murder of an innocent man. In the context of the slew of shooting deaths by police, recently, in many areas of the U.S., Trapper's story is a warning of what could happen if we do not change our priorities, and restore our rights as citizens.Shooting someone in the back is NEVER legal...ESPECIALLY when it is done by those who are sworn to serve and protect. This film is a story of a travesty, sugar-coated to seem legitimate. Mr. McIntire should be ashamed of himself.., and should be arrested.It was great to see Mazurki as Trapper, though. Trapper seemed a righteous man.

Like a lot of reviewers here I saw this as a boy. I was sick from school for about a week & watched this on HBO probably 50 times that week. I loved it and always wondered if it was a true story. This movie is mostly narration with a lot of animal interaction. It does have a Disney feel to it. Now at 42 years old (I saw this when I was about 11) it is a little dated but my wife & I were looking for movie on Encore and I saw this. She had never seen it and enjoyed it as much as me and felt sorry for Trapper & Old Timer. It had been 30 yrs since I saw this & the theme song has always been in my mind (even if its outdated by today's standards). Not sure if our kids would like this or not. I'm going to burn it to DVD since this movie is not available. For those interested in the real story look up The Mad Trapper on wiki. Glad to be reacquainted with this movie, Trapper & Old Timer.

This is an excellent true story, one of the gems of mountain man folklore, set in 1930's Northern Canada. The story of Canada's most famous northern manhunt, the Mad Trapper of Rat River and his running gun battle with the R.C.M.P. in the winter of 1931-32.The Mad Trapper was thought to be named Albert Johnson, complaints were received about Johnson tampering with people's traps. When the Mounties were sent to investigate one was shot and wounded in an exchange of fire. They withdrew for help and later returned to the isolated cabin with a nine man posse and 20 pounds of dynamite. Meanwhile Johnston had reinforced the cabin and dug a pit under the floor. When the Mounties threw the dynamite at the cabin it blew the cabin apart, but when they went in expecting to find a dead or wounded Johnston he fought them off.The Mounties withdrew again, and later when they returned to the cabin they found it abandoned. After a long search of the area, they ran into Johnston again, but one of the Mounties was shot dead in the exchange and Johnston managed to slip away.The Mounties could not catch Johnston so they called in aerial surveillance. The plane picked up Johnstons trail and directed the Mounties to his location. The outcome of the ensuing gunfight was left a mystery, did he get away. Nobody knows.This Mike Mazurki version is a rather sterile version, of the story. Made in a style akin to an early Walt Disney movie. It's still a passable enough version of the mystery of the "Mad Trapper". Though maybe it dwells a bit much on the large animal cast.It definitely invites a remake. It was called Death Hunt (1981).