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Very Cool!!!

Perfectly adorable

Not even bad in a good way

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

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.

not sure this movie deserves the criticism above. innocent Disney-like rendering of a real-life incredible tale. also not sure that the ending was meant to convey that trapper committed suicide--listen carefully, and you'll hear that they never found a trace of him the next spring....i was led to believe (at least the kid in me was!) that he camouflaged his once-again escape.i purchased this movie after googling it for the theme song, which has been running in my head for *31 years.* got the film and found the tune was correct!!!! wish in real life the trapper had also died free (i guess he did so, in a way, but at the end of a rifle)....

This was on odd film. I liked the adventure of it though it seems to be aimed at children. (SPOILER AHEAD) Ironically, the main character murders a federal official. Then he's a fugitive on the run. They later blow up his house and then he finally commits suicide. Seems like they should have just made it a film for a more mature audience or made it more family friendly.This was on odd film. I liked the adventure of it though it seems to be aimed at children. (SPOILER AHEAD) Ironically, the main character murders a federal official. Then he's a fugitive on the run. They later blow up his house and then he finally commits suicide. Seems like they should have just made it a film for a more mature audience or made it more family friendly.

Director: Tay Garnett, Ford Beebe, Cast: Mike Mazurki, Vic Christy, Fritz Ford, Tay Garnett.Based on the number of comments I see on IMDb, this seems to be a forgotten movie. This seems rather ironic to me because it is actually one of the first movies that I remember. My mom took me and my little brother to see this film at The Garland theater in Spokane when it first came out in the mid 1970's and I still remember it.I am going by memory here but I believe this move is about a trapper who was accused of a crime which he did not commit and the law goes after him. I believe it to be set in 1800's Alaska. A narrator tells the story of the trapper played by Mike Mazurki. Really, this is a very good film with a great setting. It could be compared to the 1981 film Death Hunt with Charles Bronson. The two films have a very similar story line. The main difference between the two is Death Hunt is an adult orientated film whereas Challenge is a family friendly film. Mike Mazurki and Tay Garnett were both rather old when this movie was made which I find rather impressive when one considers that this movie was filmed on location in the wilds of Alaska. This was the last film made by Tay Garnett before he died which was just a few years later. They both had been around since the silent era.