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Track
of the Cat "Track of the Cat" and images © Warner Brothers and Warner Home Video 
Alfalfa, as ancient Indian Joe Sam (yes, that's really him in the foreground), helps bury one of the Bridges brothers. This is not what you would call a feel-good movie. It chronicles the dysfunctional Bridges family, enduring an isolated existence high up in what looks to be the Sierra Mountains. Robert Mitchum, William Hopper, and Tab Hunter portray the Bridges brothers; Teresa Wright plays the lone Bridges sister. 
  Clockwise, from upper left: Robert Mitchum as the boorish Curt Bridges; William Hopper, better known as Paul Drake from the Perry Mason Show; Teresa "Pride of the Yankees" Wright and Tab Hunter as the Bridges sister and youngest brother; and Beulah Bondi as the family matriarch. Bondi portrayed Jimmy Stewart's mother in "It's a Wonderful Life", which also featured Alfalfa in perhaps his most well- known post-Rascals role. 
 Alfalfa, in his most unusual grownup role, plays a taciturn, mysterious Indian named Joe Sam. Joe Sam's exact age is not known, but the Bridges family estimates that he must be at least 100 years old, based on the historical events he claims to have witnessed. The Bridges family is dominated by the boorish, caustic Mitchum, who regularly roughs up Joe Sam and insults just about everybody within earshot. The animal named in the film's title is a black panther, never seen by the viewer except for its tracks in the snow. The animal has earned a mythic, almost allegorical status in the Bridges' world. Joe Sam in particular keeps the legend alive with his cryptic references to the power of the panther, especially when he tells of how his wife and daughter were killed by an identical kind of animal years back. 
 Alfalfa checks for snow and consults with Tab Hunter. Soon enough, middle brother William Hopper is killed while roaming the snowy landscape, and it is discovered that he was the victim of a large cat soon after his body is returned to the Bridges home. Robert Mitchum was with Hopper when he was killed; he piles his dead brother's body on one of the family's horses, and orders the animal to bring the body back (sort of a "homing horse"). Mitchum remains stranded on the same mountain, and although he struggles mightily to survive and find proper shelter, he too is found dead after Joe Sam and the Tab Hunter brother (Harold) conduct a search. After Mitchum's body is found and prepared for transport back to the Bridges place, Harold and Joe Sam hear the growling of the panther in the distance. Harold shoots the animal dead, thereby shedding his reputation as the "weak" brother and assuming his place as nominal head of the family—especially since both of his older brothers are now dead. Indeed, Joe Sam tells Harold near the film's conclusion that "You boss man, now". 
Alfalfa warms up by the fire while the Bridges family bickers about his true age. "Track of the Cat" was directed by William"Wild Bill" Wellman, who also directed two John Wayne airplane-disaster films featuring Alfalfa in small roles: "High and the Mighty" and "Island In the Sky". In "Cat", Wellman employed an unusual visual technique which was developed by cinematographer William Clothier. Dubbed "colorless" color photography, it was characterized by stark, silvery visions of the snowy landscape marked by shades of dark grays and muted reds. In contrast to the sweeping, naturalistic images of the Sierras seen during the mountain sequences, Wellman seemingly made no effort to conceal the fact that the exterior scenes depicting the Bridges family compound were shot on a sound stage. The hollow, echo-ey quality of the actors' dialogue in these sequences is quite discomfiting. 
 Other than his connection to Wellman via "Island In the Sky" and "High and the Mighty"—released in 1953 and 1954, respectively— it is not known why Alfalfa was cast in the role of Joe Sam. Certainly, he must have jumped at the opportunity it gave him to expand his acting horizons. 4alfalfa.com will be trying to collect more information on the circumstances surrounding this role; we invite anyone who has such information to share it with 4alfalfa.com and Alfalfa's many fans. We have a feeling it is an interesting story.  A good shot of Alfalfa as Joe Sam. As for his performance, Alfalfa's dialogue is limited to mainly monosyllabic grunts and shorthand sentences, such as "Not cold", "You want I go?", and "Snow come...much snow". He is unrecognizable as the (presumed) centenarian, and affects a gravelly, clipped speech to match the role. Throughout the film, his character is required to withstand verbal (and sometimes physical) abuse, especially at the hands of the sadistic, arrogant Mitchum. Only the William Hopper character (who is killed early on) and Tab Hunter as the youngest Bridges brother Harold, show any true kindess to Joe Sam. Appropriately, Joe Sam is with Harold when the panther is gunned down and it is obvious that Harold will now assume the mantel of family leader, not only by default, but by deed. 
 Click left image to enlarge. "Track of the Cat" is a very challenging film. The Bridges family bickers almost constantly; much of their venom concerns Harold's fiancee (played by Diana Lynn), whose morals are called into question by the Bridges' matriarch (Beulah Bondi). This family dysfunctionality, combined with the film's unusual art direction, mystical allegorical references, and ponderous pacing, make "Track of the Cat" primarily suitable for serious students of film only. 
Opening credits for "Track of the Cat" 
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