A preface at the beginning of the film tells us that many of the world's tallest peaks were conquered by climbers by the mid 19th century. But one peak that hadn't been successfully scaled, with an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet, was the famed Matterhorn in Europe. Two mountaineering parties sought to be the first to the top in 1865. One party was an Italian group led by Jean Carrel (Luis Trenker); and the other party was a group of British adventurers led by Edward Whymper (Robert Douglas).
The arduous climb would require plenty of determination and skill. What's somewhat interesting about these two teams attempting to conquer the Matterhorn is how at first, they were more cooperative with one another. Then it became an intense competition, with both sides trying to beat the other. As the men struggled to reach the peak, their rivalry took on more nationalistic and political aims.
Luis Trenker, who plays Carrel, was an athletic climber who had appeared in an early German silent film version of the tale. Starting as a stunt man for the riskiest scenes, he quickly transitioned to acting, then later directing. As director, he was responsible for this remake in English; as well as a simultaneous remake called DER BERG RUFF (THE MOUNTAIN CALLS). The German remake is twenty minutes longer, and it can be found online, while the British release has been made available by the folks at Criterion.
The best parts of each film involve the on-location climbing, which of course, comes with breathtaking scenery. Mountaineering films became a popular fad for moviegoers to indulge in during the 1920s and 1930s. Some later films in this cycle were also made- namely, RKO's THE WHITE TOWER from 1950.
THE CHALLENGE contains a highly memorable sequence where the British party reaches the top first. They celebrate, causing heartbreak for the defeated Italians who weren't too far behind. As the British men start descending the Matterhorn, there is a problem with the ropes, and many of them fall to their deaths. It's a shocking and ironic thing to watch, with them suddenly plunging from the summit of their existence into the great depths below.
The arduous climb would require plenty of determination and skill. What's somewhat interesting about these two teams attempting to conquer the Matterhorn is how at first, they were more cooperative with one another. Then it became an intense competition, with both sides trying to beat the other. As the men struggled to reach the peak, their rivalry took on more nationalistic and political aims.
Luis Trenker, who plays Carrel, was an athletic climber who had appeared in an early German silent film version of the tale. Starting as a stunt man for the riskiest scenes, he quickly transitioned to acting, then later directing. As director, he was responsible for this remake in English; as well as a simultaneous remake called DER BERG RUFF (THE MOUNTAIN CALLS). The German remake is twenty minutes longer, and it can be found online, while the British release has been made available by the folks at Criterion.
The best parts of each film involve the on-location climbing, which of course, comes with breathtaking scenery. Mountaineering films became a popular fad for moviegoers to indulge in during the 1920s and 1930s. Some later films in this cycle were also made- namely, RKO's THE WHITE TOWER from 1950.
THE CHALLENGE contains a highly memorable sequence where the British party reaches the top first. They celebrate, causing heartbreak for the defeated Italians who weren't too far behind. As the British men start descending the Matterhorn, there is a problem with the ropes, and many of them fall to their deaths. It's a shocking and ironic thing to watch, with them suddenly plunging from the summit of their existence into the great depths below.