American Cinematographer - May 1985 - 44

"

swered. And
me,

'The hell I do!"

was

what he

San Francisco! "

Nell

gasped. "Headed for San Fran¬
cisco? Did you find out what happened?"
"Like I said, I had all these for¬
malities about Ronnie to take care of people in au¬
thority can be awfuly exasperating. By the time I got
finished, it was too late to go to Calgary."
-

"Too late?" she cried. "What do you

mean?"
"I'd already gotten the word. Bert
longer in Calgary. Apparently they gave him the
story as he got in Edmonton. He was on his way to

was no
same

San Francisco."

Nell

clamped tight fingers

her
asked
him?"

across

eyes pressing back tears. After a few moments, she
in a choked voice, "Has anyone had word about

"No, ma'am. That's the last

any¬

body's heard of him."
Our energies were now directed to
finishing the remaining work and getting out. We set a
departure date and meeting it seemed a herculean task.
But that day finally came. Our
mounds of equipment were packed on a string of dog
sleds and we were ready to shove off.
Along with me in the sled were the
treasured cans of exposed film. White adhesive tape,
stuck across the face of each metal can, proclaimed
pertinent data of its contents. Also written in bold let¬
ters was

the film's title: Back to God's Country.
How well 1 realized these containers

the

only tangible evidence of our long weeks of
grueling effort. Carefully I checked that all were securely
tied in the sled; it was the umpteenth time I'd done so.
While waiting to take off, I turned
and gave a last look at the vast setting that had dealt us
serious blows. How serenely innocent it looked in the
morning light. That pristine white. That great silent calm
stretching unperturbed. How soon we had learned of its
overpowering strength, its still-voiced irrefutable mes¬
sage: "Obey my laws."
God's country?
I breathed an appreciative sigh.
The sleds started their swift gliding
and I buried my face in the fur of a shielding parka
against the wind.
The Edmonton, Dunvegan and Pa¬
cific train, jerking along on its narrow roadbed, hadn't
seemed this dingy, stale-smelling, nor depressingly
dreary on our trip up.
But for that matter, glancing about
at our bedraggled group, neither had we. It was difficult
to realize we were the excited people who gave way to
easy laughter in this same little train a short time before.
Bone-tired and hollow-eyed, we now sat glumly silent.
were

Nell's

stare was

fixed

endless miles of bleak frozen tundra

tensely on the
edging past the

murky-streaked windows. Now and then she'd heave
brisk sigh as though resenting the slow-moving pace.
42

American

Cinematographer

Though depleted with exhaustion, I
myself to lapse into horrendous doubts about
scenes I'd photographed. I rehashed the same ques¬

an¬

the train

pulled out, he yelled back at
'If that's the best they can tell me - I'm headin' for
as

allowed

the
tions I'd been

and

over

over:

How much static

electricity, do
had been generated in that intense cold?
An avalanche? Negatives literally
peppered with flicks of light? But I'd taken every precau¬
tion! Even so
it could happen
Supposing the tem¬
perature had caused the film to shrink? Now the per¬
forations could be damaged! But no way of knowing
until the film's developed - then it's too late! The film
would be-ripped to pieces in the printing process.
If only I'd had access to a lab. Now I
wasn't sure if I had anything at all!
I threw off the heavy mackinaw bur¬
dening me and passed a hand across the back of my
neck. At this point I wasn't sure I wanted to be a cam¬
eraman. The weight of responsibility that rests on that
man behind the camera hit me
squarely. After the ex¬
pense and incredible hardships, it all came down to one
important factor - the only thing to show for it was that
little strip of film! It'd better be right.
..

.

you suppose,

-

.

I leaned back

in

effort

steady my
steady clicking of the wheels.

seat

an

to

.

.

on

the hard-cushioned

nerves.

I listened

to

the

How many
How many

miles

to

miles to civilization?
Hollywood? How many miles to a

lab?
We hurried

through Edmonton, tak¬
ing time only to get rid of our grime and change to
regular clothing. Then we headed to Calgary with no
intention of dallying there either. If our schedule were
correct, we'd just have time to make a fast connection
out

of there

San Francisco.

to

Eight gaunt-looking men, all that re¬
and one handsome, courageous
woman, entered the railway station at Calgary. We
dropped our hand luggage in a heap and flopped on the
mained in

our

closest bench

Suddenly

we

troupe,

to

wait the short interval between trains.

heard Nell

cry out.

We followed her in¬

credulous gaze.
Across the waiting room, limping to¬
difficulty, but grinning his broadest - came
Bert Van Tuyle. He called proudly:
"I told Charlie Burkhart I'd be right
here to meet you when you headed back. Everywhere I
went, they wanted to cut off my feet, but I'd be damned

ward

us

with

if I'd let them!"
Nell rushed

to

his outstretched

arms.

He

wrapped her in a tight embrace; there was no hiding
their feelings now. He kissed her as she clung to him.
I smiled happily and glanced at the
about

Had this

surprise to
the immediate acceptance
in their eyes made it obvious they were men of under¬
standing and they'd remain tightlipped and loyal to Nell.
Besides, weren't we all just a little bit in love with her
men

me.

them? Whether it had

ourselves?

a

May 1985

or

romance come as a

not,
American Cinematographer - May 1985

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