In 1932 at the Alpine Club in London, Colonel Hugh Banning recounts a fatal expedition to the Matterhorn in Switzerland thirty years before in which a local guide fell and brought down an American climber, both tumbling to their deaths. Jeffrey Stevens, a chemist and the son of the American who fell is heading to visit his father's grave, but rejects any suggestion that he should climb the mountain. He meets an attractive pianist Marie who is returning home and the two hit it off. This provokes jealous from Hugo, the son of the guide who had died with Jeffrey's father decades before. Eventually Jeffrey is goaded into overcoming his fear of the mountain and taking part in a climb with Hugo, who tries to murder him at the summit.
Allen shot on location in Switzerland. He shot so much footage that he turned it into a documentary, Climbing the Matterhorn, which won an Oscar. He used color film from Ansco on the understanding that if the results were unsatisfactory the company could have the film back. However, the results were so good Ansco did a deal with Allen for him to use three films in color.[1]
References
^T. F. (Jun 1, 1947). "Big temblor staged for 'green dolphin, street' -- KKK expose -- addenda". New York Times. ProQuest107926088.
