Western Union

Western
Overview : When Edward Creighton leads the construction of the Western Union to unite East with West, he hires a Western reformed outlaw and a tenderfoot Eastern surveyor. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation in 2000.
Budget : Na
language : en
Runtime : 95 min
Release Date : 1941-02-21
Imdb ID : tt0034384
Status : Released

Cast

Robert Young
Richard Blake

Randolph Scott
Vance Shaw

Dean Jagger
Edward Creighton

Virginia Gilmore
Sue Creighton

John Carradine
Doc Murdoch

Chill Wills
Homer Kettle

Slim Summerville
Herman, called "Cookie"

Barton MacLane
Jack Slade

Russell Hicks
Provisional Governor

Victor Kilian
Charlie

Minor Watson
Pat Grogan

George Chandler
Herb

Chief John Big Tree
Chief Spotted Horse

Chief Thundercloud
Indian Leader

Dick Rich
Porky

Addison Richards
Captain Harlow

Irving Bacon
Barber

C.E. Anderson
Old Timer

Arthur Aylesworth
Woody

Bill Beauman
Minor Role

Hank Bell
Telegraph Worker

Esther Brodelet
Dancer

Paul E. Burns
Stagecoach Depot Master

Clarence Chorre
Indian

Sonny Chorre
Indian

Bob Clark
Telegraph Worker

Cliff Clark
Sheriff

Russ Clark
Businessman

Tommy Coats
Henchman

Iron Eyes Cody
Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution

J.W. Cody
Indian

Bahe Denetdeel
Indian

Earl Dobbins
Telegraph Worker

Larry Dods
Posse Rider

Ralph Dunn
Work Seeker

Frank Ellis
Camp Defender

John Epper
Indian

James Flavin
Deputy Sheriff

Francis Ford
Eastbound Stagecoach Driver

Tom B. Forman
Posse Rider

Jack Henry Fritz
Minor Role

Boone Hazlett
Indian

Reed Howes
Slade Henchman #2

Sid Jordan
Posse Rider

Cecil Kellogg
Henchman

Tom London
Slade Henchman #3

Harold A. Malendez
Minor Role

Kermit Maynard
Posse Rider

Frank McGrath
Posse Rider

Charles Middleton
Stagecoach Rider

Lucille Miller
Dancer

Frank Mills
Work Seeker

Joe Molina
Indian

Merlyn Nelson
Posse Rider

Herman Nowlin
Posse Rider

Steve O'Brien
Office Boy

George Plues
Stagecoach Driver

Clint Sharp
Henchman

Jay Silverheels
Indian

Joe P. Smith
Indian

James P. Spencer
Indian

Harry Strang
Henchman

Tony Urchel
Indian

Eddy Waller
Stagecoach Driver #1

Ed Warren
Henchman

Blackie Whiteford
Posse Rider

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Reviews

Wuchak
_**Adventures while setting up the telegraph line on the Great Plains**_ As the Civil War breaks out in 1861, a former outlaw (Randolph Scott) joins the team wiring what is now Nebraska and Wyoming for telegraph service. Dean Jagger plays the executive of the project while Robert Young is on hand as a “tenderfoot” from back East. Meanwhile Virginia Gilmore plays the potential romantic interest of the good-badman (Scott) and the heroic newcomer (Young). Directed by Fritz Lang and based on the Zane Grey book, "Western Union" (1941) was a pretty big Western in its day and effectively mixes intrigue, action, romance and comedy. While Barton MacLane’s villainy as Jack Slade is too silent movie-ish and the geography is disingenuous, this ranks with the better Western epics of its era. The color and cinematography are wonderful and the AmerIndians are depicted in a non-cheesy, authentic manner. The film runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in Utah (Zion National Park & Kanab), Arizona (House Rock Canyon, Arizona) and 20th Century Fox Studios, Century City, Los Angeles. GRADE: B
Geronimo1967
I wonder if Fritz Lang had these three imposed on him by the studio system or whether he chose them? Anyway, sadly the folks we have leading this interesting, pioneering, adventure don't really manage to raise the film from a rather procedural mediocrity - despite this being quite a fascinating story of determination and diplomacy. We start with "Shaw" (Randolph Scott) discovering the injured "Creighton" (Dean Jagger) whilst someone is being pursued by a posse. He helps the man to a nearby house where he abandons him to the well meaning folks who help him recover. It turns out that "Creighton" is a Western Union surveyor sent by the company to plan for the coming of the telegraph. Skip on a while and the two are reunited on the construction project, alongside the ostensibly more sophisticated "Blake" (Robert Young) with the two men soon vying for the affections of "Sue Creighton" (Virginia Gilmore) to bring a little (completely unnecessary) love triangle to this story. As the work proceeds, the men encounter hostiles, betrayal and even some subterfuge from aggrieved confederate soldiers - all whilst suspecting that "Slade" (Barton MacLane) is pulling the strings. The photography is impressive and the Zane Grey novel, like most of his work, is an exciting boys-own type of tale that adapts well to the screen with horse-chases, shoot-outs and a well shot conflagration at the end. It's just the actors. Scott is passable but the other two just don't cut it, I'm afraid. Pity, it could have been much better. As it is, it's still easy enough to watch, though.

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