IMDb RATING
6.7/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
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.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.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.
Chief John Big Tree
- Chief Spotted Horse
- (as Chief Big Tree)
C.E. Anderson
- Old Timer
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe first transcontinental telegraph (completed 10/24/1861 ) was a line that connected the existing network in the eastern US to a small network in California, by means of a link between Omaha (NE) and Carson City (NV)., via Salt Lake City. It was a milestone in electrical engineering and in the formation of the US. It was primarily the work of the newly founded (1851; merged with others in 1956) Western Union telegraph company.
- GoofsDuring the speeches before they start stringing the telegraph wires, all the flags are 48-star flags. There were only 35 states in the Union in 1861.
- Quotes
Doc Murdoch: Can you cook lamb?
Cookie: There are nine different ways to cook mutton. And I know them all!
Homer Kettle: Never mind that! Do you cook it with the hair on?
Cookie: I should say not!
Crowd: Hurray!
Homer Kettle: Then you're hired!
- ConnectionsEdited into Buffalo Bill (1944)
- SoundtracksGwine to Rune All Night
("De Camptown Races") (1850) (uncredited)
Written by Stephen Foster
Played as background music for the first scene in Omaha, Nebraska
Featured review
the second Fritz Lang western
The second of Fritz Lang's three westerns (after "The Return of Frank James" and before "Rancho Notorious").
This is one of those "company" westerns, showing history being made, or at least some version of history, as some big company struggled to connect the East and the West, this time by telegraph.
Within this style, I did enjoy DeMille's Union Pacific (1939) a bit more, although this one is very entertaining and has several things going on for it.
The scenery photography is stunning, taking advantage of the early Technicolor. Also, the central conflict, with a convincing Randolph Scott trying to escape his criminal past and the shadow of his brother, was pleasantly poignant, with a good final shoot-out. The movie has a good pace too, at least in its second half, with plenty of action.
On the minus side, although very competently-made, it is a bit by the numbers, with the usual comical relief characters, ridiculous Indians, and in general few surprises (other reviewers were surprised by the ending, but in this case I was expecting it).
This is certainly quite common in classic westerns, but the romance seems to be included out of duty more than because it's an integral part of the plot.
This is one of those "company" westerns, showing history being made, or at least some version of history, as some big company struggled to connect the East and the West, this time by telegraph.
Within this style, I did enjoy DeMille's Union Pacific (1939) a bit more, although this one is very entertaining and has several things going on for it.
The scenery photography is stunning, taking advantage of the early Technicolor. Also, the central conflict, with a convincing Randolph Scott trying to escape his criminal past and the shadow of his brother, was pleasantly poignant, with a good final shoot-out. The movie has a good pace too, at least in its second half, with plenty of action.
On the minus side, although very competently-made, it is a bit by the numbers, with the usual comical relief characters, ridiculous Indians, and in general few surprises (other reviewers were surprised by the ending, but in this case I was expecting it).
This is certainly quite common in classic westerns, but the romance seems to be included out of duty more than because it's an integral part of the plot.
helpful•30
- alv790
- Dec 27, 2020
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Zane Grey's Western Union
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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