With the Civil War about to begin, Southern saboteurs attack frontier railroad construction.With the Civil War about to begin, Southern saboteurs attack frontier railroad construction.With the Civil War about to begin, Southern saboteurs attack frontier railroad construction.
Robert Keys
- Lt. Stanton
- (as Bob Keys)
Lane Bradford
- Max - Henchman
- (uncredited)
Bill Coontz
- Henchman
- (uncredited)
Joe Garcio
- Henchman
- (uncredited)
Tommy Garland
- Heavy
- (uncredited)
Roy Gordon
- Gen. Winfield Scott
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWalter Mirisch of Allied Artists had Walter Wanger's name put on the picture as a producer, although he was in prison for shooting agent Jennings Lang, whom he believed to be having an affair with his wife, Joan Bennett. Wanger pled insanity and was sentenced to four months imprisonment, though he served only 98 days. Thanks to Mirisch, Wanger received a producer's billing, salary and profit participation.
- GoofsThe film is set in late 1860/early 1861 shortly before the outbreak of the American Civil War. The crew building the Kansas Pacific railroad is using dynamite for blasting. Dynamite was invented by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel in 1866.
- Quotes
Barbara Bruce: [resignedly] You're staying.
Cal Bruce: I guess old Smokestack's right this time. We've handled these diploma boys before, you know. He'll learn soon enough to stay out of our way.
Barbara Bruce: Well... alright. But you've got to promise me one thing. If this man turns out to be impossible, we're leaving. I'm not go to let anyone push you around.
Cal Bruce: Have you ever seen anyone push me around... except you and your mother?
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Sierra Number 3 Locomotive: A Star Is Reborn (2012)
Featured review
Pretty Good Western
On Civil War's eve, the Union pushes for completion of a railroad to the West, while the Confederacy works to prevent it.
Decent western that makes good us of its limited budget. The cannon duel is imaginative as heck and a good effect that avoids western cliché. Lots of familiar faces in supporting roles, especially MacLane, Hadley and Fowley. Since the plot concerns Civil War rivalries, the bad guys can't be too bad since they're fighting for the Southern cause. I like the way attention is paid to technicalities of railway building, which lends realistic atmosphere. Too bad they have to work in a romance that dangles like a needless appendage, but I guess that's commercial filmmaking
Something should be said for Sterling Hayden, always an interesting actor even if he hated the profession. Too gangly and taciturn to be a leading man, he's perfect for an action role like this. And who can forget his grim- faced attachment to his horses in The Asphalt Jungle (1950). It's an outward stoicism that still conveys unexpected feeling. Or his philosophical resignation upon leaving the airport in Kubrick's masterpiece The Killing (1956). By all accounts he was a fascinating man as well as an underrated actor.
Anyway, this is a nicely done outdoor western with a good cast.
Decent western that makes good us of its limited budget. The cannon duel is imaginative as heck and a good effect that avoids western cliché. Lots of familiar faces in supporting roles, especially MacLane, Hadley and Fowley. Since the plot concerns Civil War rivalries, the bad guys can't be too bad since they're fighting for the Southern cause. I like the way attention is paid to technicalities of railway building, which lends realistic atmosphere. Too bad they have to work in a romance that dangles like a needless appendage, but I guess that's commercial filmmaking
Something should be said for Sterling Hayden, always an interesting actor even if he hated the profession. Too gangly and taciturn to be a leading man, he's perfect for an action role like this. And who can forget his grim- faced attachment to his horses in The Asphalt Jungle (1950). It's an outward stoicism that still conveys unexpected feeling. Or his philosophical resignation upon leaving the airport in Kubrick's masterpiece The Killing (1956). By all accounts he was a fascinating man as well as an underrated actor.
Anyway, this is a nicely done outdoor western with a good cast.
helpful•60
- dougdoepke
- Feb 22, 2013
- How long is Kansas Pacific?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 13 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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