Western

Western Union

- A 20th Century-Fox Encore Hit !

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.

Release Date : 1941-02-21

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : 20th Century Fox

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Richard Blake

Original Name : Robert Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vance Shaw

Original Name : Randolph Scott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Edward Creighton

Original Name : Dean Jagger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sue Creighton

Original Name : Virginia Gilmore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doc Murdoch

Original Name : John Carradine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Homer Kettle

Original Name : Chill Wills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herman, called "Cookie"

Original Name : Slim Summerville

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jack Slade

Original Name : Barton MacLane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Provisional Governor

Original Name : Russell Hicks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie

Original Name : Victor Kilian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pat Grogan

Original Name : Minor Watson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herb

Original Name : George Chandler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chief Spotted Horse

Original Name : Chief John Big Tree

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian Leader

Original Name : Chief Thundercloud

Gender : Male

Character Name : Porky

Original Name : Dick Rich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Harlow

Original Name : Addison Richards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barber

Original Name : Irving Bacon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Old Timer

Original Name : C.E. Anderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woody

Original Name : Arthur Aylesworth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role

Original Name : Bill Beauman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Telegraph Worker

Original Name : Hank Bell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Esther Brodelet

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stagecoach Depot Master

Original Name : Paul E. Burns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Clarence Chorre

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Sonny Chorre

Gender : Male

Character Name : Telegraph Worker

Original Name : Bob Clark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sheriff

Original Name : Cliff Clark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Businessman

Original Name : Russ Clark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : Tommy Coats

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian Who Drinks Chemical Solution

Original Name : Iron Eyes Cody

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : J.W. Cody

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Bahe Denetdeel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Telegraph Worker

Original Name : Earl Dobbins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Larry Dods

Gender : Male

Character Name : Work Seeker

Original Name : Ralph Dunn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Camp Defender

Original Name : Frank Ellis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : John Epper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deputy Sheriff

Original Name : James Flavin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eastbound Stagecoach Driver

Original Name : Francis Ford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Tom B. Forman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role

Original Name : Jack Henry Fritz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Boone Hazlett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Slade Henchman #2

Original Name : Reed Howes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Sid Jordan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : Cecil Kellogg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Slade Henchman #3

Original Name : Tom London

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role

Original Name : Harold A. Malendez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Kermit Maynard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Frank McGrath

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stagecoach Rider

Original Name : Charles Middleton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Lucille Miller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Work Seeker

Original Name : Frank Mills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Joe Molina

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Merlyn Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Herman Nowlin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Office Boy

Original Name : Steve O'Brien

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stagecoach Driver

Original Name : George Plues

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : Clint Sharp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Jay Silverheels

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Joe P. Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : James P. Spencer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : Harry Strang

Gender : Male

Character Name : Indian

Original Name : Tony Urchel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stagecoach Driver #1

Original Name : Eddy Waller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : Ed Warren

Gender : Male

Character Name : Posse Rider

Original Name : Blackie Whiteford

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

_**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

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-04-16

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.