Though the story here is rather formulaic, there's some interesting stuff going on that managed to keep me involved with the picture. First off was that salted pie scenario in which the Southern sympathizing station master had to eat crow AND the pie once Captain John Hayes (Randolph Scott) got involved. That took some intestinal fortitude but I'm sure it was a lot better than getting roughed up by the hero. Chalk one up for the Captain.
And say, I haven't seen this before - how good a shot would you have to be to shoot the holster off of somebody? Henchman Mace (Michael Pate) did it much to Hayes' surprise, so it at least tipped off the newly designated line boss of the Overland Stage Lines that he'd have some formidable opposition once things heated up. Running the show from his Palace Hotel, town boss Clay Putnam (Andrew Duggan) was somewhat different from your usual villain. He wanted to stop Union gold shipments from making it cross country to help fund the war effort, but he didn't want any bloodshed. Seems like a contradiction in terms, but it set up that unusual finale when he went after Mace.
Ordinarily I wouldn't have picked up on this observation, but recently I've caught a fair share of horror flicks, and it seemed to me that the interior of the Putnam home could have come straight off the set of a Hammer Film production. There was all that furnished elegance and the bright red upholstery of the couch and chairs looked like they might have come off one of the Frankenstein or Dracula sets. I know, it sounds a little goofy, but that's the first thing that crossed my mind when Norma (Virginia Mayo) invited Hayes inside.
Here's another thought, and I've seen this countless times in Westerns. I'm sure it's done for dramatic effect, but what would explain a horse drawn stagecoach from unhitching just as it's about to go over the side? Apart from saving wear and tear on your horses, it doesn't make sense that they wouldn't be pulled along in a stage wreck. I'm sure it has to do with the reason I mentioned, but it must have been some mess back in the day whenever it happened.
Well going in the story line sounded awful familiar to me so I had to check if I'd seen it before. Turns out there's a 1940 film called "Virginia City" with the same basic idea, but in that one it's the Union Cavalry attempting to stop the Rebs from shipping gold from Virginia City, Nevada east to Richmond. The Union captain is played by Errol Flynn, and it turns out he's matching wits with a resourceful Confederate officer portrayed by... Randolph Scott. In a head to head contest, the earlier picture is the better of the two.
One final thought. I never really noticed it before, but in this picture, depending on the scene, Andrew Duggan carries more than a passing resemblance to Kelsey Grammar.
And say, I haven't seen this before - how good a shot would you have to be to shoot the holster off of somebody? Henchman Mace (Michael Pate) did it much to Hayes' surprise, so it at least tipped off the newly designated line boss of the Overland Stage Lines that he'd have some formidable opposition once things heated up. Running the show from his Palace Hotel, town boss Clay Putnam (Andrew Duggan) was somewhat different from your usual villain. He wanted to stop Union gold shipments from making it cross country to help fund the war effort, but he didn't want any bloodshed. Seems like a contradiction in terms, but it set up that unusual finale when he went after Mace.
Ordinarily I wouldn't have picked up on this observation, but recently I've caught a fair share of horror flicks, and it seemed to me that the interior of the Putnam home could have come straight off the set of a Hammer Film production. There was all that furnished elegance and the bright red upholstery of the couch and chairs looked like they might have come off one of the Frankenstein or Dracula sets. I know, it sounds a little goofy, but that's the first thing that crossed my mind when Norma (Virginia Mayo) invited Hayes inside.
Here's another thought, and I've seen this countless times in Westerns. I'm sure it's done for dramatic effect, but what would explain a horse drawn stagecoach from unhitching just as it's about to go over the side? Apart from saving wear and tear on your horses, it doesn't make sense that they wouldn't be pulled along in a stage wreck. I'm sure it has to do with the reason I mentioned, but it must have been some mess back in the day whenever it happened.
Well going in the story line sounded awful familiar to me so I had to check if I'd seen it before. Turns out there's a 1940 film called "Virginia City" with the same basic idea, but in that one it's the Union Cavalry attempting to stop the Rebs from shipping gold from Virginia City, Nevada east to Richmond. The Union captain is played by Errol Flynn, and it turns out he's matching wits with a resourceful Confederate officer portrayed by... Randolph Scott. In a head to head contest, the earlier picture is the better of the two.
One final thought. I never really noticed it before, but in this picture, depending on the scene, Andrew Duggan carries more than a passing resemblance to Kelsey Grammar.