Western Union poster

1941·95 min·Released

Western Union

“A 20th Century-Fox Encore Hit !”

Western

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.

6.0(85 votes)

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Western Union (1941) - Opening Scene

Cast & Crew

Robert Young

Robert Young

Richard Blake

Randolph Scott

Randolph Scott

Vance Shaw

Dean Jagger

Dean Jagger

Edward Creighton

Virginia Gilmore

Virginia Gilmore

Sue Creighton

John Carradine

John Carradine

Doc Murdoch

Chill Wills

Chill Wills

Homer Kettle

Slim Summerville

Slim Summerville

Herman, called "Cookie"

Barton MacLane

Barton MacLane

Jack Slade

Russell Hicks

Russell Hicks

Provisional Governor

Victor Kilian

Victor Kilian

Charlie

Minor Watson

Minor Watson

Pat Grogan

George Chandler

George Chandler

Herb

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Wuchak

Written on 11/22/2020

_**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

Written on 4/16/2023

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.

Media

Western Union (1941) - Opening Scene

Western Union (1941) - Opening Scene