WESTBOUND 1959
This western was produced by Warner Brothers and stars, Randolph Scott. The rest of the cast includes, Andrew Duggan, Virginia Mayo, Karen Steele, Michael Dante and Michael Pate.
The film, set in 1864 during the US Civil War, has Union Officer Scott being sent west to Colorado. Scott is to supervise the running of "The Overland Stage" company. The government uses the stage line to ship the gold from California needed to finance the war effort.
Needless to say there are some Confederate types out to disrupt the plan. The group is controlled by former Overland manager, Andrew Duggan. Duggan has a gang of most unsavoury types doing his dirty work. The gang is led by a top gun-hand, played by Michael Pate. Pate and his mob burn stage way stations, run off the stock etc. Also in the mix here is a former squeeze of Scott, Virginia Mayo. Mayo is now married to Duggan.
Getting involved with helping Scott set things up is one-armed Union veteran, Michael Dante, and his wife, the drop dead gorgeous, Karen Steele. There is a series back and forth raids on both camps horses etc. Matters really turn nasty when young Dante is killed by one of Pate's hired guns. Then, Pate and mob run a stage off a hill killing the passengers including a little girl, so they could grab the gold shipment.
Duggan is having second thoughts about Pate's methods. He wants to stop the gold shipments, but killing women and children is going too far. There is now a big showdown in the local burg between Scott and Pate's bunch. The townsfolk join in to help Scott. Duggan, Pate and the rest soon end up ready for Boot Hill.
This was the sixth of seven films made by Scott and director, Budd Boetticher. It is also only one not made by Scott and Harry Joe Brown's production company, Ranown. Scott it seemed owed Warner Brothers a film from an earlier contract and this was it. Boetticher volunteered to direct and Warner Bros agreed hoping to continue the box office streak of Scott and the director. At 72 minutes the film moves well enough, but is the weakest of the pair's collaborations.
The story is a bit shopworn and has all been seen before. The Miss Mayo part could have been left out and no one would have noticed. Michael Pate though is particularly good as the kill happy gunman. As for Karen Steele, this is one hot looking bit of womanhood.
The director of photography was the twice Oscar nominated, J. Peverell Marley. The talented Marley lensed films like, THE SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS, SUEZ, LIFE WITH FATHER, PRIDE OF THE MARINES, KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE and DRUM BEAT.
The score by David Buttolph is effective, with all the right flourishes in all the right places.
This western was produced by Warner Brothers and stars, Randolph Scott. The rest of the cast includes, Andrew Duggan, Virginia Mayo, Karen Steele, Michael Dante and Michael Pate.
The film, set in 1864 during the US Civil War, has Union Officer Scott being sent west to Colorado. Scott is to supervise the running of "The Overland Stage" company. The government uses the stage line to ship the gold from California needed to finance the war effort.
Needless to say there are some Confederate types out to disrupt the plan. The group is controlled by former Overland manager, Andrew Duggan. Duggan has a gang of most unsavoury types doing his dirty work. The gang is led by a top gun-hand, played by Michael Pate. Pate and his mob burn stage way stations, run off the stock etc. Also in the mix here is a former squeeze of Scott, Virginia Mayo. Mayo is now married to Duggan.
Getting involved with helping Scott set things up is one-armed Union veteran, Michael Dante, and his wife, the drop dead gorgeous, Karen Steele. There is a series back and forth raids on both camps horses etc. Matters really turn nasty when young Dante is killed by one of Pate's hired guns. Then, Pate and mob run a stage off a hill killing the passengers including a little girl, so they could grab the gold shipment.
Duggan is having second thoughts about Pate's methods. He wants to stop the gold shipments, but killing women and children is going too far. There is now a big showdown in the local burg between Scott and Pate's bunch. The townsfolk join in to help Scott. Duggan, Pate and the rest soon end up ready for Boot Hill.
This was the sixth of seven films made by Scott and director, Budd Boetticher. It is also only one not made by Scott and Harry Joe Brown's production company, Ranown. Scott it seemed owed Warner Brothers a film from an earlier contract and this was it. Boetticher volunteered to direct and Warner Bros agreed hoping to continue the box office streak of Scott and the director. At 72 minutes the film moves well enough, but is the weakest of the pair's collaborations.
The story is a bit shopworn and has all been seen before. The Miss Mayo part could have been left out and no one would have noticed. Michael Pate though is particularly good as the kill happy gunman. As for Karen Steele, this is one hot looking bit of womanhood.
The director of photography was the twice Oscar nominated, J. Peverell Marley. The talented Marley lensed films like, THE SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS, SUEZ, LIFE WITH FATHER, PRIDE OF THE MARINES, KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE and DRUM BEAT.
The score by David Buttolph is effective, with all the right flourishes in all the right places.