This film was the fifth of seven little "B" plus westerns that Randolph Scott and director Budd Boetticher made together between 1956-60. Five of the seven were made by Scott's own company Ranown and released by Columbia. "Westbound", released by Warner Brothers, departed from the Columbia westerns in that the story took place mostly in a town and not in the wide open spaces. It appears to have had a bigger budget as there is larger cast, more set pieces and more villains.
The time is 1864 during the American Civil War and Captain John Hayes (Scott) is assigned to be the line manager of the Overland Stage Company. His task is to expedite gold shipments east for the Union treasury by stagecoach. Unfortunately, there are southern sympathizers who will do any thing to stop the shipments and take the gold for the south.
On his way to Julesberg, Colorado, Hayes meets a young war amputee Rod Miller (Michael Dante) who introduces him to his wife Jeanie (Karen Steele). Hayes arrives in town only to find the Overland station closed. The former agent is Clay Putman (Andrew Duggan) who has acquired several properties and is a rich man with gunmen such as Mace (Michael Pate) and Russ (John Day) on his payroll. Putman has also married Hayes' former sweetheart Norma (Virginia Mayo).
Putnam wants to achieve his goal of stopping the gold shipments with little or no bloodshed. Mace on the other hand, is more in favor of the violent way of doing things. Hayes sets up the Miller ranch as a relay station to help the young couple gain confidence in light of Rod's handicap.
One night Russ and his gang raid the Miller Station to steal their horses. Rod is shot by Russ after being mistaken for Hayes. Putnam is outraged at the needless violence. Later, Mace and the gang chase down a coach causing it and its passengers, including a little girl, to plunge to their deaths over a steep hill.
Putnam fires Mace but Mace plans to continue his attacks with his ultimate gain of killing Hayes. Norma tells Putnam that she has had enough and plans to leave him. In a drunken rage, Putnam heads for town to stop Mace. Mace and his gang have begun their attack on Hayes when.....................................................
Some consider "Westbound" to be the weakest film in the Scott/Boetticher series. It does differ from the Ranown Columbia entries, but is still an enjoyable western nonetheless. After all Randolph Scott gets to have two leading ladies in this one. He is still a loner but is not strictly out for revenge as he was in the other films.
Karen Steele makes her second of three appearances in the series. She was after all director Budd's main squeeze at the time. Michael Dante's role is all too brief. Duggan is a respectable if not somewhat likable villain. Virginia Mayo's part is brief but she still looked good. Walter Reed, who was in "Seven Men From Now" (1956) plays the town doctor who comes to Scott's aid at the film's climax. Wally Brown as Stubby the stage driver and Walter Barnes as the stopover cook are others in the cast.
The time is 1864 during the American Civil War and Captain John Hayes (Scott) is assigned to be the line manager of the Overland Stage Company. His task is to expedite gold shipments east for the Union treasury by stagecoach. Unfortunately, there are southern sympathizers who will do any thing to stop the shipments and take the gold for the south.
On his way to Julesberg, Colorado, Hayes meets a young war amputee Rod Miller (Michael Dante) who introduces him to his wife Jeanie (Karen Steele). Hayes arrives in town only to find the Overland station closed. The former agent is Clay Putman (Andrew Duggan) who has acquired several properties and is a rich man with gunmen such as Mace (Michael Pate) and Russ (John Day) on his payroll. Putman has also married Hayes' former sweetheart Norma (Virginia Mayo).
Putnam wants to achieve his goal of stopping the gold shipments with little or no bloodshed. Mace on the other hand, is more in favor of the violent way of doing things. Hayes sets up the Miller ranch as a relay station to help the young couple gain confidence in light of Rod's handicap.
One night Russ and his gang raid the Miller Station to steal their horses. Rod is shot by Russ after being mistaken for Hayes. Putnam is outraged at the needless violence. Later, Mace and the gang chase down a coach causing it and its passengers, including a little girl, to plunge to their deaths over a steep hill.
Putnam fires Mace but Mace plans to continue his attacks with his ultimate gain of killing Hayes. Norma tells Putnam that she has had enough and plans to leave him. In a drunken rage, Putnam heads for town to stop Mace. Mace and his gang have begun their attack on Hayes when.....................................................
Some consider "Westbound" to be the weakest film in the Scott/Boetticher series. It does differ from the Ranown Columbia entries, but is still an enjoyable western nonetheless. After all Randolph Scott gets to have two leading ladies in this one. He is still a loner but is not strictly out for revenge as he was in the other films.
Karen Steele makes her second of three appearances in the series. She was after all director Budd's main squeeze at the time. Michael Dante's role is all too brief. Duggan is a respectable if not somewhat likable villain. Virginia Mayo's part is brief but she still looked good. Walter Reed, who was in "Seven Men From Now" (1956) plays the town doctor who comes to Scott's aid at the film's climax. Wally Brown as Stubby the stage driver and Walter Barnes as the stopover cook are others in the cast.