JohnHowardReid "Union Pacific" certainly starts off promisingly. Just in the first ten minutes DeMille presents a parade of character actors, extensive and expensive enough to furnish an entire Monogram movie. Unfortunately, things then settle down a bit whilst those two veteran scene-chewers Akim Tamiroff and Lynne Overman slowly masticate their way center stage. Wordy old J.M. Kerrigan doesn't help either. But interest perks up with that splendidly staged and photographed stunt which introduces Joel McCrea on to the train. The script is episodic and sprawling. We don't necessarily object to that, but what we don't like is that the big action climax (the Indians wrecking the train with the water tower) is followed by at least a half-hour more of further adventures (some of them exciting enough, it's true).What's worse is that the director muffs a number of splendid opportunities. The long-awaited climactic shoot-out for instance turns out to be a bit of a dud (and plot-wise it's just too pat and too convenient). Another example, is the wrecking of Donlevy's saloon, with most of the destruction taking place off-camera (though this economy is still reasonably effective). Despite these minor gripes and a number of technical shortcomings (such as the extensive use of the process screen, sometimes adroit, sometimes clumsily obvious), Union Pacific is most spectacularly staged. Not only is it full of action but has many scenes that work extremely well, both dramatically and cinematically. For example, the episode in which McCrea hunts for the stolen mail- bag in Stanwyck's car. The numerous camera set-ups and equally effective rapid cuts build tension up very nicely and make a great contrast with other scenes that are filmed in a single take. Yes, DeMille's direction is often at its most masterly and authoritative. He is particularly well served by his cast. The principals are agreeably sympathetic (though Miss Stanwyck's bogus Irish accent is a bit of a pain, and she is none too flatteringly photographed and costumed). The support cast headed by Donlevy is one of the best DeMille ever assembled. So wonderful in fact that DeMille can afford to waste top players like Charles Stevens and Lon Chaney Jr in single, fleeting shots. (Yet by the humble standards of his usual walking from right to left roles as railway porters, Sam McDaniel has a decent role for once as a waiter, with even one or two lines). As for Anthony Quinn, although he does play second fiddle to Donlevy's second henchman, Harry Woods (excluding Robert Preston of course who is actually a partner), he does have a great fade-out when he attempts to draw a pistol on McCrea in an early scene. Oddly but most effectively, Donlevy's number one cohort is Fuzzy Knight, usually cast in comic roles but here delightfully dangerous and sinister as a villain. We were also impressed by Sheila Darcy as Donlevy's moll. We could go on listing left, right and center, but will sign off with Henry Kolker, the best of all, who manages through sheer charm not only to make his perfidy acceptable but downright entertaining. He delivers his lines with a winning snakiness that is only rivaled by Wallace Beery at his Long John Silver best.Some unsung hero has contributed breathtaking 2nd unit photography. Love the payroll chase, with moon-clouded skies rimming across vast canyons. Also love the front rolling credits and the end shot of the modern Union Pacific train irising in, with "The End" title irising out. The music is appropriately railroady. Sets and costumes are elaborately realistic almost to a fault.

zetes It doesn't suffer from any of his usual flaws. The pacing is perfect, the acting is not at all stilted, and the technical aspects don't dominate the story or the characters. The story centers around the building of the titular railroad. A banker hires a motley group of gamblers and whoremongers (led by Brian Donlevy) to slow down production and then invests in the Central Pacific. Joel McCrea plays a railroad cop, basically, who sees that Donlevy is trouble. He can't outright kick him out, because his army buddy and best friend (Robert Preston) is Donlevy's partner. To further complicate the relationship between McCrea and Preston, there is a girl caught between them (Barbara Stanwyck). It's a great story supported by fine performances all around. While the film runs for 2 hours and 19 minutes, it never seemed boring at all. There are several exciting setpieces, most notably an Indian attack. There are also a couple of great suspense sequences. I loved the scene where McCrea corners Preston and Stanwyck after the payroll has been stolen. It goes on for a long time but the suspense never breaks. Generally I don't think DeMille has skill enough to pull something like that off. My only real problem is that sometimes the good guys are as bad as the villains. McCrea has two sidekicks, played by Akim Tamiroff and Lynne Overman, who can't help but be referred to as henchmen. I mean, even the characters' names are sinister, Fiesta and Leach. Donlevy has a couple of henchmen as well (Anthony Quinn in an early role and Robert Barrat), and they aren't any scarier.

Nazi_Fighter_David DeMille's railroading epic owed a debt or two to Ford… He was obviously influenced by "The Iron Horse"(1924) and there are some sequences which seem more than derivative—in fact, they are remarkably similar… But it was a film that nevertheless deserved the warm reception that it got…Here was Joel McCrea in fine form with something more worthy of his talents… McCrea played a trouble-shooter whose task was to keep the transcontinental project moving… Barbara Stanwyck played opposite as a railroad fiery Irish post-mistress of the mobile railway town…Robert Preston, gambler, a one time pal of McCrea's, is now in the employ of another gambler, Brian Donlevy, and they have been hired as saboteurs by a railroad politician secretly trying to impede the progress of the building of the Union Pacific…Stanwyck didn't really come amiss in an all-out action mixture that took in disorderly and noisy railroad workers, turbulent frontier types of both sexes, con men, outlaws and a generous helping of Indians…"Union Pacific" was undoubtedly great fun although perhaps embarrassingly patriotic… But, in perspective, it is dwarfed by another film which appeared the same year and which had a profound and far-reaching influence on the course of Westerns…John Ford had returned to the form after 13 years abstinence… John Wayne, who had been languishing in 'B' Westerns since making "The Big Trail," was back once more in a main feature starring role…The film was the immortal "Stagecoach" which was to set all sorts of standards for Westerns to be

ragtimeacres They don't make 'em like this anymore. Everything you could want in a film: romance, wit, drama, action. Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea make an incredible on-screen duo. The train wreck scene at the end is especially impressive. Kudos to Cecil B. Demille for this work of art. I wish I could give this movie more than 10 stars! :)