Western

Night Passage

Universal International Pictures

United States of America

English

James Stewart

Audie Murphy

Dan Duryea

Dianne Foster

Elaine Stewart

Brandon De Wilde

Jay C. Flippen

Herbert Anderson

Robert J. Wilke

Hugh Beaumont

Jack Elam

Tommy Cook

Paul Fix

Olive Carey

James Flavin

Donald Curtis

Ellen Corby

John Daheim

Kenny Williams

Frank Chase

Harold Goodwin

Harold 'Tommy' Hart

Jack C. Williams

Boyd Stockman

Henry Wills

Chuck Roberson

Willard W. Willingham

Polly Burson

Patsy Novak

Ted Mapes

Emile Avery

Jerry Brown

Clem Fuller

William Phillips

Ben Welden

James Neilson

Aaron Rosenberg

Norman A. Fox

Dimitri Tiomkin

Robert Clatworthy

Alexander Golitzen

Borden Chase

Sherman Todd

Russell A. Gausman

Oliver Emert

Marshall Green

James Curtis Havens

Leslie I. Carey

Bill Thomas

Frank H. Wilkinson

William H. Daniels

Bud Westmore

Funny Man. 

As many Western fans know, Night Passage was all set up to be the sixth genre collaboration between director Anthony Mann and actor James Stewart. After a run of successful and genre defining "adult" Westerns, the prospect of another was mouth watering to the genre faithful. The promise of something good was further boosted by the names of others involved in the project. The screenplay is written by Borden Chase (Red River/Winchester '73), cinematographer was William H. Daniels (The Far Country), the score is from Dimitri Tiomkin (High Noon/Giant) and joining Stewart in the cast are Audie Murphy, Dan Duryea, Jay C. Flippen, Jack Elam & the wee lad from Shane, Brandon De Wilde. That's some serious Western credentials. But sadly Mann was to bail at the last minute, the reason(s) given vary depending on what source you believe. 

It's thought that Mann was unimpressed with Chase's screenplay, feeling it lacked a cutting edge (as reportedly so did Stewart). The casting of Murphy was also said to be a bone of contention to the talented director, while it has simply been put down to him having other commitments (he had both The Tin Star & Men in War out in 1957). Either way, Mann was out and the film was never going to be better for that situation (sadly Mann & Stewart fell out over it and never worked together again). In came TV director James Neilson and the film was wrapped and released with mixed commercial results. Yet the film still remains today rather divisive amongst the Western faithful, due in the main one feels, to that Mann spectre of potentially a better film hanging over it. 

Night Passage is a good enough genre offering, but the plot is slight and the story lacks the dark intensity that Mann, one thinks, would have given it. The story follows an overly familiar tale about two brothers (Stewart/Murphy), one bad, one good. A story from which Chase's screenplay holds no surprises, it is in truth pretty underwhelming writing. With the actual core relationship of the brothers lacking any emotional depth. However, there's more than enough visually here to offset the standard plotting and make this a very enjoyable experience. Shot in Technicolor's short-lived "Technirama" process, the widescreen palette pings once the cameras leave the back lot and goes off into the mountains of Colorado. 

Trains are the order of the day here, as Chase adapts from a story by Norman A. Fox, it's the train that becomes the central character, deliberate or not. As the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway snakes its way thru the gorgeous terrain, it's that image one takes away, not anything that the thinly scripted characters have done. Still, in spite of its literary flaws, Neilson shows himself to be competent with the action set pieces, of which there are quite a few. While Stewart is as reliable as ever, even getting to play an accordion (a hobby of his since childhood) and sing a couple of chirpy tunes. Of the rest, Dianne Foster leaves a good impression as the Utica Kid's (Murphy) girlfriend and Murphy himself does solid work with his cheeky grin, slick hair and black jacketed attire that shows Utica to be something of a suspicious character. 

Good but not great in writing and thematics, but essential for Western fans with big TV's. 6.5/10

Night Passage (1957) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Best Movies

Night Passage

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

James Stewart

Audie Murphy

Dan Duryea

Dianne Foster

Elaine Stewart

Brandon De Wilde

Jay C. Flippen

Herbert Anderson

Robert J. Wilke

Hugh Beaumont

Box office

More Like This

Rio Bravo

Once Upon a Time in the West

Duck, You Sucker

A Fistful of Dollars

How the West Was Won

High Plains Drifter

Oklahoma!

The Sons of Katie Elder