RELEASED IN 1957 and directed by James Neilson, "Night Passage" stars Jimmy Stewart as a fired railroad man rehired and trusted to secretly carry a $10,000 payroll, even though he is suspected of being connected to outlaws (whose leader is played by Dan Duryea). One of the outlaws happens to be his younger brother, the Utica Kid (Audie Murphy). Dianne Foster and Elaine Stewart are on hand in the feminine department.
People say "Night Passage" is akin to Anthony Mann's 50's Westerns, but that's a bunch of hooey. True, Mann was originally slated to direct it, but he declined because he felt the script was lousy, arguing that nobody would understand it. He also thought it would be a stretch to have the 5'5"Audie Murphy play the brother of 6'3" James Stewart. While the height of the two actors is inconsequential (many families have a 'runt' in the litter, so what?), Mann was deadly accurate about the story, which is too talky and absurdly over-plotted. The story's so unnecessarily complicated that it doesn't work up any steam until the last 12 minutes, although there are a few quality moments here and there.
Mann's "Bend of the River" (1952), "The Far Country" (1954), "The Man from Laramie" (1955) and the outstanding "The Last Frontier "(1955) are all infinitely superior to "Night Passage." Yet it's not just an issue of a convoluted screenplay, although that's the main problem, "Night Passage" is also marred by old-fashioned hokeyness that those Mann flicks generally elude. The opening dance sequence and Stewart's occasional warbling with the accordion are two examples, although I could live with both if the story were compelling. Still, there's enough good here to maybe make it worth watching for those who don't mind 50's Westerns, such as the mind-blowing Elaine Stewart, the magnificent train, the scenic locations and the action sequences, like the climax.
THE MOVIE RUNS 90 minutes and was shot in Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Colorado, and Buttermilk Country, Inyo National Forest, California. WRITERS: Borden Chase wrote the script based on the story by Norman A. Fox. ADDITIONAL CAST: Jay C. Flippen plays the railroad mogul and Brandon De Wilde (the kid from "Shane") an adolescent friend of the protagonists.
GRADE: C-
People say "Night Passage" is akin to Anthony Mann's 50's Westerns, but that's a bunch of hooey. True, Mann was originally slated to direct it, but he declined because he felt the script was lousy, arguing that nobody would understand it. He also thought it would be a stretch to have the 5'5"Audie Murphy play the brother of 6'3" James Stewart. While the height of the two actors is inconsequential (many families have a 'runt' in the litter, so what?), Mann was deadly accurate about the story, which is too talky and absurdly over-plotted. The story's so unnecessarily complicated that it doesn't work up any steam until the last 12 minutes, although there are a few quality moments here and there.
Mann's "Bend of the River" (1952), "The Far Country" (1954), "The Man from Laramie" (1955) and the outstanding "The Last Frontier "(1955) are all infinitely superior to "Night Passage." Yet it's not just an issue of a convoluted screenplay, although that's the main problem, "Night Passage" is also marred by old-fashioned hokeyness that those Mann flicks generally elude. The opening dance sequence and Stewart's occasional warbling with the accordion are two examples, although I could live with both if the story were compelling. Still, there's enough good here to maybe make it worth watching for those who don't mind 50's Westerns, such as the mind-blowing Elaine Stewart, the magnificent train, the scenic locations and the action sequences, like the climax.
THE MOVIE RUNS 90 minutes and was shot in Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Colorado, and Buttermilk Country, Inyo National Forest, California. WRITERS: Borden Chase wrote the script based on the story by Norman A. Fox. ADDITIONAL CAST: Jay C. Flippen plays the railroad mogul and Brandon De Wilde (the kid from "Shane") an adolescent friend of the protagonists.
GRADE: C-