MGM didn't usually venture into B western territory. But when it did, as is the case with this title, the studio applied its customary studio polish so that even at just over an hour, it seems like a somewhat grand affair. In this case, they are using an Ernest Haycox short story about a stagecoach station that had been purchased from Sam Goldwyn who probably intended to give it a full "A" picture treatment.
The studio ran into a few difficulties with the production code office. The film presents two brothers (William Lundigan and Lloyd Nolan) who make questionable life choices. Apparently that was okay, since one of them-- Lundigan-- decides to go straight while the other one-- Nolan-- meets a violent death after not reforming. But the guardians of the code did not like the fact that Lundigan's character gets involved with the daughter (Donna Reed) of a rough ethnic woman (Connie Gilchrist).
MGM had to tone the ladies down, and it was not allowed to make them Mexicans. Instead the script had to be revised to make them Spanish women. However, anyone who watches the film can tell they are being played as Mexican stereotypes. I guess Hollywood did not want to alienate our Latin American neighbors with the war on, yet for some reason it was no problem to offend Spain.
Lloyd Nolan was borrowed from his home studio, 20th Century Fox, where he was in the process of making several Michael Shayne crime flicks. In the 1940s, he became typecast in police detective roles on the right side of the law. But in the 1930s, while under contract at Paramount, he had played several villains. Most likely, his bad guy outlaw part in THE TEXAS RANGERS (1936), where he was cast as Fred MacMurray's crooked pal, cinched his casting for APACHE TRAIL. It is basically the same character he's playing in both pictures.
As for Lundigan, he makes a valiant and focused effort here, but one feels as if he's probably miscast as a station manager. Lundigan was almost too urbane and sophisticated to be believed in westerns, and he would smartly stick to romantic comedies and noir when he returned to Hollywood after the war. One thing in Lundigan's favor, though, is his easy rapport with Miss Reed, with whom he also costarred in an Andy Hardy movie and a Dr. Gillespie movie.
Looking at this film now, one doesn't find anything too out of the ordinary. In a way, it plays like an hour-long episode of a western TV show. There are some nicely drawn characters, the conflict between the brothers is adequately explored if not predictable; and we have a climactic siege involving passengers at the station versus a swarm of angry Apaches who have come to get even with Nolan, who had murdered some of their own.
It is not surprising that Nolan eventually sacrifices himself so that the other decent folks may live. He has a memorable death riding out to be slaughtered by the warring natives. But all of that is quickly forgotten in the last few minutes, so that Lundigan can tell Reed that he intends to start a proper relationship with her...now that the trouble is over.
The studio ran into a few difficulties with the production code office. The film presents two brothers (William Lundigan and Lloyd Nolan) who make questionable life choices. Apparently that was okay, since one of them-- Lundigan-- decides to go straight while the other one-- Nolan-- meets a violent death after not reforming. But the guardians of the code did not like the fact that Lundigan's character gets involved with the daughter (Donna Reed) of a rough ethnic woman (Connie Gilchrist).
MGM had to tone the ladies down, and it was not allowed to make them Mexicans. Instead the script had to be revised to make them Spanish women. However, anyone who watches the film can tell they are being played as Mexican stereotypes. I guess Hollywood did not want to alienate our Latin American neighbors with the war on, yet for some reason it was no problem to offend Spain.
Lloyd Nolan was borrowed from his home studio, 20th Century Fox, where he was in the process of making several Michael Shayne crime flicks. In the 1940s, he became typecast in police detective roles on the right side of the law. But in the 1930s, while under contract at Paramount, he had played several villains. Most likely, his bad guy outlaw part in THE TEXAS RANGERS (1936), where he was cast as Fred MacMurray's crooked pal, cinched his casting for APACHE TRAIL. It is basically the same character he's playing in both pictures.
As for Lundigan, he makes a valiant and focused effort here, but one feels as if he's probably miscast as a station manager. Lundigan was almost too urbane and sophisticated to be believed in westerns, and he would smartly stick to romantic comedies and noir when he returned to Hollywood after the war. One thing in Lundigan's favor, though, is his easy rapport with Miss Reed, with whom he also costarred in an Andy Hardy movie and a Dr. Gillespie movie.
Looking at this film now, one doesn't find anything too out of the ordinary. In a way, it plays like an hour-long episode of a western TV show. There are some nicely drawn characters, the conflict between the brothers is adequately explored if not predictable; and we have a climactic siege involving passengers at the station versus a swarm of angry Apaches who have come to get even with Nolan, who had murdered some of their own.
It is not surprising that Nolan eventually sacrifices himself so that the other decent folks may live. He has a memorable death riding out to be slaughtered by the warring natives. But all of that is quickly forgotten in the last few minutes, so that Lundigan can tell Reed that he intends to start a proper relationship with her...now that the trouble is over.