This isn't a classic Western, but it's a darn good little movie. Jimmy Stewart is perfectly cast as the older brother, and once again makes acting look easy. Brandon de Wilde, one of the best child actors ever, does a good job in his role as the youngster at a crossroads between good and bad. And Audie Murphy absolutely shines as the Utica Kid. The few times he was cast against type were some of his best roles (such as No Name on the Bullet).

Not many boring moments in this film. And make sure you look closely at the railroad boss' righthand man, who is not happy with Jimmy Stewart being hired to carry the payroll. Hugh Beaumont could play a good tough guy before being cast as Ward Cleaver, the Beaver's dad!

This movie is a western and yet it isn't a western. It has gunfights, horses, fistfights, ghost towns, abandon mining claims, et.al., yet it also has an interesting conterpoint of 'good' brother versus 'bad'. From the other mixed reviews here a reader can get most of the formulaic western plot, but the scenery and the solid acting may not come through.

I personally like Jimmy Stewart westerns, and Audie Murphy too, and it is a rare chance to see Elaine Stewart. But one of the scene stealers is Dan Duryea a parennial 'baddie', black hat supporting actor. If he is the typical actor, he probably was nothing like that in life. The songs and music are pretty much second rate B movie stuff, however, the one song, You Can't Get Far Without A Railroad will have most people tapping their toes as do both Stewart and Murphy in the ghost town sequence.

This movie having railroad building as a background does not go as deeply into the actual historical building as some other Hollywood movies do, but take a look at the supporting actors in the big dance scene, quite a few prominent actors/actresses show up. The movie is stocked with fairly well known actors throughout.

For most people this western will entertain, and for those of us who also read westerns as well as watch them, the names Norman A. Fox, who wrote the book from which the movie was taken, and Borden Chase screen story writer and at times short story writer for The Saturday Evening Post, ensures a good, enjoyable but atypical western story.

Good watching and good entertainment in a change-of-pace western. And that with Jimmy singing makes it rather remarkable. Don't overlook it.

Semper Fi.

Night Passage is a solid western starring James Stewart & directed by James Neilson. Grant McLaine (Stewart) is out of work & reduced to playing an accordion (Yes, that's him playing it) for tips. He's been out of work for five years since the railroad has fired him, the same one that he plays the accordion in the at the end-of-tracks camp. The railroad workers are about to quit because the payroll has been stolen three times in a row & they haven't been paid. McLaine is rehired by the railroad to get the payroll to the workers. He had been previously fired because he had let the Utica Kid get away by providing him with a horse & a head start. The truth is the Utica Kid (Audie Murphy) is McLaine's younger brother, Lee. The Utica Kid has hated his older brother since childhood which is his reason for being an outlaw.

The movie also has Brandon de Wilde (Shane) as the teen, Joey, who looks up to the Utica Kid. He knows he's no good but he sees him as a good man, mostly because of the rest of the gang Members. Whitey Hardin (Dan Duryea) is the gang leader who is constantly being needled & subtly challenged by the Utica Kid. Their character interplay is fun to watch & could've been expanded on.

Murphy's role as the Utica Kid is actually one of the best roles he ever had ,along with The Unforgiven (not the Eastwood movie). He's cast against type portraying the heavy. Murphy didn't venture into the "A" list often in his roles; when he did he was usually cast in a featured rather than starring role. Audie Murphy once said he made about 5 or 6 movies & did the same Western about 40 different times. Though he wasn't a great actor, his portrayal of the Utica Kid is more than adequate. It's James Stewart that flexes his acting muscles in this movie. There are a couple of instances in the movie where you can see he almost loses it, the anger almost driving him into a killing rage. Watch his body language & facial expression, it's subtle yet chilling.

I love this movie! It's by far my favorite James Stewart western and up there with favorite Stewart film period. The plot is simple, which it usually is in most great westerns. Stewart plays an accordion playing drifter who seeks work at a former employer due to his love for the railroad. He forms a SHANE like bond with the kid from Shane. It also has the perfect equation of action and speaking scenes. Also it's very eye stimulating with it's scenic backgrounds. Never a dull moment and it's got Stewart singing also! BRAVO!

Originally, "Night Passage" (1957) was going to be directed by Anthony Mann, and was going to be Mann and Stewart's ninth colloboration, after making such classics as "WINCHESTER '73", "THE MAN FROM LARAMIE", "THE GLENN MILLER STORY", and "STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND". Unfortunately, though, Mann backed out of production because he did not agree with the casting of Audie Murphy as The Utica Kid, and he felt that the storyline and characters were merely carbon copies of the storyline and characters of his earlier Westerns with Stewart. So, a new director was hired. That director's name was James Neilson, who would go on to direct several Disney movies in the 60's. Under Neilson's direction, the movie took a different direction than what I'm sure Mann would have done with it. Mann would have made it sadistic, gut-wrenching, sure-fire entertainment. Instead, Neilson made it a picture that relied mostly on the big cast, the action sequences, cruelty of the villains, and, at that time, the new TECHNIRAMA widescreen filming process to make sure that the movie did not become dull and stupid, which it is not. I do have to give Neilson credit for something, though- he does keep the bad past of Stewart's character, the moody attitude of the characters, and the very well-done atmospheric feel of the film in check. However, in using the big cast, action, and Technirama to gain "good movie" status, Neilson lost something very crucial to the production of a movie. He lost good dialogue and good acting. Most of the cast is great, but there are some that are not. Duryea is a formidable villain, but his so-called "crazy personality" leaves room for doubt. He does not seem very crazy at all - he just seems to yell alot. His acting alongside Murphy is horrible. Murphy's character likes to aggravate Duryea, but that particular aspect does not belong in this picture, and comes off as very flat. Not to mention that a great number of scenes and lines make utterly no sense at all. The actors and actresses seem to try to force their personalities and characteristics on the audience by putting alot of energy into their roles. Even the great James Stewart, who once said that "you have to make it look like its not acting". Yes, even his character seems forced. My idea is that nobody involved with the picture anticipated very much to come of it, and were not at all surprised when the film did not do well with audiences and critics at that time. But all the cast did the best they could with what they had. I feel that they should at least get some credit for doing their best. Actually, when you think about it, Mann knew what he was talking about with his negative views on the production. I do agree with the casting of Audie Murphy. He plays a great role. The casting and characters may be copies of Mann's earlier work, but that does not mean that "Night Passage" is not a good movie. I would, definitely, not by any measure, call it one of the best Westerns ever made, or, for that matter, designate it as a great movie. But the audience will be so saddened when they discover that what it might have been. It might have been another awesome Stewart-Mann colloboration. It might have been a great movie. It might have been one of the greatest Westerns ever made. "Night Passage" is a neat little Western. However, I feel that if you do want to watch a movie that has the attributes mentioned above, try to catch a John Wayne or Steve McQueen movie. That does not mean that I do not recommend this movie or any of James Stewart's movies. I think that there is not one James Stewart movie that any sensible person could call a bad movie. Stewart was such a versatile and great actor. On the other hand, if you are a fan of James Neilson, then you would like his movie from 1964, "THE MOON SPINNERS", starring Hayley Mills. "The Moon Spinners" was like "Night Passage". Not in story, but in the way that he presented action, gripping scenes, and great characters. "The Moon Spinners" and "Night Passage" are alike in another way. Both movies did present everything that a movie should, but somehow, still fell short on the wrong side of greatness.


SPECIAL FEATURES
Theatrical Trailer


Also Recommended: Winchester '73 (1950), Bend of the River (1952), The Naked Spur (1953), The Far Country (1954), The Man From Laramie (1955)



THIS REVIEW IS DEDICATED TO ANYBODY, LIVING OR DEAD, INVOLVED IN THE 1957 PRODUCTION OF "NIGHT PASSAGE".