Union Pacific

by Johnny Matheis
(Louisville, Ky)

A Gripping Tale From West

Directed by the legendary de Mille in 1939, Union Pacific is the ultimate Western. A majestic saga filmed in cinematic glory.

Joel McCrea plays Jeff Butler, an engineer, the type who builds bridges, sidetrack by the Civil War from his profession. Now, he is a trouble shooter for the railroad, The Union Pacific. However, a rich Eastern banker named Barrows, played with guile by Henry Kolker, wants to disrupt the building of the railroad. He hires some unsavory gamblers, led by business like cold blooded Brian Donlevy and his partner, the likably dangerous rouge, Robert Preston to delay the railroad. New subplots arise when Preston learns that the new trouble shooter is his old war buddy, Butler. Further sparks fly when Preston sets his sights on marrying Molly Monahan, played by Barbara Stanwyck, who instead becomes impressed with the heroic nature of Jeff Butler.

Butler has two assistants, played by Lynne Overman and Akim Tamiroff, who give a very realistic impression of nineteenth century characters. Overman and Tamiroff, along with Kolker provide great comic relief along with credible performances of believable characters.

The gamblers are cold blooded killers. They begin by murdering an Indian boy riding a pony alongside the train. When Butler fist fights the trigger man and throws him off the train, he makes it clear what the consequences of the killing will be. And indeed, the killing is very likely what sparks a later attack by Native Americans.

Some cat and mouse games are involved with the triangle of McCrea-Stanwyck-Preston. Butler never really makes the advances but makes it clear because of his dangerous profession.

There is a great scene involving a handcart in which Molly holds a letter from Mrs. Butler, and flirts with Jeff, who is very insistent on getting the letter. While Molly flails it around in the wind with every intention of letting it blow away. Through it all, Jeff never loses his cool. I won't spoil this great scene in my western movie review. I'll let the viewer enjoy it.

Butler is an honest man, very indicative of the times. He does what he thinks is right, and he is strong enough to do it. He would rather talk than fight but when forced he will do what is needed to make things right. He and Molly genuinely care about people. When the gamblers rob a payload, and the money is returned, Molly wonders why Jeff is still insistent on capturing the robbers whom both know to be led by Preston. She exclaims that the railroad has their money back and Jeff replies "The man who was guarding it doesn't have his life back".

With this realization, we see the true priorities of these two people and what makes a hero and heroine. These are people we can truly care about, and pull for. They make a film worth watching.

This is what a Western movie is supposed to be.