Night Passage *** (1957, James Stewart, Audie Murphy, Dan Duryea, Brandon de Wilde, Dianne Foster) – Classic Movie Review 5920

‘The Saga of the Brothers and the savagery of their blood feud!’ Director James Neilson’s 1957 Western Night Passage is robust, and occasionally invigorating, though in some respects obstinately ordinary. But it is strongly cast, with James Stewart and Audie Murphy as, respectively, the good and bad brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the law.

When Grant McLaine (Stewart) is taken on to guard a money delivery by rail, outlaw leader Whitey Harbin (Dan Duryea, in a rousing show-off turn) and his band, joined by The Utica Kid (Murphy), make off with the ten grand, and Stewart’s McLaine comes after them.

It also stars the formidable team of Brandon de Wilde as Joey Adams, Dianne Foster as Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Drew, Elaine Stewart as Verna Kimball, Jay C Flippen, Robert J Wilke, Hugh Beaumont, Jack Elam and Paul Fix.

Original director Anthony Mann (who quit over script disagreements) might have brought a more distinctive touch than Neilson manages. But, still, it is powerfully performed and it is a most handsome production, made on attractive Colorado locations (Durango and Silverton), and nicely shot in widescreen and Technicolor by William H Daniels.

Borden Chase’s soft-centred, unsurprising screenplay, based on a story by Norman A Fox, finds room for Stewart to indulge his real-life hobby of playing the accordion by making him a travelling accordion player. However, less good is that he also sings!

Also in the cast are Herbert Anderson, Tommy Cook, James Flavin, Olive Carey, Donald Curtis, Ellen Corby, John Daheim, Kenny Williams, Frank Chase, Harold Goodwin, Harold Tommy Hart, Jack C Williams, Boyd Stockman, Henry Wills, Chuck Roberson, William Willingham, Polly Burson, Patsy Novak, Ted Mapes, William ‘Bill’ Phillips and Ben Welden.

Stewart was 6′ 3″ and Murphy just 5′ 8″ so their scenes had to be carefully filmed to downplay the difference.

Night Passage is directed by James Neilson, runs 90 minutes, is released by Universal, is written by Borden Chase, based on a story by Norman A Fox, is shot in Technicolor by William H Daniels, is produced by Aaron Rosenberg, is scored by Dimitri Tiomkin, and is designed by Alexander Golitzen and Robert Clatworthy.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5920

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Brandon de Wilde plays Joey Adams in Night Passage.