(Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1939 Cannes Film Festival Awarded Retrospectively at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival)
Based on the novel Trouble Shooter by Ernest Haycox, Union Pacific is the story of a conflict over the Union Pacific Railroad plan where a man schemes to make profits over the construction as a troubleshooter tries to stop it from happening as he’s also dealing with other foes. Directed by Cecil B. DeMille and screenplay by Walter DeLeon, Jesse Lasky Jr., and C. Gardner Sullivan from an adapted story by Jack Cunningham, the film is a western set during the final days of the Civil War to the emergence of the American West where men try to profit from what is to come with those wanting to ensure that progress emerges. Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Akim Tamiroff, Robert Preston, Lynne Overman, Anthony Quinn, and Brian Donlevy. Union Pacific is a thrilling and adventurous film from Cecil B. DeMille.
Set in the mid-1860s from the final days of the American Civil War to the moment the Central Pacific railway line and the Union Pacific railway line meet on May of 1869, the film revolves around this monumental event in American history where a group of gamblers and politicians try to scheme their way in the hope that one of the companies succeed in this venture. With the more-established Central Pacific railway wanting to get the glory of being the railroad service for the U.S., President Lincoln authorizes the Union Pacific to do the job from linking the railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific as there’s individuals that want to ensure that Union Pacific fail in their mission. The film’s screenplay largely follows the lives of three individuals in a troubleshooter named Captain Jeff Butler (Joel McCrea), an Irish mailwoman named Mollie Monahan (Barbara Stanwyck) whose father is an engineer for one of the Union Pacific trains, and Dick Allen (Robert Preston) who is a gambler that works with another gambler who is hired by a banker to ensure that trouble emerges for the Union Pacific. Captain Butler and Allen are friends who are both in love with Monahan yet are working in different camps that would eventually cause trouble.
Cecil B. DeMille’s direction is astonishing in terms of its visuals and setting as it does play into the world of the American West. Shot partially on location in Iron Springs, Utah with some of the film shot in studio sets in Hollywood, the film does play into the world of the American West and the sense of change that emerges. DeMille’s direction would include some wide shots of the locations but would maintain a sense of intimacy inside the train cars as well as the saloons through medium shots and close-ups. Yet, there are these intense action sequences that would include miniatures for a sequence late in the film relating to the building of train tracks near snowy landscape would prove to be a marvel to watch. Even in scenes involving shootouts and chases would provide a sense of immediacy into the action as well as in the moments of the suspense where Captain Butler beings to suspect what Allen could be doing. There are also some elements of romance which does give the film a break from the action as it play into the tension between the three protagonists as they also have to cope with the fact that there’s forces that want to ensure that the Union Pacific doesn’t succeed. All of which play into this event that would shape American history when the two railroad companies meet. Overall, DeMille crafts a riveting and exciting film about a troubleshooter dealing with forces trying to stop a monumental event from happening.
Cinematographer Victor Milner does excellent work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography in capturing the brightness of the scenes in the day as well as how the saloons are lit. Editor Anne Bauchens does brilliant work with the editing as it has some unique rhythmic cuts for the action as well as a few transition wipes to play into the sense of adventure. Art directors Roland Anderson and Hans Dreier do amazing work with the look of the saloons as well as the interiors of the train compartments and the places the characters go to. Costume designer Natalie Visart does fantastic work with the costumes from the look of the suits the men wore as well as some of the clothing that the women wore in those times with the exception of the ragged look that Monahan has.
The special effects work of Barney Wolff is terrific for the usage of miniatures for sequences involving trains including one notable sequence set in the snow as well as some of the gunfights in the film. Sound recordists John Cope and Harry Lindgren do superb work with the sound in the way gunfire sounds as well as the atmosphere of the saloons and train compartments. The film’s music by Sigmund Krumgold and John Liepold is wonderful for its sweeping orchestral score that play into the sense of adventure as well as in some of the drama while the rest of the music feature an array of traditional music pieces from the Civil War and its aftermath.
The film’s marvelous cast feature some notable small roles from Harold Goodwin as the telegrapher E.E. Calvin, Henry Kolker as the banker Asa M. Barrows who is the mastermind in scheming against Union Pacific, Francis McDonald as Captain Butler’s superior General Grenville M. Dodge, Robert Barrat and Anthony Quinn as a couple of Campeau’s henchmen, Lynne Overman as a friend of Captain Butler in Leach Overmile who is a comic relief in the film, and Akim Tamiroff in a terrific performance as another of Captain Butler’s friend in Fiesta as the Mexican who provides some funny commentary as well as deal with Campeau’s men. Brian Donlevy is excellent as the scheming gambler Sid Campeau as a man that works for Barrows as he is willing to do whatever he can to ensure that Union Pacific fails by any means necessary.
Robert Preston is brilliant as Dick Allen as a gambler who is a partner of Campeau as well as Captain Butler’s best friend as he’s torn over his loyalty towards the latter as well as the prospect of money from the former which he needs as he’s in love with Monahan. Joel McCrea is amazing as Captain Jeff Butler as a troubleshooter who is trying to ensure that things go well for the Union Pacific as he’s also in love with Monahan as he tries to keep his distance to do his job as he knows what is at stake. Finally, there’s Barbara Stanwyck in an incredible performance as Mollie Monahan as an Irish mailwoman whose father is an engineer for the Union Pacific that finds herself torn between two men as well as wanting to help the Union Pacific as it’s a fiery and charismatic performance from Stanwyck.
Union Pacific is a remarkable film from Cecil B. DeMille. Featuring a great cast, lovely visuals, top-notch special effects, and thrilling music. It’s a film that play into the progress of America in the west as well as what some will do to stop progress from happening for their own selfish reasons. In the end, Union Pacific is a marvelous film from Cecil B. DeMille.
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by Sam Peckinpah and written by Jeb Rosebrook, Junior Bonner is the story of a rodeo cowboy who returns to his hometown for a rodeo events as he deals with his estranged parents and his brother. The film is an intimate portrait of a man dealing with aging as well as trying to make amends with his family where they all deal with change in their surroundings. Starring Steve McQueen, Joe Don Baker, Robert Preston, Ben Johnson, and Ida Lupino. Junior Bonner is a heartwarming and evocative film from Sam Peckinpah.
Set in the 4th of July weekend, the film revolves around an aging rodeo cowboy who arrives to his hometown for an event as he meets with his estranged family as his parents are going through hard times and a separation while his brother has become a successful businessman. It’s a film that plays into a man trying to see his family during the weekend as he copes with the fact that his brother has torn down the old family home to create a line of mobile homes as well as other things relating to his family. It’s a film with a simple story as it play into changing times but also a man trying to make amends as he deals with his family. Jeb Rosebrook’s script follows the titular character (Steve McQueen) who has been down on his luck in the rodeo circuit as a bull he’s trying to ride remains undefeated as he wants another shot in his hometown of Prescott, Arizona. Yet, he is aware that it’s his last shot as he’s broke and in need to do something for himself.
While his brother Curly (Joe Don Baker) would offer him a job, it is done with a sense of arrogance as Junior doesn’t like what Curly is doing. At the same time, their father Ace (Robert Preston) wants money to go to Australia for prospecting believing there is something there as Curly thinks it’s a bad scheme while Ace’s estranged wife Elvira (Ida Lupino) agrees as she sells antiques for a living while being unsure about living in a mobile home. Junior’s relationship with his father is a unique one as both men are dreamers in some ways where Junior understands what his father wants no matter how foolish the dream is as Junior is like his dad in some ways. Though Ace is a womanizer, he still carries a torch for Elvira as he wants her to join her yet she doesn’t know considering the many failures he’s had. Even as the family becomes unsure if Junior can pull off one last victory in the rodeo as it is clear he doesn’t have much time left as well as very little options in his life.
Sam Peckinpah’s direction is very understated in terms of the fact that it’s a more subdued film in comparison to a lot of the films he’s known for as they’re very violent. With the exception of a comical barroom brawl and a fight between Junior and Curly, the film isn’t very violent at all as it’s more about the life of a family in this small town in Arizona. Shot largely on location in Prescott, Arizona, the film does play into a world that is changing as the images of the old Bonner family home being destroyed is startling while there are these shots mobile homes from afar that are being shown to play into this sense of change. Many of Peckinpah’s compositions are simple as well as have an air of intimacy in the medium shots and close-ups to play into the interaction of the Bonner family. The wide shots would play into the locations as well as some shots of the 4th of July parade while Peckinpah would just maintain that sense of Americana that feels like a community coming together and celebrate. The rodeo scenes are quite stylish as Peckinpah presents them with that air of energy but also excitement as it is a world that is in its own time no matter how much the world around it changes. Overall, Peckinpah creates a somber yet touching film about a rodeo cowboy returning home to make amends with his family and go for one last victory in the rodeo.
Cinematographer Lucien Ballard does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the grainy, low-key look of the flashback scenes of a rodeo in the film‘s opening scene to the more colorful look of the exteriors in Prescott as well as the interiors inside the bar. Editors Frank Santillo and Robert L. Wolfe do amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, split-screens, slow-motion cuts, and other stylistic cutting as it plays into the vibrancy of the rodeo as well as the world of the American West in its modern context. Art director Ted Haworth, with set decorators Angelo P. Graham and Jerry Wunderlich, does nice work with the look of the home that Elvira lives in as well as the bar where many of the locals hang out at. The sound work of Larry Hooberry is terrific for the sound of the crowd at the rodeo and at the bar as well as the quieter moments involving Junior and his parents. The film’s music by Jerry Fielding is superb as it‘s mainly a country-based score with its guitars and sliding guitars as well as some songs in that style of country-western music.
The casting by Lynn Stalmaster is excellent as it features some notable small roles from Sandra Deel as Ace’s nurse Arlis whom Ace flirts with, Don “Red” Barry as a rodeo impresario named Homer Rutledge, Bill McKinney as a rival rodeo cowboy named Red Terwiliger, Barbara Leight as Rutledge’s girlfriend Charmagne who takes a liking towards Junior, and Mary Murphy as Curly’s wife Ruth. Joe Don Baker is terrific as Curly Bonner as Junior’s brother who has become a successful yet arrogant businessman that is eager to make money out of mobile homes as he believes it is the future while not understanding that Junior and their father are part of the old ways of the world. Ben Johnson is superb as Buck Roan as a rodeo owner who knows Junior and his father as he is reluctant to let Junior ride this bull knowing that Junior’s luck has been running out.
Ida Lupino is amazing as Elvira Bonner as the estranged wife of Ace who is a down-to-earth woman that is happy to see Junior though she is aware of the path he’s taking as she tries to understand why he can’t exactly give up the world of the rodeo. Robert Preston is brilliant as Ace Bonner as Junior’s father who likes to drink and chase around women as he laments over the ways of the world as he hopes to go to Australia to mine and raise sheep there as a way to be with the old ways. Finally, there’s Steve McQueen in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as this aging rodeo cowboy that is aware that he’s running out of chances as well as try to make amends with his family no matter how complicated things are as it’s a very grounded and solemn performance from McQueen.
Junior Bonner is a remarkable film from Sam Peckinpah that features great performances from Steve McQueen, Ida Lupino, and Robert Preston. While it is a very different western of sorts from Peckinpah as well as a more dramatic-based feature. It is still a fascinating film about the ideas of the old ways vs. the new ways where a man tries to cope with change and help his family. In the end, Junior Bonner is a marvelous film from Sam Peckinpah.
Sam Peckinpah Films: The Deadly Companions - Ride the High Country - Major Dundee - Noon Wine - The Wild Bunch - The Ballad of Cable Hogue - Straw Dogs - The Getaway - Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - The Killer Elite - Cross of Iron - Convoy - The Osterman Weekend - The Auteurs #62: Sam Peckinpah
© thevoid99 2016
