Westbound [DVD] [1959] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

This movie was first released in 1958(1986)2010, in widescreen 1.85.1, in Warnercolor and runs 72 minutes. The sound and pictures quality is very good and there are no extras. The movie starts with inter-state war of 1864, the South trying to stop gold shipments to the North, to fund the war. The Government is asking Captain John Hayes(RANDOLPH SCOTT) to run the stageline and bring the gold in from California, 2000 miles through the worse country in America. Capt Hayes is not keen on the job, but excepts under pressure. He arrives in JULESBURG, Colorado and finds the line station closed and the men gone. Clay Putnam runs the show, he has Mace and his men watching. Mace wants to kill Capt Hayes, but Clay has other ideas being a Southerner. Capt Hayes hires Rod Miller to run the stageline from his farm. Clay tries every thing to stop the stageline, burns the barns, chase horses away and threaten the drivers. Capt Hayes tries to drive the stageline between stations. The horses are stolen and taken to Wynn Canyon and then sold. Capt Hayes and Rod Miller(who had lost his left arm in War) steal the horses back. Capt Hayes goes and meets Norma Putnam (Beautiful VIRGINIA MAYO) and she finds out about the gold shipment and fighting with the Union. Putnam's men come and take the horses back and shoot Rod Miller. Mace and his men attack the stageline again, killing people and a little girl and the stagecoach robbed.
How will it end? Will Capt Hayes stop the killing and robbing? Will Rod Miller live? Will Clay Putnam get his way? Will the gold shipping be stopped? What will Norma do? Can anybody stop Mace?
This good story by Berne Giler is beautifully photographed by J Poverell Marley under the good direction of experienced Budd Boeticher.
GEORGE RANDOLPH SCOTT was born on 23.1.1898 on Orange County, Virginia, a Scottish American descent. He attended private schools and displayed an athletic trait. In April 1917, aged 19, he joined the army and served in France. In 1927, he went to Los Angeles and go a short role in 'Ship Shooter' in 1928. In 1932, he signed 7 year contract with Paramount Pictures at a salary of $400 per week. By 1939/40, he was starring in 'A' rate movies and westerns. In 1949, he joined partnership with Harvey Joe Brown and produced many of Scott's westerns. By 1956, Scott was 58 years old and in 1962, he made his final film appearance in 'Ride the High Country'. He retired at the age of 64, with a fortune of said $100 million! He died on 2.3.1987, aged 89 of heart and lung ailments, in Beverley Hills, california. He was married twice and adopted 2 children.
Some of his westerns are:-
(1) The Nevadan, 1950(2010)
(2) Seven Men From Now, 1956(2005)
(3) Ride The High Country, 1962(2006)
(4) Trail Street, 1947(2009)
(5) Hangman's Knot, 1952(2004)
(6) A Lawless Street, 1955(2005)
(7) The Tall T, 1957(2009)
(8) Comanche Station, 1960(2008)
(9) Buchanan Rides Alone, 1958(2008)
(10)Ride Lonesome, 1958(2008)
Watch and ENJOY.

Out of Warner Brothers and filmed in Warnercolor, Westbound is directed by Budd Boetticher & written by Berne Giler & Albert Shelby LeVino. It stars Randolph Scott, Virginia Mayo, Karen Steele, Michael Dante, Andrew Duggan & Michael Pate. The story is set in 1864 during the American Civil War where Scott plays John Hayes, the man charged with the task of running the Overland Stage Line between California and Julesburg, Colorado. The function of which is to transport gold and the mail to aid the Union war effort. In Julesburg, Hayes finds a host of problems with Confederate sympathisers led by Clay Putnam (Duggan), who also happens to be married to Norma (Mayo), an old flame of Hayes.

Of the seven Western film's that Boetticher and Scott made, Westbound is widely regarded as the weakest. Not part of the Ranown cycle they did that featured Harry Joe Brown on production and Burt Kennedy screen writing, it is a decent, if disposable, Western movie. The story is actually rather enticing, but with such a small running time and a condensed location shoot, the movie is never quite able to lay down some solid footings for the characters to flourish from. This leaves the supporting actors either exposed to their failings as thesps (Duggan is particularly bad), or playing underdeveloped participants (sadly the case with Mayo).

However, this being Boetticher & Scott it does have some nice passages to take in, unsurprisingly the best of which is when Scott is on screen. Be it cocking a rifle with one hand, throwing one of his best ever punches, squaring off against Pate's effective turn as henchman Mace; or laying on some reflective emotion around the two ladies of the piece, Scott is always captivating. What action there is is attention grabbing for the budget and David Buttolph provides a perky score that's at its best during the stagecoach sequences. With the exteriors primarily filmed at the Warner Ranch, J. Peverell Marley is able to photograph enough of the grassy hilled scenery to make an easy on the eye impact.

Enjoyable and safe fare for Western fans, but very much a low key affair from the normally dynamite partnership of director & star. 6/10

Warner Bros. Pictures presents "WESTBOUND" (1959) (72 min/Color) -- Starring Randolph Scott, Virginia Mayo, Karen Steele, Michael Dante, Andrew Duggan & Michael Pate

Directed by Budd Boetticher

Capt. John Hayes (Scott) left the Civil War behind him when he took on the job of managing the Overland Stage Lines out of a small Colorado town. Clay Putnam (Andrew Duggan) has not forgotten that the Confederacy lost and he plans on robbing Hayes' Overland Stage of one of its gold shipments from California to the North. He wants the gold to stay in the South to revive the Confederate cause. Meanwhile, his wife Norma (Virginia Mayo) complicates matters since she was Hayes' old flame, and Putnam's cronies want the gold for themselves.

Great story within a story of the one armed Federal veteran running a relay station. The color and cinematography was good too. HOWEVER, what really caught my attention, and still does, is the musical score! The music, especially the theme for traveling stagecoaches, is perfect, and very melodic! Hats off to composer David Buttolph for his orchestration through the west.

Great cast with Michael Pate, Andrew Duggan, Karen Steele and Michael Dante.

A fast-paced western with a number of twists, its is an fine example of the Scott / Boetticher pairing.

BIOS:
1. Budd Boetticher (Director)
Date of Birth: 29 July 1916 - Chicago, Illinois
Date of Death: 29 November 2001 - Ramona, California

2. Randolph Scott (aka: George Randolph Scott)
Date of birth: 23 January 1898 - Orange County, Virginia
Date of death: 2 March 1987 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California

3. Virginia Mayo [aka:Virginia Clara Jones]
Date of Birth: 30 November 1920 - St. Louis, Missouri
Date of Death: 17 January 2005 - Thousand Oaks, California

3, Karen Steele
Date of Birth20 March 1931, Hawaii
Date of Death12 March 1988

4. Michael Dante
Date of Birth: 2 September 1931 - Stamford, Connecticut
Date of Death: Unknown

5. Andrew Duggan
Date of Birth: 28 December 1923 - Franklin, Indiana
Date of Death: 15 May 1988 - Westwood, California

6. Michael Pate [aka: Edward John Pate]
Date of Birth: 26 February 1920 - Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 1 September 2008 - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 72 min on DVD ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (June 22, 2009)