Michael and Pax welcome back Evan Hanson (the
Classic Film Jerks podcast) as we get back to Budd Boetticher and Randolph Scott's Ranown Westerns. This time Scott plays a Union officer tasked with transporting gold from California to Washington DC through Confederate-sympathizing territory.
Westbound also features Karen Steele, Michael Dante, Andrew Duggan, Michael Pate, and Virginia Mayo.
I've finally seen all of the Ranown cycle, including the unofficial ones like this one. This was the last one I needed to see. I am a big fan of Randolph Scott.
ReplyDeleteThis film was great, with a poorly developed romantic subplot. With two attractive ladies, I was expecting Jeanie and Rod to overcome their challenges and John to end up with Norma. Given how complicit Norma was in Clay's activities, I was happy that she did not stay in town.
This movie wasted Virginia Mayo, even though Karen Steele makes up for it. I liked Steele more in this film than Mayo, but this film could have used more scenes of conflict between the two ladies, made even a fight. That would have worked well to increase the tension and conflict between John and Clay. I also like Rod overcoming his injury and finding a new hope in the job of running a station.
I agree that it seemed quite sudden and pointless to kill Rod at that point in the film. Typically a character like this gets a heroic death followed by the hero avenging his death.
That said, it had all of the elements of a good western, and was still a great watch.