Union Pacific (1939)

One of the last bills signed by President Lincoln authorizes pushing the Union Pacific Railroad across the wilderness to California. But financial opportunist Asa Barrows hopes to profit ... See full summary »

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writers:

Walter DeLeon (screen play), C. Gardner Sullivan (screen play),

Stars:

Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Akim Tamiroff

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Mollie Monahan
Joel McCrea	...	Jeff Butler
Akim Tamiroff	...	Fiesta
Robert Preston	...	Dick Allen
Lynne Overman	...	Leach Overmile
Brian Donlevy	...	Sid Campeau
Robert Barrat	...	Duke Ring
Anthony Quinn	...	Cordray
Stanley Ridges	...	General Casement
Henry Kolker	...	Asa M. Barrows
Francis McDonald	...	General Dodge
Willard Robertson	...	Oakes Ames
Harold Goodwin	...	Calvin
Evelyn Keyes	...	Mrs. Calvin
Richard Lane	...	Sam Reed

Storyline

One of the last bills signed by President Lincoln authorizes pushing the Union Pacific Railroad across the wilderness to California. But financial opportunist Asa Barrows hopes to profit from obstructing it. Chief troubleshooter Jeff Butler has his hands full fighting Barrows' agent, gambler Sid Campeau; Campeau's partner Dick Allen is Jeff's war buddy and rival suitor for engineer's daughter Molly Monahan. Who will survive the effort to push the railroad through at any cost?

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Plot Keywords:

railroad | troubleshooter | union pacific railroad | donkey | train wreck | 

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Taglines:

"Union Pacific" is coming!

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 May 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aliança de Aço

Filming Locations:

Cache, Oklahoma, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the Indian attack on the train, Paramount hired 100 Navajo Indian extras.

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Goofs

The golden spike ceremony shown in the movie is not true. The golden spike was lowered into an auger hole not driven. Gold is a soft metal and striking it as they did in the movie would have severely damaged it. The original golden spike now at Stanford University shows no mallet marks on the head.

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Quotes

Sid Campeau: What's a dead Indian, more or less? The Army's been killing them for years.
Jeff Butler: The Army doesn't kill Indians for fun, Campeau. And I don't think you do, either.

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Connections

Referenced in Living Steam: Virginia and Truckee Then and Now at the Nevada State Railroad Museum (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Oh! Susanna"
(1846) (uncredited)
Music by Stephen Foster
Background music at the start of the golden spike ceremony

User Reviews

Another reason why 1939 is the #1 Hollywood Production Year!

Amidst the glamour of "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz", this b&w Cecil B. DeMille Historical Fiction Classic received its share of eager 1939 movie theatre audiences. Starring a wholesome Irish immigrant Barbara Stanwyck, a noble law man Joel McCrae and a dashing dare devil Robert Preston, "Union Pacific" delivers a love-triangle centered around the historic 1869 joining of rail road tracks to connect the Western and Eastern borders of the United States. The love story is "formula", but delivers several "moments" where many viewers will fumble for their Kleenex. The climactic final scene showing the pay-off for all of the material and human sacrifices is priceless!

The very last of DeMille's b&w ventures, Union Pacific is one of those gems that endured the test of time, endearing the "glorious black and white" to generations of viewers. I first saw this classic as a child; I loved it then, as I still do today. Of all of the Hollywood movies ever produced, no single year of film-making has ever stood out from the rest like 1939. "Union Pacific" helped solidify this status. A true Hollywood Classic!