Santa Fe Trail (1940)

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writer:

Robert Buckner (original screenplay)

Release Date:

28 December 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | Romance | Western

Tagline:

A Magnficent Portrayal of a Thrilling Era !

Plot:

The story of Jeb Stuart, his romance with Kit Carson Holliday, friendship with George Custer and battles...

Plot Keywords:

American Civil War | John Brown | Jeb Stuart | Battle | Barber

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Errol Flynn	...	Jeb Stuart
Olivia de Havilland	...	Kit Carson Holliday
Raymond Massey	...	John Brown
Ronald Reagan	...	George Armstrong Custer
Alan Hale	...	Tex Bell
William Lundigan	...	Bob Holliday
Van Heflin	...	Carl Rader
Gene Reynolds	...	Jason Brown
Henry O'Neill	...	Cyrus K. Holliday
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Windy Brody
Alan Baxter	...	Oliver Brown
John Litel	...	Martin
Moroni Olsen	...	Colonel Robert E. Lee
David Bruce	...	Phil Sheridan
Hobart Cavanaugh	...	Doyle

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (re-rating) (1986) | Iceland:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #6559) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Lasky Mesa, West Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Aptly enough, the movie made its world premiere in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jeb Stuart escapes the hanging, he fires eight shots from the stolen six-shooter.

Quotes:

Caption: The road to Santa Fe was on iron rails to Kansas... and pure nerve from there on.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

No More Auction Block For Me

Rousing Pre-Civil War Actioner

"Santa Fe Trail" takes place in the 1850s as the America moved toward Civil War. It's mainly about the activities of self-proclaimed slave abolitionist John Brown and his efforts to provoke a war between the North and South.

The film begins in 1854 at West Point where a number of historical figures who would play prominent roles in the Civil War, are about to graduate. Leading the pack are JEB Stuart (Errol Flynn) and George Armstrong Custer (Ronald Reagan). Robert E. Lee (Moroni Olsen) is the Commandant of West Point and Jefferson Davis (Erville Anders) is the Minister of War. John Brown (Raymond Massey) is conducting bloody raids all over Kansas and has placed an operative, Rader (Van Heflin) within West Point. Stuart and Custer meanwhile, foil Rader and are competing for the affections of Kit Carson Holliday (Olivia de Havilland) the daughter of railroad magnate Cyrus K. Holliday (Henry O'Neill) who hopes to extend the railroad to New Mexico along, you guessed it, the Santa Fe Trail.

There is some very good action sequences ably directed by Michael Curtiz. Future Cvil War adversaries fight side by side against Brown and his followers but are coming to realize that the issue of slavery will not die with Brown.

Raymond Massey steals the acting honors as Brown the slightly mad but dedicated revolutionary. Flynn, Reagan and DeHavilland form the usual love triangle that always seemed to be a staple of the Warner Bros. westerns of the period. Alan Hale and Guinn Williams are along to provide the comedy relief. Heflin in an early role, is also excellent as Rader who seems to have his own agenda.

Also in the cast mostly unbilled, are Alan Baxter, Joseph Sawyer and for "B" movie fans, Charles Middleton, Trevor Bardette, Lane Chandler, Lafe McKee and Roy Barcroft (if you blink you'll miss him).

There's plenty of action and romance to keep the die-hard western fan happy. One of the better Warner Bros. "A" westerns of the period.