Virginia City (1940)

Union officer Kerry Bradford escapes from Confederate Prison and is set to Virginia City in Nevada. Once there he finds that the former commander of his prison Vance Irby is planning to send $5 million in gold to save the Confederacy.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writer:

Robert Buckner (original screen play)

Stars:

Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins, Randolph Scott

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Errol Flynn	...	Kerry Bradford
Miriam Hopkins	...	Julia Hayne
Randolph Scott	...	Vance Irby
Humphrey Bogart	...	John Murrell
Frank McHugh	...	Mr. Upjohn
Alan Hale	...	Olaf Swenson
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	'Marblehead'
John Litel	...	Marshall
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Major Drewery (as Douglas Dumbrille)
Moroni Olsen	...	Cameron
Russell Hicks	...	Armistead
Dickie Jones	...	Cobby
Frank Wilcox	...	Union Soldier
Russell Simpson	...	Gaylord
Victor Kilian	...	Abraham Lincoln

Storyline

During the American Civil War, Captain Kerry Bradford escapes from a notorious confederate prison. He and two of his men are sent to Virginia City where Confederate sympathizers are prepared to donate $5 million dollars to the cause of Southern independence. The war is going badly for the Confederacy and money may tip the war in their favor. On the stagecoach to Virginia City, Bradford meets and falls in love with Julia Hayne not realizing that she is one of the conspirators. When he gets to Virginia City, he also runs into Confederate Captain Vance Irby who has been sent to collect and safely deliver the gold. Irby manages to get out of the city but the Union cavalry is in hot pursue. When Bradfoed catches up with them, he not only has to fight Irby but also John Murrell, a bandit who has his own plans for the gold. He also

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Plot Keywords:

gold | prison | escape | stagecoach | nevada | 

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Taglines:

Go West!...to Virginia City...for excitement, for adventure, for primitive romance!!!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | History | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 March 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Goldschmuggel nach Virginia

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Miriam Hopkins replaced Olivia de Havilland.

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Goofs

During John Murrell's escape from the runaway stagecoach, he shoots it out with Bradford and Swenson. All three men are firing Colt revolvers that won't become available until the 1870s.

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Connections

Referenced in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

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Soundtracks

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"
(1861) (uncredited)
Music by William Steffe (circa 1856)
Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe
Sung by townsmen in Virginia City
Excerpts incorporated into the score often

User Reviews

It makes you want to go back to the days of big studios

It is incredible that all but one of the Warner westerns made with Errol Flynn (Dodge City) did not age and are fun to watch more than 60 years later. Virginia City is no exception and it is a shame it is in black and white, specially that it shows the Grand Canyon. If the cinematography would be on the same level as "Rocky Mountain" the B*W would be more acceptable. Contrary to some comments I did not find Humprey Bogart's performance bad, it is just not what we expect of him considering the big star he became. Just forget that Murrell, the bandit is Bogart and it is OK. Great music by Max Steiner. Randolph Scott has one of his best performances as Irby, the officer from the South, who is trying to take the gold of Virginia City in a caravan. Flynn and his friends from Dodge, Alan Hale and Big Boy Williams are as good as always. But best of all is the level of quality attained by Warner , which is superior to almost all t westerns ever done after. It makes you want to go back to the days of big studios.