The Iron Road (1943)
"Buckskin Empire" (original title)

A railroad man and the owner of a freight line battle for control of a crucial mountain pass.

Director:

Lesley Selander

Writers:

Norman Houston (screenplay), Bernard Schubert (additional dialogue),

Stars:

Richard Dix, Jane Wyatt, Albert Dekker

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Dix	...	Stephen Brent
Jane Wyatt	...	Vinnie Marr
Albert Dekker	...	Gideon Skene
Lee J. Cobb	...	Jeptha Marr
Victor Jory	...	Champ Clanton
Lola Lane	...	Rita Molyneaux
Max Baer	...	Tiny
Joe Sawyer	...	Brannigan
Harry Allen	...	McWhinny
Francis McDonald	...	Duval
George Reeves	...	Jeff Collins
Bill Nestell	...	Whiskers
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bernard Brady	...	Rancher

Storyline

Jeptha Marr has built the town of Pawnee, Kansas, and established a successful freight company. He sees his fortunes at risk due to the encroachment of a new railroad, spearheaded by Stephen Bent. Marr sends his right-hand man Gideon Skene to disrupt Bent's activities. Bent takes an unusual tack in dealing with Marr's opposition: he woos Marr's daughter Vinnie. But the unscrupulous forces of a third opposing figure, the ruthless Champ Clanton, create an uneasy alliance between Bent and Marr.

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Plot Keywords:

freight | railroad | kansas | freight company | daughter | 

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Taglines:

Harry Sherman's Greatest Action Drama! (original poster)

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Genres:

Action | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

La vallée infernale

Filming Locations:

Cache, Oklahoma, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harry Sherman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min 76 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

User Reviews

"I've been workin' on the railroad," said Richard Dix.

Richard Dix was a popular leading man in silent films and certainly started out strong in talkies with the lead in one of the early Best Pictures in Cimarron. He had a strong speaking voice, but a manner that suggested the stage actors from before World War I. I think that was the reason he gradually declined in popularity and was now doing B westerns like Buckskin Frontier.

Once again a singleminded man is blazing a trail for the construction of railroads to open the west. Not exactly an original western theme. But Buckskin Frontier is in the hand of seasoned professionals like producer Harry "Pop" Sherman and director Lesley Selander. These two guys between both of them have a ton of westerns to their credit.

In this case Dix's opposition comes from freight wagon owner Lee J. Cobb. Of course Dix's railroad is cutting into his business and he opposes him. Complicating things is Cobb's daughter Jane Wyatt who's developed a hankering for the railroad man.

The real villain is rival railroad owner Victor Jory who's looking to take out both Cobb and Dix. Victory Jory never gave a bad performance in any film, he was always a strong and snarling villain and he is here.

Fans of movie westerns will like Buckskin Frontier. Lots of shoot 'em up action in a rousing climax.