Station West (1948)

Dick Powell stars as Haven, a government private investigator assigned to investigate the murders of two cavalrymen. Travelling incognito, Haven arrives in a small frontier outpost, where ... See full summary »

Director:

Sidney Lanfield

Writers:

Frank Fenton (screenplay), Winston Miller (screenplay),

Stars:

Dick Powell, Jane Greer, Agnes Moorehead

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dick Powell	...	Haven
Jane Greer	...	Charlie
Agnes Moorehead	...	Mrs. Caslon
Burl Ives	...	Hotel Clerk
Tom Powers	...	Captain Iles
Gordon Oliver	...	Prince
Steve Brodie	...	Stellman
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Mick
Raymond Burr	...	Mark Bristow
Regis Toomey	...	Goddard
Olin Howland	...	Cook (as Olin Howlin)
John Berkes	...	Pianist
Michael Steele	...	Jerry
Dan White	...	Pete
John Kellogg	...	Ben

Storyline

Dick Powell stars as Haven, a government private investigator assigned to investigate the murders of two cavalrymen. Travelling incognito, Haven arrives in a small frontier outpost, where saloon singer Charlie controls all illegal activities. After making short work of Charlie's burly henchman, Haven gets a job at her gambling emporium, biding his time and gathering evidence against the gorgeous crime chieftain Cast as a philosophical bartender, Burl Ives is afforded at least one opportunity to sing.

---

Plot Keywords:

murder | saloon singer | singer | saloon | masked robber | 

---

Taglines:

A STRANGER IN TOWN...WHERE STRANGERS WEREN'T WELCOME!...and he found out a gal double-crossed is Deadly as Poison!

---

Genres:

Action | Mystery | Romance | Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Främlingen från Kansas

Filming Locations:

Sedona, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Sometime Remind Me To Tell You"
Lyrics by Mort Greene
Music by Leigh Harline
Sung by Jane Greer (uncredited)

User Reviews

Army Detective Smashes Robbers

In the Films of Dick Powell, it's pointed out that Powell had done a western only twice before in his musical period. Cowboy from Brooklyn and Riding High had modern western settings.

Only Station West was done during Powell's time as a noir star and he brings the genre west with him. Done in the obligatory black and white photography, Station West is a moody atmospheric thriller.

It's not a mystery because you pretty much know who the bad guys are early on. But it does show Powell's dogged determination to find out who committed a gold robbery in which two soldiers were killed while guarding the shipment.

Powell gets good support from Jane Greer as town saloon owner, Agnes Moorehead as a mine owner, and Raymond Burr as a shyster attorney. Burr is a revelation. Usually the villains he did before doing Perry Mason are pretty strong characters. He's quite the weakling here.

Powell never made another western feature film, but his Four Star Productions produced Zane Grey Theatre in the Fifties on television and Powell himself appeared in many of the half hour stories.