Rock Island Trail (1950)

Director:

Joseph Kane

Writers:

Frank J. Nevins (story)
James Edward Grant (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Loumas, president of the Rock Island Trail company, tries to expand his rails into the Midwest but finds...

Plot Keywords:

Train | Beautiful Woman | Trucolor | Railway

Cast

Forrest Tucker	...	Reed Loomis
Adele Mara	...	Constance Strong
Lorna Gray	...	Aleeta (Indian princess) (as Adrian Booth)
Bruce Cabot	...	Kirby Morrow
Chill Wills	...	Hogger McCoy
Barbra Fuller	...	Annabelle Marsh
Grant Withers	...	David Strong
Jeff Corey	...	Abe Lincoln
Roy Barcroft	...	Barnes
Pierre Watkin	...	Major
Valentine Perkins	...	Annette (Aleeta's French maid)
Jimmy Hunt	...	Stinky Tanner
Olin Howland	...	Saloonkeeper (as Olin Howlin)
John Holland	...	Maj. Porter
Kate Drain Lawson	...	Mrs. McCoy

Also Known As:

Transcontinent Express (UK)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Trucolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #14223)

Company:

Republic Pictures

Trivia:

"'Rock Island Trail' tells a story of the building of the first bridge and railroad over the Mississippi River from Rock Island, Illinois, to Davenport, Iowa. The World Premier of the film was in the Quad Cities, USA, on April 27th, 1950. Republic stars took part in a pre-show promotional parade which extended from Silvis, Illinois, the Home Yard of the mighty Rock Island Lines, at the time the largest rail yard in the world, to the theater in Rock Island, Illinois, and included John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Rock Island Railroad employees.

Mix of history and romance

I found it interesting that this movie is based on some historical fact. I thought it an interesting tale of railroad expansion in the United States and could well imagine that the steamship industry would fight that expansion, just as the car and trucking industries brought about it's minor status today.

Forrest Tucker was excellent in the lead, as was Adele Mara, who played his love interest. Lorna Gray was very good as the Indian princess and the introduction of women smoking was an interesting addition. I always enjoy Chill Wills and Jeff Coorey as young Abe Lincoln, small time lawyer, was also quaint, and supposedly true.

Godd movie if you are looking for a western.