Night Passage (1957)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

James Neilson

Writers:

Borden Chase (screenplay)
Norman A. Fox (story)

Release Date:

24 July 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

This was the night when the naked fury of the McLaines flamed out with consuming vengeance across a terrorized land!

Plot:

The workers on the railroad haven't been paid in months --- that's because Whitey and his gang, including fast-shooting...

Plot Keywords:

Train | Railroad | Payroll | Robbery | Outlaw Brother

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Stewart	...	Grant McLaine
Audie Murphy	...	The Utica Kid
Dan Duryea	...	Whitey Harbin
Dianne Foster	...	Charlotte Drew
Elaine Stewart	...	Verna Kimball
Brandon De Wilde	...	Joey Adams
Jay C. Flippen	...	Ben Kimball
Herbert Anderson	...	Will Renner
Robert J. Wilke	...	Concho
Hugh Beaumont	...	Jeff Kurth
Jack Elam	...	Shotgun
Tommy Cook	...	Howdy Sladen
Paul Fix	...	Mr. Feeney
Olive Carey	...	Miss Vittles
James Flavin	...	Tim Riley

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | USA:Approved (MPAA rating: certificate #18417) | UK:U | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | France:U

Filming Locations:

Buttermilk Country, Inyo National Forest - 351 Pacu Lane, Bishop, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

In August 1957, this film was being being shown on a double bill with The Delinquents (1957).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Eighty-three minutes into the film, a bullet hole suddenly appears on a steel cable car right behind Charlie as she ducks bullets with Grant. Charlie looks behind her, apparently reacting to the sound of the bullet hitting the car - but there is no sound whatsoever.

Quotes:

The Utica Kid: That's a pretty good rig.
Howdy Sladen: Too good for the guy that owned it. Remember that draw you taught me? It worked - he went down with his gun in the leather.
The Utica Kid: And now you're an in-case man.
Howdy Sladen: In-case?
The Utica Kid: Yeah, in case you miss six times with one, you draw the other... if you have time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Crime Story: The War (#1.5)" (1986)

Soundtrack:

You Can't Get Far Without a Railroad

One of my favorites

I have watched this movie many, many times and I find it enjoyable every time. I have found this to be one of my favorite Audie Murphy vehicles. The role Audie played as the Utica Kid is quite refreshing, I'm sure that not all the badmen were void of personalities. The witty and sarcastic dialogue between Utica and Whitey shows how the leadership of the gang was always open ended. Throughout the movie the end is always assured in that good will prevail, you still have the hope that Grant will convince Lee to return to his father teachings. I believe that anyone watching this movie will find it to be very enjoyable and entertaining.