Complete credited cast: | |||
Randolph Scott | ... | Tom Andrews | |
Jane Wyatt | ... | Dr. Edith Cabot | |
J. Carrol Naish | ... | Dynamite Dawson | |
Victor Jory | ... | Dirk Rourke | |
Nancy Olson | ... | Cecille Gautier | |
Robert Barrat | ... | Cornelius Van Horne | |
Walter Sande | ... | Mike Brannigan | |
Don Haggerty | ... | Cagle | |
Grandon Rhodes | ... | Dr. Mason | |
Mary Kent | ... | Mrs. Gautier | |
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John Parrish | ... | Mr. Gautier |
John Hamilton | ... | Pere Lacomb | |
Dick Wessel | ... | Bailey (as Richard Wessel) | |
Howard Negley | ... | Mallis |
After finding a vital pass through the Canadian Rockies for the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Tom Andrews tells his boss Cornelius Van Horne that he is resigning to marry the girl he loves, Cecille Gautier. From Cecille, Tom learns that fur trader Dirk Rourke fears the coming of the railroad because it threatens his hold on the Indians and other trappers. Tom and Rorke have a bitter fight over Cecille, and Tom asks her to wait for him, as he has to go back and finish his job with the railroad. Aided by Dynamite Dawson, Tom finds evidence of Rourke's work against the railroad construction and almost loses his life when Rourke fires into some crates of dynamite Tom is unloading. The construction camp's doctor, Edith Cabot, gives her own blood in a transfusion to save Tom's life. Cecille, realizing that her father is working with Rourke against the railroad,rides off to warn Tom. Rourke intercepts her and tells her that Tom is in love with the lady doctor, but she bullwhips ... Written by Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
The building of the Canadian Pacific railway was as much a milestone in the history of Canada as the transcontinental railroad in the United States of America. But the circumstances were so incredibly different the Canadians must have had a laugh and a half at this Hollywood story of one of the great events from their history.
The great challenge of the railroad was getting it through just that last stretch of mountains in British Columbia. The track went through a mountain trail known as Kicking Horse Pass and it was quite the engineering feat. That was the main story with the building of the Canadian Pacific.
But we have here is the plot of Union Pacific essentially brought under the Maple Leaf with villain Victor Jory stirring up the Indians to prevent the Canadian Pacific from getting through. Of course since he's up against chief engineer Randolph Scott, you know how this is going to come out.
Randy as was the case in a lot of his westerns has two girls to choose from, railroad brat Nancy Olson and Quaker doctor Jane Wyatt. I really think Wyatt was a bit ridiculous pushing her pacifist beliefs in the middle of the Indian attack at the climax.
On the plus side that Indian attack is one of the best I've ever seen in a western and you will be on the edge of your seat during the final shootout between Randolph Scott and Victor Jory. Also look for a good performance from the always dependable J. Carrol Naish as the locomotive engineer and Scott's sidekick. Also Dick Wessel as a murderous bartender is also quite good.
Too bad that this particular episode in Canadian history got Americanized though.