Would I rather watch this film (again) or a recent super-hero film?Answer: this one.It is a far-more-than-competent 50s western, with some really great stars and less-known characters (like Oliver Carey, wife of Harry Carey and mother of Harry Carey, Jr.). The music and scenery are great, and beautiful.The story is compelling and solid.(and, frankly, Audie Murphy was great in it. He was a far more accomplished actor than he is usually given credit for. He is easy to watch, comfortable in any role, and gives a very solid performance in any film. Jimmy Stewart could sing, and he could do a decent soft shoe. Do a youtube search and you will find him. Is it OK that I wish he was still alive and making movies? Is it OK that I wish Audie Murphy was still alive and making movies?

Night Passage comes across as one of those sparsely-seen, little-known American films of old that wouldn't be particularly hindered in any way by a remake. With a bleaker tone; villains whom might come across as a little more sadistic than they do here and a more convincing lead in the role of a former scoundrel-gone-straight, whom it is needs to be entrusted with a large amount of money, you might be looking at an interestingly rounded effort. For what it's worth, 1957's incarnation of Night Passage is a decent and involving enough little picture about a man's test of character and how both he and one other man balance dealing with the back-story they share with a raucous scenario they must come to face. There is additionally some ample support in the way of sub-text to do with young men and their venturing onto career paths, and how the coming to be torn between amorality and morality can rear its head.James Stewart plays a man named Grant MacLaine whom rides on into a town whose inhabitants are in the process of constructing a railroad, an ex-railroad employee himself, MacLaine's past is hinted at in that it involves a tarnished history involving a murder of some kind. He doesn't need to be in the presence of these people for very long before they become rather fond of him; the rendering of MacLaine as the centre of attention unfolds through his accordion playing and charming dialogue, of which the song he churns out eventually revealed to us that it was a number his father played to him and his brother to keep them from fighting, with the instance MacLaine himself ceasing to play seeing those around him begin to brawl with one another, thus, a childlike sensibility is instilled about most of those he's dealing with. MacLaine is the sort of guy whom now, we're told, and following his past nastiness, pauses to have friendly cups of coffee so as to talk about the local disused mines or even come to the aid of a young boy in distress at the hands of an elder cowboy. Here is a man we have to come to believe is reformed in whatever manner, with little-to-no bad blood as a result of his past railroad employment problems and additionally decides to reign in his more antagonistic skills.Whilst in and around the area, an opportunity comes about when his former boss offers him the chance to help in the delivery of an exceptionally large payment to be made to other railroad workers; a payment which has been hijacked en route so many times by the same gang that the situation is becoming desperate and the turning to McLaine is the result in spite of the past. With the young boy whom he rescued from earlier on, named Joey (De Wilde), in tow; MacLaine boards a train to head off unaware of the brooding plot lines begging to be set in motion off-screen as well as the agenda's certain characters yet unbeknownst to MacLaine have in store for the money. The film has Joey verbally establish the menace and presence of the gang of characters MacLaine will chiefly come to clash with before many of them have even appeared on screen, the cowboy from earlier whom was terrorising the boy a part of a greater network of thugs whom were the ones sabotaging the money's prior journeyings. As one of them attains their presence on board the train by way of infiltrating a carriage's roof before getting indoors with composed ease, Joey runs through the characteristics of particular gang members that have a greater say in the clan's own matters; they being Whitey (Duryea) and a younger man known as The Utica Kid (Murphy).Joey has us aware of a past bank raid in which each of them partook, the subsequent events to which was a successful haul turning out to be the turning on one another due to disagreements and the threatening of one another with firearms. We cut to the said group, Whitey and The Utica Kid correctly dominating proceedings, Whitey of whom is bedraggled and looks rough-and-ready; The Utica Kid far smarter and much more handsome with an ebony black wardrobe complimenting a stiff and regimental overall look. When we first encounter them, they're already bickering about the robbing of the train MacLaine and Joey are actually on; the fighting amidst themselves again correctly prominent as half wish to follow through with it and half do not. Eventually, they head out to rob it and through one means or another, end up with the money albeit it unwillingly and not to their own initial knowledge.The film is a competent effort surrounding the retrieving of the payroll, effectively a journey that takes on particular redemptive elements for MacLaine as he completely and entirely makes up for whatever bad blood was spilt between he and the railroad company in the past. Director James Neilson captures some wonderful location photography, including a quite stunning cliff-top train ride along some rather steep drops and has an eye for engaging narrative as well as the well choreographed shoot outs which occur as a result of it all. What Stewart in the lead role lacks in necessary menace given his past and given he's going up against the sorts that he is, he makes up for in the form of a particular boyish confidence in his character and techniques which ought to see him win out on the day. While nothing spectacular, Night Passage is a decent and well made Hollywood western of old which delivers in character and rather immersing drama alike.

Ex-railroad man James Stewart agrees to take a railroad payroll, concealed on his person, to the end of the line and ends up tangling with a gang of train-robbers led by loopy Dan Duryea (who's excellent in this), along with the charismatic Audie Murphy and Jack Elam.Night Passage is a prime example of straight-foreword storytelling on a healthy budget. This is really one handsome production, with fantastic sets and locations. It takes a little time to get started but it's always solid and the exciting, action-packed final act is about as suspenseful as it gets.Jimmy Stewart, Audie Murphy, and especially Dan Duryea are all great. I don't know what the rub was about casting Murphy. He's alright in this. Also giving a good performance is young actor Brandon de Wilde, who's probably best known as the kid from Shane.

Somewhat obscure and unheralded,NIGHT PASSAGE is not one of James Stewart's better known westerns.It apparently was not a particularly pleasant production either,with Stewart's long time directorial collaborator Anthony Mann resigning his post early on after concerns over the script and main co-star (Audie Murphy).It is very sad and regrettable that relations between Mann and Stewart never recovered over the various disputes and rifts,and the two reportedly never spoke again.A shame as this cinematic partnership usually produced some very impressive results,especially in the western genre (WINCHESTER 73 and THE MAN FROM LARAMIE being the best of them).With such friction behind the scenes,how does replacement James Neilson manage? The answer is in fact not too badly,though Neilson clearly lacks Mann's cinematic style and depth,and directs in an efficient if straightforward manner.NIGHT PASSAGE's main asset is it's striking colour photography by William Daniels,with some Colorado locations shown to spectacular effect.Along with the ever-reliable Stewart,there are many familiar western character actors involved such as Paul Fix,Jay C.Flippen,Robert J.Wilke,Jack Elam and Chuck Roberson,though Mann's concerns over the script are justified in some aspects as the story (about a stolen payroll from a train) ,dialogue and characterisations are mostly mundane and unremarkable,though the above-mentioned cast and scenery at least manage to keep interest to a decent level.Juvenile Brandon De Wilde's role here is nowhere as notable as it was in the classic SHANE four years earlier,and Dan Duryea overplays his hand as the main villain involved.Audie Murphy appears as Stewart's younger brother and Duryea's partner in crime,and actually acquits himself rather well.An underrated actor (not least by absent director Mann himself),Murphy's underplaying carries far more menace than Duryea's amplified histrionics,though in the end he turns good again and works alongside his elder brother Stewart in a fairly well-staged gunfight finale. Jimmy Stewart also has an opportunity to show his real-life prowess on the accordion throughout the film (although it was allegedly dubbed over by someone else afterwards), and vocalise as well,which he does adequately if nothing else.The title itself seems rather ambivalent and unclear,and aspects of the plot pre-date a similar storyline (about sibling relations and inter-conflicts) in a western Stewart made 11 years later with Dean Martin (BANDOLERO!).NIGHT PASSAGE has certain points of merit,but is not as memorable or notable as you would usually expect from a James Stewart western.One can only speculate how more conspicuous the final result could have been had Anthony Mann ironed out his concerns and differences with the script,Murphy,and Stewart himself;the world of cinema was a poorer place after their parting of the waves.RATING:6 and a half out of 10.