"Western Union" as one might expect, is about the building of the Western Union telegraph line to the west. It takes place in 1861 at the out break of the American Civil War. In fact a note from Abraham Lincoln is read wishing the company good luck and expressing the need for coast to coast communication as soon as possible.Outlaw on the run Vance Shaw (Randolph Scott) saves the life of surveyor Edward Creighton (Dean Jagger). Later, Vance goes to work for Western Union unaware that Creighton is now the boss. Creighton promises Shaw that their previous meeting will be kept confidential.Tenderfoot surveyor from the east Richard Blake (Robert Young) arrives on the scene. Both he and Shaw pursue Creighton's comely young sister Sue (Virginia Gilmore.A group of renegades professing allegiance to the south and led by outlaw Jack Slade (Barton MacLane) begin raids on the Western Union camps stealing their horses and cattle. Vance goes after them and discovers that the gang doing the raiding are his former gang. Eventually this leads to a confrontation between Vance and Slade."Western Union" is directed by Fritz Lang who had a soft spot for American Westerns. He gives us plenty of action and color. There are encounters with a herd of buffalo, a Indian attack, a spectacular fire and a gunfight finale to enjoy. The Technicolor photography is breath taking showing long lines of telegraph poles stretched across the open prairie, a colorful town that has more than just the usual main street, an opening sequence showing Scott galloping through a herd of buffalo across the hills escaping a pursuing posse. Perhaps the most spectacular color sequence is the fire set to the camp by the renegades.Scott is excellent as the man with a past as is Jagger (with hair) as the tough no nonsense boss. Robert Young though giving a competent performance seems to me to be miscast in a western setting. Others in the cast include John Carradine as the camp doctor, Slim Summerville along for comedy relief, as the camp cook and Chill Wills as Homer, one of the linemen. Chief Big Tree, Chief Thundercloud and Iron Eyes Cody appear in various Indian roles.An under rated western to be sure.

While escaping from a heist of a bank, the outlaw Vance Shaw (Randolph Scott) helps Edward Creighton (Dean Jagger), the chief-engineer of the Western Union that is surveying the Wild West and had had an accident with a horse. In 1861, Vance regenerates and is hired to work for the Western Union with the team that is installing the poles and cable from Omaha to Salt Lake City. Vance and the engineer from Harvard Richard Blake (Robert Young) flirt with the gorgeous Edward's sister Sue Creighton (Virginia Gilmore) and she chooses Vance. However, his past haunts him when the outlaw Jack Slade (Barton MacLane) steals the Western Union cattle disguised of Indians."Western Union" is a good but predictable western directed by Fritz Lang. The story shows the difficulties of the brave and idealistic men responsible for installing the telegraph through the West, facing thieves and Indians. The entertaining story has action, drama, romance and funny situations, but with the exception of the identity of Jack Slade, there is no surprise in the story. Randolph Scott gives another magnificent performance with a great cast. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Os Conquistadores" ("The Conquerors")

I first saw this film in the theater way back in the 40s when I was a kid and always remembered the ending. There is nothing like the first impression but some movies are always a treat each time they are viewed. Something just resonates with them. This is one of those films and I agree with another reviewer who said Fritz Lang should have directed more westerns. To add to it I have always liked Randolph Scott and Robert Young. In fact, Robert Young stars in what I consider my favorite movie if I have to name just one, not an easy thing to do. That film is Northwest Passage. It led me to the superb historical novels of Kenneth Roberts. Western Union likewise led me to reading Zane Grey's novel which, in this case turned out to be one of those rare cases where I like the movie better than the novel. Not that Grey's novel is a bad one; I just like the movie story better. The movie in no way resembles the novel. It is a completely different tale, one of the biggest departures from a book I have seen.I can't add much to the other reviews except to say I agree with many of them. I, too, wish it would be released on DVD. "Whatever happened to Randolph Scott happened to the best of me."

Here's another of the 1940's westerns that I watch whenever it comes on TCM or FMC, because although it may be flawed historically, it is extremely entertaining and well acted, plus it's got Randolph Scott, my favorite actor second only to Gary Cooper-Well, OK, fourth behind COOP, Charlton Heston, and Gregory Peck. But the film itself, to me anyway, is reasonably historically accurate and as I said before, well acted and "flows" very well-I bet I've seen it 50 or 60 times, and enjoy each viewing more than the one before. I have it on tape from TCM but would buy it in a minute if it ever came out on DVD. See it if you haven't- I guarantee you'll like it!