Wagon Train

Other reviewers have rehearsed the plot of Edward Killy's RKO B-Movie from 1940, so there is no need to tread over familiar ground. What is perhaps more intriguing is the way the film rehearses several themes characteristic of the western, which might tell us something about the way America viewed itself at that time. The film is awash with movement: the wagon train traveling across the plains, accompanied by riders; the perpetual threat of the bad guys wanting to stop the train; coupled with the subplot about a community's livelihood being threatened should vital food supplies not arrive. This draws attention to the idea of the pioneer spirit; the fact that, as a young country, the United States is perpetually looking to expand itself; it is never satisfied with staying n one place. WAGON TRAIN also embodies racial attitudes characteristic of that time: all the characters are Euros, save for one Mexican (Julian Rivero) who assumes a peripheral role as he is s seen entering the general store trying to buy some beans for his family. He cannot afford the exorbitant price; and hence throws them back in the seller's face. Native Americans are represented as savage; they destroy one settlement; and it is only because of our hero Zack Sibley's (Tim Holt's) cleverness that they allow him and his followers to pass through their territory unscathed. By contrast the 'good' white Euros are represented as strong yet fair, believing in the importance of group identity as a means to survive in an inhospitable landscape. The film packs a lot into its sixty-minute running time; comedy, adventure, even two songs (with music by Paul Sawtell). Not particularly memorable, perhaps, but an interesting historical document.

Pecos businessman Matt Gardner is buying up freighters, or wagon trains of food supplies, at cheap prices through intimidation, and charging high prices by deliberately causing phony food shortages at his trading posts. The only one refusing to sell his supplies is Zack Sibley, who is dead set on maintaining his freighter business as well as tracking down his father's murderer, his ex-business partner. Gardner plans on eliminating any competition Sibley presents by sending his thugs to kill him and raid his wagon train.

Visually, this is quite impressive, the harsh, unforgiving land seems to envelope around the wagon train, lending some grit - there's an effective scene of a Comanche arrow hitting the wood and the scene quickly fades away. Next minute we see Holt riding into the burnt stage station.

A fairly entertaining RKO western that has the appeal of Tim Holt's youthful charm and his chemistry with Martha O Driscoll. There's some gorgeous location photography (It was filmed in Kanab, Utah and in Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, California) and some good characterisation.

As RKO's B picture cowboy hero, Tim Holt was really coming into his own when he did Wagon Train. In fact the film has a nice A picture look to it.

Villain of this film is veteran western actor Cliff Clark who had Tim's father killed. Clark is a skinflint merchant of the worst kind. He has gunmen on his payroll to make sure he sells the only food supplies for miles around for the ranchers and farmers. When Tim's father protested Clark had him killed.

The father was a rival merchant and former partner. Now Tim is taking a wagon train through with intentions of starting his own business again. He has to deal with Clark's outlaws and hostile Indians.

Holt was always a no nonsense western hero and in the tradition of the time as established by Hopalong Cassidy and the Three Mesquiteers has two sidekicks, Emmett Lynn and Ray Whitley.

The post World War II Holt usually had no romances as his sidekick then was Chito Rafferty. Here Martha O'Driscoll is the leading lady and their scenes look real.

RKO spent a bundle for location shooting instead of stock footage and it showed. Wagon Train is a nicely packaged Tim Holt western.

This is an unpretentious B western with a good interplay of comedic side stories and songs but a very simple and contrived storyline.

Pecos businessman Matt Gardner is buying up wagon trains of food supplies, at cheap prices through intimidation then charging higher prices by causing phony food shortages at his trading posts. The only man refusing to sell his supplies is Zack Sibley (Tim Holt.) Gardner plans on eliminating Sibley by sending his thugs to kill him.

There is plenty of exposition as soon as the film starts as two minor characters recount the story of Zack who has been looking for the man who killed his father when he was a child as he leads wagon trains out West. It just so happens that Matt Gardner was the culprit.

Ironically Gardner is later shot from a distance by his own son Coe when he intended to kill Zack and mistook his own father for Zack.

There is nice interplay between Whopper (Emmett Lynn) who plays the teller of tall tales and his flame (Ellen Lowe) who gives out the vibes of Olive Oyl. Holt is a suitably able hero with the white hat who falls for Coe's sweetheart, Helen Lee.

A nice short feature with a few good set pieces but nothing more.

Nothing especially dramatic or compelling here. A formulaic and predictable western with a meandering script and a distinct lack of character development, this picture tells its story and is over in an hour. It is loaded with non-sequiturs and loose ends which leaves the viewer scratching his head.

Nevertheless, the leads are attractive. Tim Holt gives a stalwart performance and Martha O'Driscoll is very pretty but is not given much to do. This is the sort of movie I probably would have liked a long time ago when I was a kid and didn't ask many questions. The action scenes were good and the second unit stuff was even better.

This picture was on TCM the other morning. It was a time-killer but did not break any new ground as far as the western genre is concerned. The kids won't notice, though.