Wagon Train

First of all there's a rolling Wild West context setting explanation before the picture begins and straight after that one character gives another a lengthy explanation of hero Tim Holt's past and character. After all that you don't need a crystal ball to see which way the picture will go and how it will climax and end, even down to some of the lesser details.

Baddies try to blacken Holt's good name and his food supply business, attempt to kill him and raid his wagon train to corner the market for themselves. It turns out Holt was after one of them anyway… Apart from the clumsy opening reveal it's all routine, competently handled fodder – plus a few nice songs, nice scenery nicely photographed, nice action, but you could seldom fault Holt in any of these oaters. It's an serenely enjoyable hour – if you like b Western films with a bit of atmosphere; if you know you don't and decide to watch it anyway kiss the hour goodbye!

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.

One of the best B westerns I've ever seen. Original and intelligent script, solid acting, great scenery and production values not normally found in this type of movie. Scene with wagons racing across the valley is spectacular and does not appear to be stock footage (though I could be wrong). Tim Holt westerns, particularly those from the early 40s, usually exceeded the normal standards for series westerns, but Wagon Train is in a class by itself. Truly a great movie of it's type.

Wagon Train is directed by Edward Killy and written by Norton Grant and Bernard McConville. It stars Tim Holt, Ray Whitley, Emmett Lynn, Martha O'Driscoll, Malcolm 'Bud' McTaggart and Cliff Clark. Music is by Paul Sawtell and cinematography by Harry Wild.

"The middle of the last century witnessed small bands of courageous men leading their wagon trains across the wilderness, carrying provisions to the people of the frontier. They died of hunger, thirst, heat and cold. Desert wastes, prairie fires, the attacks of road agents and Indians took their toll. But the freighters still rolled on - - the wheels of their wagons carving from the Trans-Missouri Wilderness a greater and stronger nation."

Out of RKO, this black and white Oater is a breezy paean to the tough characters who led the wagon trains whilst battling the elements and outside human forces. Tim Holt stands straight backed and handsome as our hero leading from the front, whilst O'Driscoll shines pretty as a summers day. There is much joviality to be found in between the pacey action scenes, and there's even time for some songs and a nifty dance sequence that John Ford would have approved of for its portrait of community spirit. Filmed on location in Kanab, Utah, the picture is practically a complete outdoor production, and it's beautifully photographed by Harry Wild (Farewell My Lovely/Station West).

No surprises here but that's just fine, it's an hour of hooray and yeehaw entertainment with thrills, spills, laughs and the requisite heroes and villains. 7/10

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.