Abrindo Horizontes

While this is not a great film, it certainly is well worth watching--especially in light of Sterling Hayden's nice performance. While hardly a household name today and never a top star, Hayden was a terrific performer with his direct, no nonsense style of acting. Oddly, however, this film finds Barton MacLane playing a nice guy...can you figure?!

The film begins with a particularly useless and bad prologue--it was poorly written and seemed to pull its punches as it didn't want to offend anyone...though the Civil War had been over for almost 90 years when the movie was made! It is set in Kansas just before the war and concerns the US government and railroad's desire to get the railroad completed...especially as it will be needed to bring in needed supplies if war breaks out (which it did). But, Quantrill and his gang are doing everything they can to sabotage the railroad, so an Engineer (Hayden) is brought in to help the foreman (MacLane) get the project completed. All in all, it's a pretty ordinary sort of film, though it plays fast and loose wit the facts...in particular Quantrill's life. Despite this, the film is enjoyable, well-made and worth seeing--even if you aren't a dyed in the wool western lover.

On Civil War's eve, the Union pushes for completion of a railroad to the West, while the Confederacy works to prevent it.

Decent western that makes good us of its limited budget. The cannon duel is imaginative as heck and a good effect that avoids western cliché. Lots of familiar faces in supporting roles, especially MacLane, Hadley and Fowley. Since the plot concerns Civil War rivalries, the bad guys can't be too bad since they're fighting for the Southern cause. I like the way attention is paid to technicalities of railway building, which lends realistic atmosphere. Too bad they have to work in a romance that dangles like a needless appendage, but I guess that's commercial filmmaking

Something should be said for Sterling Hayden, always an interesting actor even if he hated the profession. Too gangly and taciturn to be a leading man, he's perfect for an action role like this. And who can forget his grim- faced attachment to his horses in The Asphalt Jungle (1950). It's an outward stoicism that still conveys unexpected feeling. Or his philosophical resignation upon leaving the airport in Kubrick's masterpiece The Killing (1956). By all accounts he was a fascinating man as well as an underrated actor.

Anyway, this is a nicely done outdoor western with a good cast.

"Kansas Pacific" is another building of a railroad picture that turns out to be quite good. It was produced by Allied Artists on a larger than normal budget for an "A-minus" or "B-plus western. It was shot in color and contains some great shots of vintage trains as well as, some exciting battle sequences. There's one particularly convincing attack where the confederate supporters blow up an entire train.

The story takes place just prior to the American Civil War. A railroad is being built by the Union Army to supply its western posts. Confederate sympathizers are trying to prevent its completion.

Union engineer John Nelson (Sterling Hayden) is sent out from Washington to oversee the building of the railroad. Construction boss Cal Bruce (Barton MacLane) and his engineer "Smokestack" (Harry Shannon) have been experiencing troubles from unknown sources. It turns out that southern sympathizer Bill Quantrill (Reed Hadley)is behind the problems. Bruce's daughter Barbara (Eve Miller) is the token heroine who provides the love interest for Hayden.

There are many familiar faces to western fans in the supporting cast. Members of Hadley's gang include the likes of Douglas Fowley, Lane Bradford, Myron Healey, Riley Hill and a moustachioed Clayton Moore. James Griffith plays Joe Farley, a railroad guard. Hill was never a major player as a villain in westerns but he could always be singled out in the gang because he was usually clean cut and wore a "hero style" white hat. Moore of course was better known as TV's "The Lone Ranger" and had appeared in many Republic and Columbia serials (on both sides of the law) of the period.

Hayden was a big man, six foot six I believe, and was always more convincing in his screen fights than many of his contemporaries. MacLane although giving a good performance, was usually on the wrong side of the law in his movies and was better suited to brutish villainous roles.

A better than average railroad film.

I saw "Kansas Pacific" in theatrical release, as the second half of a double bill with "War of the Worlds". What a day at the movies that was! Since then, I've sought this film out and have seen it repeatedly. There could be more rail action for my taste, but what there is, plus the solid performances of the fine cast, makes for a very good Western indeed. And Albert Sendrey's terrific gonna-build-a-railroad soundtrack music is epic. I've always wished Hollywood had given him more to do. You'll be humming that theme, and carrying fond memories of steaming down the high iron aboard the "Kansas Pacific". Highly recommended to all.

Kansas Pacific is directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Daniel B. Ullman. It stars Sterling Hayden, Eve Miller, Barton MacLane, Harry Shannon, Tom Fadden and Reed Hadley. A Cinecolor production with music by Albert Sendrey and cinematography by Harry Neumann.

"In the years preceding the War between the States, 'Bleeding Kansas' was split down the middle. Being a border state-and not legally committed to either side-Kansas was almost torn apart by its two equally violent factions.

A railroad to the West was being built. To the rapidly forming Confederacy, this line, if completed, could mean the difference between defeat and victory, because it could well become the lifeline for the Union's western military installations.

Some Southern groups therefore, took strong steps to see that the Kansas Pacific did not reach completion. Northern interests, on the other hand, took equally strong steps to see that it did. All of this happened before any formal declaration of war, so neither side was really justified in the acts of total violence which resulted."

It's a fictionalised account that would surely have the historians frothing at the mouth, but on its own modest terms Kansas Pacific is solid entertainment. It's 1860 and Hayden is an undercover Army engineer who is sent in to ensure that the railroad is built. Not easy because the construction is plagued by sabotage attacks by Southern Rebels led by William Quantrill (Hadley).

Thus the story follows a familiar path that sees Hayden viewed with suspicion by some, admired by others, and as the sabotage attempts increase in ferocity, so does Hayden's will to succeed. Some love action comes his way (Miller on dressage duties only), as does the chance for some stoic engine driving. The action is well staged by Nazarro, who oversees dynamite attacks and cannon warfare, and the location photography coupled with the train sequences are most pleasing.

Modest for sure, but performed well in the right areas and at 73 minutes in length it barely has time to annoy anyone but the history buffs. 6/10