Directed by James Neilson
Produced by Aaron Rosenberg
Screenplay by Borden Chase
Based on a story by Norman A. Fox
Director Of Photography: William Daniels, ASC
Music composed and conducted by Dimitri Tiomkin
Film Editor: Sherman Todd, ACE
CAST: James Stewart (Grant McLaine), Audie Murphy (The Utica Kid), Dan Duryea (Whitey Harbin), Dianne Foster (Charlotte Drew), Elaine Stewart (Verna Kimball), Brandon de Wilde (Joey Adams), Jay C. Flippen (Ben Kimball), Herbert Anderson (Will Renner), Robert J. Wilke (Concho), Hugh Beaumont (Jeff Kurth), Jack Elam (Shotgun), Tommy Cook (Howdy Sladen), Paul Fix (Mr. Feeney), Olive Carey (Miss Vittles), James Flavin (Tim Riley), Donald Curtis (Jubilee), Ellen Corby (Mrs. Feeney), John Day (Latigo).
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Over the three-year life of this blog, few topics have generated the level of response as a recent post — nothing more than a few production photos, really — on Night Passage (1957). It’s a film with quite a history, and that history has affected its reputation to a large degree.
That history, in a nutshell. By the time Night Passage came around, James Stewart and Anthony Mann had collaborated on some of the greatest Westerns of all time (I’ll assume you know what those are). Stewart proposed Night Passage as their next film. And while there are numerous variations on how it came about (and which I will outline in my book if the film makes the cut), Mann did not end up directing the picture. That job went to James Neilson, a TV director and former still photographer making his feature debut on a very grand scale. (What a thankless task: there was no way this film wouldn’t be compared to the Mann-Stewart films.)
Producer Aaron Rosenberg: “I think Jim had grown tired of playing the anti-hero — the man with hate in his heart and a rage that leads him to violence.”**
Grant McLaine (Stewart) is a former railroad trouble shooter reduced to playing the accordion for tips. He’s re-hired to escort the payroll to the track’s end — the workers are plenty tired of having their pay stolen by Whitey Harbin (Dan Duryea) and The Utica Kid (Audie Murphy). Along the way, Stewart comes into contact with a number of people from his past — including his brother, The Uttica Kid. To go much further might spoil some of the fun.
The story is pretty simple, but Borden Chase’s script feels a bit over-plotted. Every character seems to have some kind of history with the others, bringing up relationships that don’t really impact the story. Of course, throughout the picture, we’re awaiting the meeting between Stewart and Murphy — the advertising was built around it — and our patience is certainly rewarded. Their scenes together are terrific, with Stewart trying to save his little brother’s soul and Murphy torn between the two sides of his personality. It all concludes with a well-staged shootout at a deserted mine.
The first film in Technirama — basically, VistaVision squeezed anamorphically to combine improved clarity and depth with the full Scope width — and shot around Durango, Colorado, Night Passage is a truly gorgeous thing to behold. William Daniels’ photography gives the picture a real epic feel, and avoids the tighter shots a TV director like Neilson tends to gravitate towards. It seems like the bulk of the film takes place outdoors, and the location work was grueling.
Dianne Foster: “That was a hard picture to do. We started in late autumn and were trying to get out by winter because snowfall would have changed the landscape, so we were on a tight schedule. We had trucks with oxygen masks and cots in them, set up like a mini-hospital… We would do a sequence and then get so winded and exhausted that we’d have to go lay down for a while, get some oxygen and then go back in and finish the scene… the schedule stretched from weeks into months, and in the end we still had to shoot some scenes with rear projection in the studio.”*
Along with its grand scale, action sequences and startling location work, the performances really stand out in Night Passage. Stewart is as good as ever, though his part isn’t as troubled, or flashy, as in the Mann films. He’s at his best in the touching, pivotal scene with Audie Murphy. This may be the best performance of Murphy’s career. From his enjoyment in taunting Duryea to his powerful scene with Stewart, everything he does rings true. It’s a complex part and he nails it.
The way Dan Duryea plays Whitey is rather odd. The character is a bit under-developed, which may have led Duryea to play it broadly, and loudly — he screams every line. But his scenes with Murphy, as the Utica Kid needles Whitey, are tense and funny. Elaine Stewart and Dianne Foster don’t have much to do, but do it well.
The supporting cast is terrific: Jay C. Flippen, Brandon de Wilde, Hugh Beaumont, Jack Elam, Robert J. Wilke, Paul Fix, Olive Carey and Ellen Corby. And Dimitri Tiomkin’s score is as excellent as you’d expect.
Night Passage delivers on everything it promises, and it’s time for it to come out from the sizable shadow created by its older brothers, the Mann-Stewart films. Kinda like the Utica Kid.
To promote Night Passage, Murphy made an appearance in Salt Lake City before its premiere on July 18, 1957, touching on his PTSD in a newspaper interview. Stewart hit the road for the picture as well, and he never worked with Anthony Mann again.
Suggested reading: the comments from my previous Night Passage post, along with the excellent write-ups on it at Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings and Riding The High Country.
SOURCES:
* Last Of The Cowboy Heroes by Robert Nott; ** Jimmy Stewart: The Truth Behind The Legend by Michael Munn.
Very nicely put together Toby. I watched the movie again after your initial post back at the beginning of the month and did so bearing in mind some of the things discussed at the time.
I still don;t believe Neilson managed to coax as complex a performance out of Stewart as we’d become used to with Mann; there’s a resentment in his character all right but not quite the same intensity. In a way, that works out not so bad, bearing in mind the semi-paternal role he takes on in relation to Brandon de Wilde. Duryea’s overperforming is more problematic though – in fact, the more it’s pointed out, the more annoying it seems.
However, the action is very well handled and the cinematography is, as you say, just breathtaking. Murphy too is exceptionally good. There really was a lot of complexity to the man, and a lot of talent, that wasn’t always exploited as fully as it could have been. I always enjoy watching him though, even in his so-called lesser roles. I honestly don’t know what Murphy’s best part was – I think it’s a toss up between Night Passage, The Unforgiven & No Name on the Bullet, with a couple of others coming close.
And thanks very much for linking in to my own modest little piece on the movie from ages ago.
In the scene where Stewart knocks down Robert Wilke, there’s a bit of the Mann-ish tension there, as Stewart seems to stop himself from going overboard. It makes for a very cool scene. Through the rest of the film, I think the “semi-paternal” aspect drives his performance.
We don’t mind that John Wayne doesn’t come at each part with Ethan Edwards intensity, and it doesn’t bother me if Jimmy Stewart’s a more stable guy every now and then.
As strong as Murphy is here, and he really knocks me out in this one, if Duryea had come at it as strong as, say, Waco Johnnie Dean, it could’ve added an extra layer to the entire film.
What is interesting to me about this is that we’ve gotten more mileage out of a clearly flawed film that we have some of the true classics. As we continue to write our blogs and I pound away on my book, we should remember that.
You’re quite right – that scene where Stewart faces down Wilke does come close to the kind of thing we see with Mann. And the fact that we know it was nearly a Mann film is probably part of the reason the lack of intensity gets brought up. Watching Stewart in his other western roles, this is never an issue. Back to that old weight of expectation thing again.
You’re spot on too that some of the less celebrated movies we talk about seem to generate more discussion. I’ve certainly witnessed that over at my place, and I guess it comes down to the relative freshness of the “lesser” fare from a critical standpoint. That, and the fact that there sometimes seems to be little new to say about the old familiar standards.
I’ve stayed away from Shane, High Noon and The Searchers because there’s really nothing I can add.
But with something like Quantez or Fury At Showdown, no one seems to have ever written much about them and I’d like to think I’m helping these things be seen again.
With your blog, it’s interesting to me that you might write about something I’ve seen (or read about) a hundred times, but you always add some wrinkle that makes me want to watch it again. That’s quite a trick, my friend.
I think you’re definitely doing your bit to flag up these movies. Keep at it – it’s worth doing.
This is a fair assessment. Reading you, as well as Colin, Laura, others who have commented including here earlier, it seems many agree about what I feel is its greatest strength, the brothers’ relationship. This is one of the more affecting of many good “brothers” Westerns and there are a fair share of first-rate ones (enough to look at comments here where you mention FURY AT SHOWDOWN, another of the best ones, and from the same year).
The backstory is a little overloaded yet underdeveloped in the present, as you say, especially with the two women–and I do like both actresses. Toby, you make a very good point about Stewart–why does he have to be as intense as he is in the five Mann Westerns when this is a different movie and his character taken in a somewhat different direction (though it’s not an untroubled hero, of course–he just carries it a different way)? I think Stewart is just fine–and hey, though he’s one of the greatest actors in Westerns, how many is he in between the two 1950 ones and the John Ford ones of the early to mid 60s? He’s great in all of them and that’s one reason they should all be treasured.
I also think you made a very good point that any tendency Neilson might have had to go to TV style closer shots (we don’t know that he did) were nullified by the presence of Daniels–and I can’t imagine any novice director not deferring to Daniels’ great experience and command over so many things. So with all that great location shooting and beautiful Durango locations I don’t see how anyone could complain about how it looks. Those wide shots may not always be so dramatically striking as what Mann would do–but they do contribute mightily and are one of the film’s pleasures.
It’s nice that Audie Murphy seems to be getting some respect now, at least from aficionados. He held his own with James Stewart, and with Michael Redgrave too (not so easy–Redgrave is at his most brilliant in THE QUIET AMERICAN) and is the standout in THE UNFORGIVEN (admittedly he has the best role) in an exceptionally strong cast. Colin mentioned three of the movies I’d choose from as among his best–probably the first three I’d name too–though wouldn’t want to make that choice. Considering both his own performances and the films, I’d add POSSE FROM HELL (another darker character, very bitter hero until the final reel, when he softens) and two contrasting movies in which he plays likeable heroes who are less complicated but Murphy plays them beautifully–WALK THE PROUD LAND and THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT.
Those titles have come up before and a lot of us hope Universal Vault will set them free one of these days.
I agree that it’s time to give some attention around to some of the many wonderful Westerns that deserve it but just don’t get talked about much. The Western is not just THE SEARCHERS, SHANE, RED RIVER, et al. and doesn’t stop with Mann/Stewart and Boetticher/Scott either. It’s a treasure trove of movies, so many of which are rich enough to warrant detailed attention and I believe we will understand the genre better if we see how much its motifs and iconography could stimulate filmmakers who were not the greatest into rising to ttheir own best level and making a meaningful contribution too. My sense is that the great popularity of Westerns in the 50s went hand in hand with its coming to the artistic peak that it did then.
“It’s a treasure trove of movies, so many of which are rich enough to warrant detailed attention…”
This idea — all those cowboy movies to watch — brings to mind the great line from Murder My Sweet (1944):
“A black pool opened up at my feet. I dived in. It had no bottom.”
Love that comment about the black pool! Movie treasure hunting is such a great pastime.
Toby, this is a great piece and I love your illustrations as well.
“We don’t mind that John Wayne doesn’t come at each part with Ethan Edwards intensity, and it doesn’t bother me if Jimmy Stewart’s a more stable guy every now and then.”
Yes! This is one of the things that puzzles me, the disappointment I’ve read in multiple places that Stewart wasn’t so intense in this. Why the expectation from some that he play all his Western parts that way? I have a Stewart bio here (I believe it’s by Donald Dewey but I can’t check at this moment) which indicates that one aspect of the conflict between Mann and Stewart may have been that Stewart was a little tired of having his characters’ vulnerability edited out of the pictures and he was ready to play a Western character who wasn’t at the “end of his rope” for a change.
As I mentioned in comments to the post at my blog — thank you so much for the link! — I’m also puzzled by some of the scathing comments I’ve read out there on the ‘Net about the accordion. The accordion fit the narrative perfectly, served as an effective device in multiple ways — particularly that key scene with Murphy late in the film — and reflected the traditions of music being used by cowboys historically and in movie Westerns.
I love that your blog is calling attention to the lesser-known Westerns. This has been a great month for learning about and seeing NIGHT PASSAGE, and the conversations here have really enriched my first exposure to this movie. Thank you!
Best wishes,
Laura
This is a terrific piece, Toby, and I couldn’t agree more about how we might be doing NIGHT PASSAGE and Jimmy Stewart a disservice expecting the same style of direction and richness of theme from it, or intensity of performance from him, as we got in the Mann collaborations.
I think NIGHT PASSAGE stands just fine on its own merits, no classic perhaps but then I don’t see the need for every western to be another THE SEARCHERS. Part of the appeal of the genre is the numerous pleasures even a solid, unpretentious run-of-the-mill “oater” can provide. And as you, Colin and Laura, among other bloggers, have pointed out, many westerns go the extra mile and provide depth, complex themes, political commentary, etc., which makes them special, but not necessarily superior to a good old regular shoot-em-up when it comes to sheer entertainment value.
As time goes on, thanks in part to the fine work you are doing here, more people will come around to the fact that the average 50s western has a lot more going on than perhaps most people expect.
As far as Audie Murphy westerns are concerned – well, I’ve liked all that I’ve seen. The ones listed by you, Colin, Blake and others above are probably the cream, though I’m also rather partial to THE GUNS OF FORT PETTICOAT and DUEL AT SILVER CREEK. Additionally, I think his DESTRY remake is unfairly dismissed when compared to the more famous original. Murphy’s particularly strong here in NIGHT PASSAGE, perhaps inspired by co-starring with an actor of the caliber of Stewart.
Thanks for saying such nice things about this blog. As these Night Passage posts prove, much of the heavy lifting happens in the comments — courtesy of the learned movie geeks who come passin’ through.
This would be my second reply,given the fact this movie was again the subject of great converse. I had watched this movie at least 4 times, one has to wonder what Mann would have done different if he had taken this job on.
Its easy to agree with Jeff and the others on their asessment that this is a “fine” movie. Murphy had held his own, in particular with Stewart, the movie itself had its own merits.
Living in England I had only got around seeing it on its initial release through DVD, and even then I had to change my player to region free.
It was one of those “specials” that was part of a collection.With many 50s western movies it undoubtly stands on its own, despite its failings with the critics and some alike.
Westerns, to me are pure escapism, and I thank-you for your blog Toby, its an exceptional tribute to those fifties westerns.
Murphy gave some fine performances in his career, I need not mention, however “Night Passage” is one of those “Specials” you just dont forget.
Dave
Thanks for using the word “tribute” in relation to this blog. So many wonderful, talented people made these things, and one of my favorite things to do here is toss a name around like Wallace Ford or Lionel Lindon.
As much as we enjoy their work, bringing them up every now and then seems the least we can do.
I’ve always enjoyed the song “Follow the River” that Dmitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington wrote for “Night Passage.” It’s one of my favorite songs ever from a western.
Thanks for bringing this back to my attention Toby. I saw this a few years back when I bought the Jimmy Stewart Western Collection. Either as a result of seeing it so close to all those Mann/Stewart collaborations that made up the bulk of the collection or just from being in a cranky mood that day I basically dismissed this one…Reading your review made me want to watch it again and it was definitely worth the effort. Much, much better than I thought the first time around, even with the caveats that have been mentioned here by others….Just discovered this godsend of a site by the way. Hope you are within shouting distance of finishing the book!
Thanks for writing in. I’m really enjoying the fact that folks are coming back to this film and appreciating it.
The book is coming along, but the One-Eyed Jacks book comes first — and it’s getting real close. It’s great to know people are looking forward to it.
Thanks again for the nice comment. “Godsend of a site?” Wow, now I really gotta take it up a notch!
Finally got around to watching this last night and have to say it deserves its reputation as a second-tier (at best) 50s Western. Yes, the cinematography is nice and the score is good, but the direction just lacks the tension someone like Mann (I know, it’s not a fair comparison but that’s the high watermark) is able to place in every frame. Murphy is good (I happen to think he’s always pretty good) but Duryea gives a rare off performance and it’s hard to take Jimmy Stewart seriously in his jovial accordion-player role. A Western hero wielding an accordion? Really?
That’s not to say there’s nothing to enjoy. Robert J. Wilke is suitably menacing (and ultimately cowardly) as Concho and Jay C. Flippen is always fun, but when the bright spots come from the bit players (and only the bit players) you’re in trouble. It’s a pleasant enough way to kill 90 minutes, but it ain’t no lost masterpiece.