Joel McCrea's

Westerns

Along with Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea was a fabulous cowboy and his westerns were uniformly excellent because (like Scott) he had great screen presence which seemed to fit nicely with horseplay, gunplay and the Wild West!

Colorado Territory (1949) remains Trev's favorite - a powerful, well made western with McCrea well suited to the role of escaped train-robber Wes McQueen

One of the great stars of American Westerns, and a very popular leading man in non-Westerns as well, Joel McCrea's wholesome good looks and quiet manner were always in demand, initially in romantic dramas and comedies, whence to popular leading man and then to his first (& final) love: Westerns.

Strong roles in The Most Dangerous Game (1932), Adventure in Manhattan (1936) & Dead End (1937) led to his first ever western: the box-office topping and Academy Award nominated Wells Fargo (1937). In 1939 Cecil B. DeMille cast McCrea in his fabulous western opus, (and again Oscar nominated) Union Pacific, but he was soon back in a trench coat for Espionage Agent (1939) and Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940) - the latter being Oscar nominated for Best Picture of the Year!

Big Joel returned to the saddle with William Wellman's Buffalo Bill (1944) and he soon found himself appearing in the cowboy genre more often than not in the 1940s. The Virginian (1946) marked the start of an almost unbroken string of westerns through to Sam Peckinpah's legendary Ride the High Country (1962).

Why did he want to appear in westerns? - well, westersn were incredibly popular over that 15 year period and McCrea was an excellent horseman - just look at him doing his own (high speed, rough trail) riding in Raoul Walsh's excellent Colorado Territory (1949)!

Ride the High Country (1962) was supposed to be his last film (along with Randolph Scott who was also retiring), but (unlike Scott) he did return to the screen 4 years later for a further 4 films - all westerns - culminating with his last in 1976.

These last 4 films were not the ones we would want to remember Joel by and as such aren't mentioned by title here. Lets just remember him up to and including his "almost swansong" Ride the High Country

A word about Rough Shoot (1953) aka Shoot First - this is not a western! Rather, its an excellent British made espionage thriller and is Joel's single departure from the cowboy genre between The Virginian (1946) and Ride the High Country (1962).

This section is for Joel McCrea's Westerns (only).

In fact all of the following titles cannot be found here …

But they are available from within the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section:

Adventure in Manhattan (1936), Dead End (1937),

Espionage Agent (1939), Foreign Correspondent (1940),

The Most Dangerous Game (1932), Primrose Path (1940),

Sullivan’s Travels (1941), The Palm Beach Story (1942),

Rough Shoot (1953), Woman Wanted (1935)

Joel was active in Radio and on TV as well. His TV series "Wichita Town" ran for 26 half hour episodes in 1959, but he is perhaps best remembered for his outstanding radio western: Tales of the Texas Rangers.

A 30 minute stand-alone series, Tales of the Texas Rangers premiered on 8th July 1950 to great acclaim. It came from an idea developed and carefully researched by Stacy Keach, who had joined the legendary 30 year Texas Ranger veteran Capt. M. T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas on a number of fact-finding case investigations. Whilst the show was an anthology series, there would be a single ranger hero, Jace Pearson who would solve modern day cases, using an automobile with a horse trailer attached at back (housing his horse Charcoal).

The casting of Jace Pearson would be inspired: Joel McCrea!

Most of the 95 episodes were action/who-dun-its with the adventure of Texas thrown in and concluding with McCrea giving interesting details about ranger lore.

There are 87 surviving episodes and Trev has carefully restored each of these to perfect sound - they are available from within the Radio Shows on MP3 CD section of this website - beautifully presented, they are free (with a condition) - there is even an episode available now, for easy download - just go to the Tales of the Texas Rangers part of the Radio Shows on MP3 CD section

McCrea was to head off to the eternal pasture in 1990, survived by his actress wife Frances Dee to whom he was married for 57 years. (They appeared in two westerns together: Wells Fargo (1937) & 1948's Four Faces West)

As my tribute to this great cowboy, fabulous actor and all-round good guy, find below a collection of his westerns. Its not a complete group but each film is of excellent quality and presents Big Joel's doing his thing: being a great cowboy!

As usual - each and every title is of EXCELLENT QUALITY

Note that all of these films can also be found in the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section.

The set up and pricing are the same as for the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section namely:

· The DVDs in this section of the website consist of one movie title per DVD, each movie commencing when inserted into your DVD player (no delays or useless menus).

· DVDs are available in any combination of titles comprising 1, 2 or 4 DVD boxed sets

(Note: They are not available in 3, 5 or 6 DVD sets)

A typical Joel McCrea 4 DVD Western boxed set is pictured below:

· The prices (including Express Postage anywhere) for these single movie DVDs are:

1 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

· Email me for a current price in CN$, Euros, NZ$ etc

· PURCHASING TIP: the most economical way to buy movies from this section is in groups of 4 films,

-they are neatly assembled in a quad case with full artwork (see picture above) and sell for AU$35 or US$35 or £18. Since postage is included then each film can be delivered to your door for less than AU$9 or US$9 or £5 per movie!

(Note that AU$ prices are for AU postal destinations only,

international customers to use US$ or UK£)

Border River (1954) - 80 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Yvonne De Carlo, Pedro Armendáriz, Howard Petrie, Ivan Triesault & Erika Nordin

Directed by George Sherman

With the South facing defeat, idealistic Confederate Major Clete Mattson (Joel McCrea) desperately tries to save his army by stealing $2,000,000 in Union gold. He then heads to a raucous border town of Zona Libre, a small enclave on the Rio Grande, hoping to make a munitions deal with Mexican general Calleja (Pedro Armendariz). But first, Mattson must contend with Calleja's double-crossing German military advisor Baron Von Holden (Ivan Triesault), not to mention Calleja's tempestuous sweetheart Carmelita (Yvonne De Carlo), who is also not to be trusted.

Buffalo Bill (1944) - 90 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Maureen O'Hara, Linda Darnell, Thomas Mitchell, Edgar Buchanan & Anthony Quinn

Directed by William A. Wellman

Well played by Joel McCrea, Colonel William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody is first seen as an army Indian scout, pursuing peaceful coexistence despite the animosity of Chief Yellow Hand (Anthony Quinn) and the obstruction of anti-Indian politicians. He also takes time out to court the lovely Louisa (Maureen O'Hara), the well-bred Eastern girl who will become his wife despite her initial distaste for the West. Under the tutelage of impresario Ned Buntline (Thomas Mitchell), Cody follows up his military career with a more spectacular one as a larger-than-life showman, touring throughout the world with his spectacular Wild West show.

As director John Ford put it: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Cattle Drive (1951) - 77 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Dean Stockwell, Chill Wills, Leon Ames, Henry Brandon & Bob Steele

Directed by Kurt Neumann

Boss drover Dana Mathews (Joel McCrea) is tasked with making a man out of Chester Graham Jr. (Dean Stockwell), the spoiled son of railroad executive Chester Graham Sr. (Leon Ames). Accidentally left behind when his dad's train pulls out of a small cow town, Chester Jr. resents being forced to work side by side with Mathews and his drovers, but soon proves to be every bit as virile and capable as his co-workers.

Nice color western from “gentleman cowboy” McCrea

Cattle Empire (1958) - 83 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Gloria Talbot, Don Haggerty, Phyllis Coates, Bing Russell & Paul Brinegar

Directed by Charles Marquis Warren

John Cord (Joel McCrea) is a brave cowboy but he's also an ex-con who the dusty trail as the leader of a major cattle drive. He is offered the job by the very townspeople his gang terrorized a few years before. They are also the same people who put him in prison, and even though he accepts the task, he secretly plots his revenge. Will he get it by proving himself courageous and honest?

Colorado Territory (1949) - 94 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, Dorothy Malone, Henry Hull, John Archer & Morris Ankrum

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Outlaw Wes McQueen (Joel McCrea) breaks out of jail and meets up with his gang who are planning a train robbery. He finds them holed up in an old dilapidated Mission, arguing and one of them has a woman with him, a former dance hall girl, Colorado Carson (Virginia Mayo). Wes has decided that he wants to go straight. Having met Lulie Ann Winslow (Dorothy Malone) and her father Fred (Henry Hull), his ideal would be to settle down with her and own his own ranch. Out of loyalty to an old-time partner however, he agrees to go ahead with the train robbery and realizes too late that he is not destined to fulfil his dreams. He and Colorado make a final desperate break when the robbery goes bad.

Colorado Territory is acknowledged by many as a westernized remake of the 1941 crime drama High Sierra (also available from this website). Raoul Walsh, director of the earlier film, returns to helm the remake, doing a grand job on both occasions. Joel McCrea stars in the Humphrey Bogart role, playing a veteran outlaw who hopes to pull off one last, spectacular heist. Virginia Mayo portrays the Ida Lupino counterpart, a "bad" dance-hall girl who proves to be the only person who genuinely cares about McCrea's well-being. As in the earlier film, the climax finds McCrea making a futile bid for escape in the mountains, with tragic consequences.

A stupendous western film - McCrea is tailor made for this role - quietly spoken, well mannered bank robber - but trapped by his "fate". Fabulous cinematography (why didn't they film this in color?) and wonderful musical score by David Buttolph.

The teaming of McCrea with Virginia Mayo was to be repeated 8 years later on The Tall Stranger (1957) - which is also available here (see below)

The First Texan (1956) - 82 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Felicia Farr, Jeff Morrow, Wallace Ford, Abraham Sofaer & Jody McCrea

Directed by Byron Haskin

The title character is Sam Houston, played with rugged assuredness by Joel McCrea. The film begins when Houston leaves Tennessee for Texas, where at first he keeps to himself and avoids politics. As events overwhelm him, however, Houston evolves into the territory's most conspicuous patriot. His efforts to thwart Mexican general Santa Ana's efforts to recapture Texas for Mexico culminate in the battle of the Alamo.

With Jeff Morrow as Jim Bowie, James Griffith as Davy Crockett and William Hopper as Colonel Travis>

That’s Joel McCrea's son Jody playing Lt. Baker.

Fort Massacre (1958) - 80 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Forrest Tucker, Susan Cabot, John Russell, Anthony Caruso & Francis McDonald

Directed by Joseph M. Newman

The embittered cavalry Sergeant Vinson (Joel McCrea) must take over his regiment after their commanding officer is killed during an ambush. To save them, he leads the troop through Apache territory because it is the quickest way to reach the fort. The members of the regiment do not trust their new leader's reasoning. They suspect he is taking them through the restricted territory so that he can get revenge upon the Apaches who killed his wife and children several years before. The troop find themselves suffering a series of increasingly deadly attacks. Many die, until the soldiers, believe that the sergeant has lost his mind.

Four Faces West (1948) - 89 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Frances Dee, Charles Bickford, Joseph Calleia, William Conrad & Martin Garralaga

Directed by Alfred E. Green

When the family land is threatened with foreclosure, honest, hard-working rancher Ross McEwen (Joel McCrea) resorts to bank robbery in order to come up with the necessary cash. Although he leaves the bank an I.O.U., Sheriff Pat Garrett (Charles Bickford) is sent out to catch the criminal as he flees to escape capture.

In his trek across the desert McEwen comes upon a Mexican family who are desperately ill. They will die if he refuses to help and proceeds on his original journey. He shows his true nature and interrupts his pilgrimage to care for the family. Pat Garrett, who has sworn to catch the outlaw, overtakes McEwen at the poor hovel. The climax is suspenseful and is a fitting conclusion to this fine Western adventure which was originally titled They Passed this Way.

Frances Dee who plays Fay Hollister, a nurse who tends McEwen's wounds, was Joel McCrea's real-life wife (they were married for 57 years!) - the pair had also combined more than 10 years earlier for Wells Fargo (1937), below

Frenchie (1950) - 81 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Shelley Winters, Paul Kelly, Elsa Lanchester, Marie Windsor & John Russell

Directed by Louis King

Hoping to find her father's murderers, New Orleans gambling-house proprietress Frenchie Fontaine (Shelley Winters) sets up shop in the Wild West. With the help of Sheriff Tom Banning (Joel McCrea), Frenchie is able to locate one of the two killers. But after tracking down the second culprit, Banning finds himself facing a murder charge.

Fabulous Technicolor print

Frenchie is actually a reworking of 1939's Destry Rides Again, with Joel McCrea and Shelley Winters playing variations of the characters originally essayed by James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich (which is also available from this website)

The Gunfight at Dodge City (1959) - 81 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Julie Adams, John McIntire, Nancy Gates, Richard Anderson & Walter Coy

Directed by Joseph M. Newman

With Gene Barry already riding the TV western range as legendary gunfighter-turned-lawman Bat Masterson, independent producer Walter Mirisch hired Joel McCrea to play a rather less-dandified version in this Cinemascope western. When his brother Ed (Harry Lauter) is cowardly shot in the back and killed, Bat accepts the offer to run for county sheriff against the corrupt Jim Regan (Don Haggerty), only to learn that the real killer is someone entirely different. Not wanting the job of sheriff in the first place but only accepting to please a lady friend, Pauline Howard (Julie Adams), Bat willingly breaks the law to aid an old friend (Walter Coy), almost losing both his position and his life in the ensuing shootout.

Gunsight Ridge (1957) - 85 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Mark Stevens, Joan Weldon, Addison Richards, Darlene Fields, Slim Pickens & Jody McCrea

Directed by Francis D. Lyon

The latest of a series of stagecoach holdups in the Arizona Territory takes place on a stagecoach in which Mike Ryan (Joel McCrea), undercover agent for the stage line, and Molly Jones (Joan Weldon), daughter of the local sheriff, are passengers. The bandana masking one of the robbers slips and he is killed by the gang-leader Velvet Clark (Mark Stevens). The latter masquerades as a respectable piano-playing citizen of the community. The townspeople are aroused enough over the continued robberies that they ask Sheriff Tom Jones (Addison Richards) to resign but they agree to give him more time when he takes on Ryan as a deputy. Circumstantial evidence leads the sheriff to Clark, but the latter kills him and escapes. Ryan tracks him to Gunsight Ridge where there is a showdown gunfight.

Great western with Mark Stevens (never better) providing a good foil for McCrea

The Lone Hand (1953) - 80 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Barbara Hale, Alex Nicol, Charles Drake, Jimmy Hunt & James Arness

Directed by George Sherman

Zachary Hallock (Joel McCrea) and his son Joshua (Jimmy Hunt) set up farming in a frontier community plagued by outlaws. Vigilantes want to form a united front against the villains, but Hallock refuses to join, even after witnessing the murder of a Pinkerton detective. Instead, Hallock covertly joins the outlaws, causing anguish not only for his son but also for his new bride Sarah Jane Skaggs (Barbara Hale).

An excellent Technicolor print from Universal which benefits immensely from the genuine Colorado locations seen throughout

The Oklahoman (1957) - 80 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Barbara Hale, Brad Dexter, Gloria Talbott, Michael Pate & Anthony Caruso

Directed by Francis D. Lyon

Having lost his wife in childbirth en route to California, Dr. John Brighton (Joel McCrea) builds a new home for himself and his baby daughter in an Oklahoma backwater town, lodging with kindhearted Mrs. Fitzgerald (Esther Dale). As the town grows up around him, Brighton becomes a well-respected local medico, championing the rights of the area's Indian population when nasty rancher Cass Dobie (Brad Dexter) attempts to buy them out cheap. Unbeknownst to the townspeople, Dobie has discovered oil on the land belonging to Charlie Smith (Michael Pate), whose beautiful daughter, Maria (Gloria Talbott), is working as little Louise Brighton's (Laurie Mitchell) nursemaid. When Charlie is forced to kill Cass' brother, Mel (Douglas Dick), in self-defense, Cass vows revenge. Meanwhile, aided by female rancher Anne Barnes (Barbara Hale), Brighton learns about the discovery of oil.

The Outriders (1950) - 93 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Arlene Dahl, Barry Sullivan, Claude Jarman Jr., James Whitmore & Ramon Novarro

Directed by Roy Rowland

Will Owens (Joel McCrea) is one of three Confederate soldiers who escape from a northern prison compound. The three men join a wagon train, hoping to capture a Yankee gold shipment to help their cause. When the wagoners are attacked by Indians, Owens decides to reassess his priorities and protect the passengers, including the fetching Jen Gort (Arlene Dahl).

Big budget Technicolor from MGM

Ramrod (1947) - 95 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Don DeFore, Donald Crisp, Preston Foster, Charles Ruggles & Lloyd Bridges

Directed by André De Toth

Connie Dickason (Veronica Lake) is a strong-willed daughter of Ben Dickason (Charles Ruggles), a ranch owner who has become the toady of a powerful local cattleman, Frank Ivey (Preston Foster), whom Ben once wanted Connie to marry. Connie instead married a sheep rancher and inherited his spread. With her husband out of the picture, Connie becomes determined to run the ranch despite the opposition of Ivey and her father. She hires recovering alcoholic Dave Nash (Joel McCrea) as foreman and a crew of Ivey's enemies. Ivey fights back with violence and destruction, but Dave is determined to counter him legally... a feeling not shared by his associates. Connie's boast that, as a woman, she doesn't need guns proves justified, but plenty of gunplay results.

The first of several films based on the stories of Western author Luke Short who wrote the novel of the same name as well two 1948 Randolph Scott westerns (Albuquerque & Coroner Creek), both of which are available from the Randolph Scott section of this website. Short also wrote Dick Powell's Station West (1948) and Robert Mitchum's Blood on the Moon (1948) which are available from within the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website. Ride the Man Down (1952) and Hell's Outpost (1954) are two Rod Cameron westerns which Luke Short wrote - these are available from the "B" Westerns section of this website (under Rod Cameron … out West). Short was also heavily involved in scripting Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre TV series (Season One of which is available from the TV Series section of this website).

Ride the High Country (1962) - 94 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, Mariette Hartley, Ron Starr & Edgar Buchanan

Directed by Sam Peckinpah

The time is the early 1900s, when the Old West was slowly and stubbornly giving way to the new. McCrea plays Steve Judd, an ex-lawman living on the fringes of poverty but maintaining his dignity and honesty. Hired to escort a gold shipment from the wide-open mining town of Coarse Gold, he engages his old pal Gil Westrum (Scott) to help him. But Gil hasn't Steve's integrity, and he and his young saddle pal Heck Longtree (Ronald Starr) hope to talk Steve into helping them steal the gold.

Sam Peckinpah's feature film directorial debut was intended as the cinematic swan song for both Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea and this western serves as an excellent valedictory for both men. A final shoot-out that allows Steve and Gil to reconcile their differences and pave the way for the film's elegiac finale.

-NEW TITLE-

Saddle Tramp (1950) - 90 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Wanda Hendrix, John Russell, John McIntire, Jeanette Nolan, Russell Simpson & Ed Begley

Directed by Hugo Fregonese

Carefree Chuck Connor (Joel McCrea) is on his way west and stops off to see an old friend and his four lads. When his host is killed in a riding accident Chuck realises he must take care of the family. They hit the road and along the way, he takes a job on a ranch, but he has to keep the children hidden as his boss hates kids. There's also tension with the neighbouring ranch, and when a girl on the run from her nasty uncle joins the family unannounced Chuck wonders what he has done to deserve all this.

Excellent Technicolor print

South of St. Louis (1949) - 88 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott, Dorothy Malone, Douglas Kennedy, Alan Hale & Victor Jory

Directed by Ray Enright

The story begins in the last days of the Civil War. Chased off their property by guerrillas, ranching partners Kip Davis (Joel McCrea), Charlie Burns (Zachary Scott) and Lee Prince (Douglas Kennedy) head southward to seek out a new life. Davis and Burns go into the gun-running business, while Prince joins the Confederate Army. Kip and Charlie battle over the affections of saloon gal Rouge de Lisle (Alexis Smith), a turn of events that falls into the plans of rival gunrunner Luke Cottrell (Victor Jory). The three former friends soon find themselves enemies,.

Nice Technicolor print!

Stars in My Crown (1950) - 89 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Ellen Drew, Dean Stockwell, Alan Hale, Lewis Stone, James Mitchell & Amanda Blake

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

Civil War veteran Josiah Grey (Joel McCrea) comes to a small town to be a gospel minister. In time he has a family and many friends, but he also finds friction with a few of his parishioners. A young doctor grates at what he feels is the parson's interference in the scientific treatment of patients, and a mine owner resents Grey's protection of an old sharecropper whose small plot of land stands in the way of his continued mining. Grey must face a public health crisis and a lynch mob as a result, all seen and described through the eyes and memory of Grey's young nephew John

Stranger on Horseback (1955) - 66 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Miroslava Stern, Kevin McCarthy, John McIntire, John Carradine & Nancy Gates

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

Circuit Judge Richard 'Rick' Thorne (Joel McCrea) makes it his mission in life to clean up the town of Bannerman. This proves difficult, in that the town is virtually owned by the Bannerman family. But when the family's youngest son Tom (Kevin McCarthy) commits murder, Thorne vows to bring the boy to justice and to see that he gets a fair trial, despite pressure from the Bannermans' enemies.

One of Joel McCrea's shorter western vehicles, Stranger on Horseback zipps merrily along at a mere 66 minutes and in the process unveils Czech-Mexican actress Miroslava Stern (making one of her rare American film appearances) as McCrea's love interest; shortly after Stranger on Horseback was released, Miroslava committed suicide, allegedly as a result of an unhappy romance with bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin.

The Tall Stranger (1957) - 81 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, Barry Kelley, Michael Ansara, Whit Bissell & Michael Pate

Directed by Thomas Carr

When he recovers he becomes suspicious of the two outsiders who are leading the train into a dead-end valley owned by Braving his relative's animosity going back to the Civil War, Bannon makes contact to try and avoid a showdown

Union officer Ned Bannon (Joel McCrea) comes across rustlers and is shot and left for dead, but is found in time by a wagon train heading for California. He is ostracized by those passengers who'd fought on the Confederate side, though Ellen (Virginia Mayo) welcomes his presence. Ned ultimately redeems himself in the eyes of the ex-Confederate homesteaders when he acts as mediator in a range dispute with a land baron and hostile half-brother, Hardy Bishop (Barry Kelly).

Based on a novel by the prolific Louis L'Amour, The Tall Stranger marks the reteaming of McCrea with Virginia Mayo - they had previously appeared together in the excellent Colorado Territory (1949) - which is also available here (see above)

Now an excellent wide-screen Technicolor print! (gratis upgrades available)

Trooper Hook (1957) - 81 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Barbara Stanwyck, Earl Holliman, Edward Andrews, John Dehner & Susan Kohner

Directed by Charles Marquis Warren

Cavalry officer Sgt. Clovis Hook (Joel McCrea) is sent to rescue Cora Sutliff (Barbara Stanwyck), who had been captured by Indians years earlier. Upon reaching the Indian village, Hook discovers that Cora, forced into marrying the chief, has a young son whom she refuses to desert. After intensive persuasion, Cora permits Hook to bring herself and her son back to her (former) husband, Fred Sutliff (John Dehner), the latter who refuses to have anything to do with the child.

Joel McCrea is nicely teamed with Barbara Stanwyck in this interesting multi-layered western drama. They had previously combined almost 20 years earlier for Union Pacific (1939), below.

Union Pacific (1939) - 135 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Barbara Stanwyck, Akim Tamiroff, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy & Anthony Quinn

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille

One of the last bills signed by President Lincoln authorizes pushing the Union Pacific Railroad across the wilderness to California. But financial opportunist Asa Barrows hopes to profit from obstructing it. Chief troubleshooter Capt. Jeff Butler (Joel McCrea) has his hands full fighting off Barrows' agent, gambler Sid Campeau (Brian Donlevy) - whose partner Dick Allen (Robert Preston) is Jeff's war buddy and rival suitor for engineer's daughter Mollie Monahan (Barbara Stanwyck). Who will survive the effort to push the railroad through at any cost?

Cecil B. DeMille takes us back to the 1860s, then rebuilds the first intercontinental railroad in Union Pacific - this spectacular was a big hit with audiences of 1939, craving a booster shot of flag-waving.

Oscar Nominated for Best Special Effects

McCrea & Stanwyck were to re-team almost 20 years later for Trooper Hook (1957), above.

The Virginian (1946) - 90 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Brian Donlevy, Sonny Tufts, Barbara Britton, Fay Bainter & Tom Tully

Directed by Stuart Gilmore

Arriving at Medicine Bow, eastern schoolteacher Molly Woods (Barbara Britton) meets two cowboys, irresponsible Steve Andrews (Sonny Tufts) and "TheVirginian" (Joel McCrea) who gets off on the wrong foot with her mainly because she hates the violent side of frontier life. To add to his troubles, "TheVirginian" finds that his old pal Steve is mixed up with nefarious cattle rustler Trampas (Brian Donlevy) and his gang. He soon finds himself at the head of a posse after the rustlers.

Owen Wister's 1902 novel was made into a movie several times, most notably in 1929, with Gary Cooper starring. This 1946 remake of the often-filmed saga gave Joel McCrea the title role as the standing-tall cowboy in Wyoming.

Wells Fargo (1937) - 97 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Bob Burns, Francis Dee, Lloyd Nolan, Henry O'Neill & Johnny Mack Brown

Directed by Frank Lloyd

In his first western appearance, Joel McCrea plays Ramsey McCay, troubleshooter for the newly formed partnership of Henry Wells (Henry O'Neill) and William Fargo (Jack Clark). Dedicated to maintaining a safe and speedy overland mail and freight service to the West, Wells-Fargo is at the forefront of several important historical events, including the California Gold Rush, the formation of the Pony Express and the Civil War. McCay is briefly separated from his wife Justine (played by McCrea's real-life spouse Frances Dee) during the last-named conflict, but the two are reunited late in life as Wells-Fargo celebrates its 20th year of service.

Wells Fargo contains several thrill-packed highlights, most of which would do service as stock footage in such later Paramount westerns.

Oscar Nominated for Best Sound Recording

The third of Paramount's "deluxe" westerns of the 1930s (following The Texas Rangers (1936) and The Plainsman (1936) - both of which are available from this website) was Wells Fargo was filmed on a Cecil B. DeMille scale by producer-director Frank Lloyd.

Husband and wife McCrea & Dee were to re-team more than 10 years later for Four Faces West (1948), above.

Wichita (1955) - 81 mins

Starring Joel McCrea, Vera Miles, Lloyd Bridges, Wallace Ford, Edgar Buchanan, Peter Graves, John Smith & Keith Larsen

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

Filmed around the same time as Gunfight at the OK Corral, Wichita is another entertaining slant on the Wyatt Earp legend. Joel McCrea does his usual smooth, underplayed job as Wyatt Earp, who aims to bring law and order to the wide-open cow town of Wichita. At first he isn't interested in becoming Marshal but when cowboys "shoot up the town" and a little boy get skilled then Wyatt takes the job. He quickly finds himself in a bind: law and order or the money the cowboys bring to town. His least popular move is to take away the guns of everyone in town, no matter how important. So now he has the business people against him as well as the cowboys and its all going to come to a head. Wyatt seeks helped by his brothers James (John Smith) and Morgan (Peter Graves) along with Bat Masterson (Keith Larsen). Linking the storyline is an offscreen ballad, sung High Noon style by Tex Ritter.

A great story, well told (in cinemascope & technicolor) and with McCrea in the finest of form!

Golden Globe winner for Best Outdoor Drama!

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