Station West

Station West

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sidney Lanfield
Produced by Robert Sparks
Screenplay by Frank Fenton
Winston Miller
Based on the novel Station West
by Luke Short
Starring Dick Powell
Jane Greer
Agnes Moorehead
Burl Ives
Music by Heinz Roemheld
Cinematography Harry J. Wild
Edited by Frederic Knudtson
Production
company
Distributed by RKO Pictures
Release dates
  • October 19, 1948 (1948-10-19) (premiere-Chicago)[1]
Running time
 87 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $1.7 million (US rentals)[2]

Station West is a 1948 black-and-white film directed by Sidney Lanfield and based on a Western novel by Luke Short.[3]

The interest of the film lies in the sharp dialogue between Powell and Greer as much as in its plot. Burl Ives plays a small role and sings the following songs on the soundtrack: "A Stranger in Town," "The Sun's Shining Warm," and "A Man Can't Grow Old."[4]

Plot

Two soldiers have been robbed and murdered while guarding a shipment of gold. Into town rides Haven, a military intelligence officer traveling incognito.

A beautiful saloon singer catches Haven's eye. After he meets Mrs. Caslon, who owns the gold mine, Haven hears that someone called "Charlie" is the brains behind the scene. He finds out to his surprise that Charlie is the singer.

Charlie's lawyer, Bristow, is $6,000 in her debt and therefore might be involved in the gold theft. Haven beats up Charlie's saloon bouncer in a fight and is offered a job as transport chief for the gold. Charlie's friend, Prince, meanwhile, is growing jealous of her interest in Haven.

While transporting a shipment of gold, the man riding shotgun, Goddard, is killed and Haven knocked cold. When he comes to, he manages to track, catch and kill the robber carrying the gold. He shoos away the dead man's horses and follows them to their home stable, at the sawmill owned by Charlie. Haven pretends to be an ignorant hand working for Charlie, and is charged with transporting the stolen gold in the horses' saddlebags back to town to Charlie and Prince.

He hides the gold, and confronts Prince and Charlie. After some to-ing and fro-ing with the gold and an affidavit dictated to Bristow by Haven, Charlie convinces Bristow that he ought to confront Haven. Haven convinces him rather that he is the next target of Prince and Charlie as he knows too much. Bristow, terrified, tries to get away but is shot by Prince. Haven is pinned down, but after persuading the sheriff to arrest him for the crime, Haven escapes, and learns that Charlie's men plan to disguise themselves as military officers to steal more of Mrs. Caslon's gold.

He foils this plot, then arrives back at the saloon, to arrest Charlie, but also because he is in love with her. Prince sneaks up intending to shoot Haven, but his bullet hits Charlie instead. Haven kills Prince and rushes to Charlie's side. She tells Haven she loves him before dying, and he that he loves her.

He rides away as Burl Ives sings that a man can't grow old where there's women and gold.

Cast

Accolades

References

  1. ↑ "Station West: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety 5 January 1949 p 46
  3. ↑ Station West at the American Film Institute Catalog.
  4. ↑ Station West at the Internet Movie Database. Soundtrack section. Accessed: July 24, 2013.
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