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Very well executed

the audience applauded

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

RELEASED IN 1957 and directed by James Neilson, "Night Passage" stars Jimmy Stewart as a fired railroad man rehired and trusted to secretly carry a $10,000 payroll, even though he is suspected of being connected to outlaws (whose leader is played by Dan Duryea). One of the outlaws happens to be his younger brother, the Utica Kid (Audie Murphy). Dianne Foster and Elaine Stewart are on hand in the feminine department.People say "Night Passage" is akin to Anthony Mann's 50's Westerns, but that's a bunch of hooey. True, Mann was originally slated to direct it, but he declined because he felt the script was lousy, arguing that nobody would understand it. He also thought it would be a stretch to have the 5'5"Audie Murphy play the brother of 6'3" James Stewart. While the height of the two actors is inconsequential (many families have a 'runt' in the litter, so what?), Mann was deadly accurate about the story, which is too talky and absurdly over-plotted. The story's so unnecessarily complicated that it doesn't work up any steam until the last 12 minutes, although there are a few quality moments here and there.Mann's "Bend of the River" (1952), "The Far Country" (1954), "The Man from Laramie" (1955) and the outstanding "The Last Frontier "(1955) are all infinitely superior to "Night Passage." Yet it's not just an issue of a convoluted screenplay, although that's the main problem, "Night Passage" is also marred by old-fashioned hokeyness that those Mann flicks generally elude. The opening dance sequence and Stewart's occasional warbling with the accordion are two examples, although I could live with both if the story were compelling. Still, there's enough good here to maybe make it worth watching for those who don't mind 50's Westerns, such as the mind-blowing Elaine Stewart, the magnificent train, the scenic locations and the action sequences, like the climax. THE MOVIE RUNS 90 minutes and was shot in Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Colorado, and Buttermilk Country, Inyo National Forest, California. WRITERS: Borden Chase wrote the script based on the story by Norman A. Fox. ADDITIONAL CAST: Jay C. Flippen plays the railroad mogul and Brandon De Wilde (the kid from "Shane") an adolescent friend of the protagonists. GRADE: C-

Grant McLaine (James Stewart) is a fired railroad worker who is playing the accordion for scraps. Recent train robberies by Whitey Harbin and his men force the boss to rehire him to carry the payroll cash to the workers. When his train is held up, he hides the money in a boy's shoebox. The boy turns out to be The Utica Kid (Audie Murphy).The start is very slow. We don't get to the train for awhile. This part of the story definitely needs more tension. Once the train robbery happens, a more proper amount of pace is injected into the movie. But even here, the dialog is hokey and the movie is every bit a run of the mill western. This is definitely missing a more adventurous style. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this for more than a James Stewart fan or a Sunday afternoon filler.

Night Passage is a great western. I think that was actually performed by Mann. It is perhaps the best example of molded form of filmmaking that was the great director Mann. James Nielsen, I doubt not only lent his name to the producers feuding with Mann and had James Stewart as the big star of westerns, so very hard to decide about the movie. The photography is gorgeous. A very good story, making the female characters of the plot have a very special moment in cinema, with two roles extremely well designed and which actresses are perfect in their performances. Brandon De Wilde here can repeat his performance in Shane, another brilliant George Stevens western. The actors are splendid, except that it takes Audie Murphy was not considered suitable actor for the role of Utica Kidd. Dan Duryea who had shone in Winchester 73, shows this film because it was one of the most requested supporting westerns. Particularly consider that Nigh Passage is really a film directed by Mann. Magnificent.

This was supposed to be another in a series of 1950s Western collaborations between Stewart and director Anthony Mann but the latter bowed out because he apparently did not like Murphy. Even with Neilson taking the director's chair, this film is on par with the other Stewart-Mann Westerns, all tough and well-made but nothing spectacular. Stewart plays the accordion and sings (!) a couple of songs. Despite Mann's objections, Murphy does alright as Stewart's outlaw brother while Duryea goes a bit overboard as a loud outlaw. As in "Shane," De Wilde plays a character named "Joey." The scenery is nice and at 90 minutes, the film does not outstay its welcome.