Review of Night Passage (1957) by Eric R — 16 Nov 2011

Grant McLaine (Jimmy Stewart) is an ex-railroad employee, now a vagabond who goes from town to town. He is approached by railroad company to guard a train which is delivering $10,000 because the train has been robbed 3 times in a row by a criminal named Whitey, preventing a large group of their employees from being paid.

Grant was fired from this exact railroad company months ago for what they believe was aiding The Utica kid, who happens to be Grant's brother. Grant agrees to the railroad's proposal but when the train is high-jacked, Grant discovers that his brother, The Utica Kid, is actually working with Whitey, the man responsible for the robberies.

Night Passage is another Jimmy Stewart western that is surprisingly not directed by Anthony Mann. Apparently Mann and Stewart had a falling out while on set and Mann left the project. It's a solid western centering around's Grant's character having to confront his past demons.

The Utica Kid and Whitey have a very interesting relationship, in that they bicker and fight among themselves constantly making it hard on the viewer to determine where Utica's allegiances lie. This sets up the last part of the film where Grant tracks the bandits down leading to a confrontation between him, Whitey, and Utica Kid.

Night Passage is a decent western but it's really just average among Jimmy Stewart's catalogue of Westerns. The film felt emotionally flat and I don't think the brother vs brother relationship was very invigorating, which really was a big problem for me.

I really wonder how this film would have came out with Anthony Mann as I found most of the performances to be bad as well. Maybe I am being too harsh, but I think the film could have been sooo much more reflective and deeper in this struggle which Grant faces in confronting his past.