Westbound
Westbound is a testament to the importance of the Ranown Cycle. If Ranown weren’t important, one wonders if Boetticher ever would have made the film. He didn’t consider Westbound a Ranown Cycle film and would only discuss it if that point was clearly stated. Why? Boetticher didn’t like the film. Didn’t think it was particularly well done. Then why did he put his name on it? To save the Ranown collaboration with Randolph Scott. Scott had a lingering one film contractual obligation to Warner Brothers hanging over the Ranown productions. Westbound provided a low budget performance to close out the contract. Boetticher agreed to direct to save the Ranown brand.
Union army Captain John Hayes (Scott) is sent to Julesburg Colorado, his hometown, to take over eastbound Overland Stage operations and protect California gold shipments financing the union war effort. Hayes is assigned to replace Clay Putnam who resigned the position, secretly turning to aid the confederacy. He is assisted by an outlaw gunman known as Mace (Michael Pate) and his gang. In a further twist to the connection, Putnam is married to Hayes’s former sweetheart Norma (Virginia Mayo).
Mace has an easy answer to the new Overland Stage master. Kill him. Putnam is afraid of the union response, directing Mace to destroy Overland station and steal gold shipments. Hayes moves Overland operations to a farm owned by union veteran Rod Miller and his wife Jeannie (Karen Steele). Miller lost an arm in combat, making him an easy target for Mace and his men.
Things go bad when Mace drives a stage off a cliff, killing the passengers. Norma blames Putnam for the tragedy. She leaves him, threatening to see him hang if anything happens to Hayes. Mace takes matters into his own hands but mistakes Rod Miller for Hayes and kills him. Putnam, convinced Norma still has feelings for her old flame, confronts Mace in an attempt to stop him from killing Hayes. Mace kills Putnam for his trouble. Able to take care of himself, Hayes kills Mace. In the end it is Norma or Jeannie. You guessed it. Jeannie.
Critical reaction to Westbound may have taken a cue from Boetticher with terms like ‘subdued’ and ‘forgettable.’ With Scott’s obligation cleared it was time to return to the cycle.
Next Week: Comanche Station
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
Union army Captain John Hayes (Scott) is sent to Julesburg Colorado, his hometown, to take over eastbound Overland Stage operations and protect California gold shipments financing the union war effort. Hayes is assigned to replace Clay Putnam who resigned the position, secretly turning to aid the confederacy. He is assisted by an outlaw gunman known as Mace (Michael Pate) and his gang. In a further twist to the connection, Putnam is married to Hayes’s former sweetheart Norma (Virginia Mayo).
Mace has an easy answer to the new Overland Stage master. Kill him. Putnam is afraid of the union response, directing Mace to destroy Overland station and steal gold shipments. Hayes moves Overland operations to a farm owned by union veteran Rod Miller and his wife Jeannie (Karen Steele). Miller lost an arm in combat, making him an easy target for Mace and his men.
Things go bad when Mace drives a stage off a cliff, killing the passengers. Norma blames Putnam for the tragedy. She leaves him, threatening to see him hang if anything happens to Hayes. Mace takes matters into his own hands but mistakes Rod Miller for Hayes and kills him. Putnam, convinced Norma still has feelings for her old flame, confronts Mace in an attempt to stop him from killing Hayes. Mace kills Putnam for his trouble. Able to take care of himself, Hayes kills Mace. In the end it is Norma or Jeannie. You guessed it. Jeannie.
Critical reaction to Westbound may have taken a cue from Boetticher with terms like ‘subdued’ and ‘forgettable.’ With Scott’s obligation cleared it was time to return to the cycle.
Next Week: Comanche Station
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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