Diretor Byron Haskin manages to keep DENVER & RIO GRANDE interesting in spite of a patchy script. To that end, he relies on praiseworthy Technicolor cinematography by Ray Rennahan, with the train crash the outstanding sequence, thanks in particular to superior editing from Stanley E. Johnson. That said, the mountainous landscape is breath-taking, and the locomotives and boxcars absolutely gorgeous (interesting to note that some railroad companies in the late 19th century announced planned train crashes well in advance to scrap old and weaker locomotives, which also worked as publicity).
Ed O'Brien and Dean Jagger show good form, and are matched to some extent by the rather more wooden Sterling Hayden and Lyle Bettger. Sadly, "double agent" Kasey Rogers and the famous Zasu Pitts do not seem comfortable in their parts, though the latter gets the comic relief part.
I liked the film - at 90 min, it is a bit long for a B production, but then it feels like B+. 6/10.
Ed O'Brien and Dean Jagger show good form, and are matched to some extent by the rather more wooden Sterling Hayden and Lyle Bettger. Sadly, "double agent" Kasey Rogers and the famous Zasu Pitts do not seem comfortable in their parts, though the latter gets the comic relief part.
I liked the film - at 90 min, it is a bit long for a B production, but then it feels like B+. 6/10.