western union is something of a forgotten classic western. perhaps the reason for this lies in the fact of its unavailability on dvd in the united states. however and all is not lost as it has now appeared on region 2 in england. this  being a blessing in some ways  is not only incongruous but totally ironic when one considers that a movie depicting the founding and establishment of such a uniquely american organization as the western union telegraph company is without a region 1 release. it beggars belief. it simply doesn not make sense. produced by fox in 1941 western union was directed by fritz lang. this was only the second occasion the great german director undertook to direct a western. he had done an excellent job the year before with fox the return of frank james and would have only one more western outing in 1952 with the splendid rancho notorious. lang was no ford or hawks but with western union he turned in a fine solid western that holds up very well. beautifully photographed in early three strip technicolor by edward cronjager it boasted a good cast headed by robert young and randolph scott and dean jagger. the female lead is taken by virginia gilmore who really has little to do in the picture. an actress who never made anything of her career. her presence here is merely cosmetic. it is curious that robert young has top billing over scott. it is clearly scott picture from the very beginning when we first see him in the film terrific opening scene being chased by a posse across the plains. young doesn not have much to do throughout the movie and seems out of place in a western. he just looks plain silly going up against barton mclane in a gunfight. an actor who never really distinguished himself  except perhaps with crossfire (1947) young appeared in a string of forgettable romantic comedies in the forties and fifties culminating with his greatest success when for seven years he was tv marcus welby md in the seventies. he died in 1998 at the age of 91. western union recounts the connection by telegraph wire of omaha and salt lake city. scott plays a reformed outlaw hired by western union boss dean jagger to protect the line from marauding sioux and to also take on mclane and his gang who are trying to destroy the line for their own devious ends. robert young is the young engineer from back east who joins the company and vies with scott for the affections of miss gilmore. some comic relief is provided by  and irritatingly so some would say  by slim summerville and john carradine turns up in a meager role as the company doctor. altogether though a spanking good western and albeit on region 2 and but in sparkling good quality that fans will be delighted with. my only crib is that there are no extras and not even a trailer and that terrible cover with those dull graphics. ugh. footnote represent interestingly the associate producer on western union was harry joe brown who later with randolph scott would create a partnership that would produce some of scott finest westerns in the fifties. 
western union is something of a forgotten classic western. perhaps the reason for this lies in the fact of its unavailability on dvd in the united states. however and all is not lost as it has now appeared on region 2 in england. this  being a blessing in some ways  is not only incongruous but totally ironic when one considers that a movie depicting the founding and establishment of such a uniquely american organization as the western union telegraph company is without a region 1 release. it beggars belief. it simply doesn not make sense. produced by fox in 1941 western union was directed by fritz lang. this was only the second occasion the great german director undertook to direct a western. he had done an excellent job the year before with fox the return of frank james and would have only one more western outing in 1952 with the splendid rancho notorious. lang was no ford or hawks but with western union he turned in a fine solid western that holds up very well. beautifully photographed in early three strip technicolor by edward cronjager it boasted a good cast headed by robert young and randolph scott and dean jagger. the female lead is taken by virginia gilmore who really has little to do in the picture. an actress who never made anything of her career. her presence here is merely cosmetic. it is curious that robert young has top billing over scott. it is clearly scott picture from the very beginning when we first see him in the film terrific opening scene being chased by a posse across the plains. young doesn not have much to do throughout the movie and seems out of place in a western. he just looks plain silly going up against barton mclane in a gunfight. an actor who never really distinguished himself  except perhaps with crossfire (1947) young appeared in a string of forgettable romantic comedies in the forties and fifties culminating with his greatest success when for seven years he was tv marcus welby md in the seventies. he died in 1998 at the age of 91. western union recounts the connection by telegraph wire of omaha and salt lake city. scott plays a reformed outlaw hired by western union boss dean jagger to protect the line from marauding sioux and to also take on mclane and his gang who are trying to destroy the line for their own devious ends. robert young is the young engineer from back east who joins the company and vies with scott for the affections of miss gilmore. some comic relief is provided by  and irritatingly so some would say  by slim summerville and john carradine turns up in a meager role as the company doctor. altogether though a spanking good western and albeit on region 2 and but in sparkling good quality that fans will be delighted with. my only crib is that there are no extras and not even a trailer and that terrible cover with those dull graphics. ugh. footnote represent interestingly the associate producer on western union was harry joe brown who later with randolph scott would create a partnership that would produce some of scott finest westerns in the fifties. ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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