IMDb RATING
7.2/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
After witnessing the murder of his father by a renegade as a boy, the grown-up Brandon helps to realize his father's dream of a transcontinental railway.After witnessing the murder of his father by a renegade as a boy, the grown-up Brandon helps to realize his father's dream of a transcontinental railway.After witnessing the murder of his father by a renegade as a boy, the grown-up Brandon helps to realize his father's dream of a transcontinental railway.
- Awards
- 2 wins total
J. Farrell MacDonald
- Cpl. Casey
- (as J. Farrell Macdonald)
Jim Welch
- Pvt. Schultz
- (as James Welch)
- …
George Waggner
- Buffalo Bill Cody
- (as George Wagner)
James A. Marcus
- Judge Haller
- (as James Marcus)
Chief John Big Tree
- Cheyenne Chief
- (uncredited)
Chris Willow Bird
- Indian
- (uncredited)
Danny Borzage
- Worker
- (uncredited)
George Brent
- Worker
- (uncredited)
Milton Brown
- Minor Role
- (uncredited)
Thomas Carr
- Rail Worker
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe kitchen staff for the film was made up largely of Chinese cooks. Some of them had been workers on the transcontinental railroad in 1869, the same construction project that forms the basis of this film.
- GoofsThe locomotives and rolling stock are using knuckle-type couplers which did not begin wide use until the 1890's. In the 1860's era setting of this movie, the couplers in use would have been link and pin. This anachronism is understandable as the safety issue would have prohibited the use of the era appropriate link and pin couplers.
- Quotes
Thomas Marsh: [after he older Brandon has verbalized his dream of a trancontinental railroad] Poor dreamer - he's chasing a rainbow.
Lincoln: Yes, Tom - and some day men like you will be laying rails along that rainbow.
- Alternate versionsThe DVD release of this film contains two different edits, one for the American market and one for Europe. The American release is 16 minutes longer than the European cut. The American cut is dedicated to the memory of Abraham Lincoln while the European release is dedicated to the memory of George Stephenson. In the American release Fred Kohler's character is named Deroux while in the European cut his character is named Bauman.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Story of Our Flag (1939)
- SoundtracksBlow the Man Down
(uncredited)
Traditional 19th Century Sea Chanty (1860s)
[Integrated into restoration score into divorce and going back to work scenes]
Featured review
Since I live in Cheyenne, WY this type of movie really appeals to me. As all historians know, various towns along the route of this railroad (which coincides quite closely to interstate 80 in Wyoming) were made during its construction. Cheyenne and Rock Springs (because of its coal mining) were especially notable.
I had seen this movie several years ago and was delighted to see it being broadcast on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Perhaps they will re-broadcast it again in the future.
This movie, while not completely accurate historically, certainly gives an idea of the magnitude of the endeavor being undertaken. And it does feature a real locomotive which operated on the railroad during the period portrayed. Historical buffs definitely should not be swayed from enjoying this title simply because it may not strictly conform to history.
I won't go into the story except to say that the various sub-plots keep the viewer very entertained. This was a very well-done movie in my opinion. Acting was very good. And the cinematography was very impressive.
Fans of either westerns or silent-era films certainly should not miss this one.
I had seen this movie several years ago and was delighted to see it being broadcast on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Perhaps they will re-broadcast it again in the future.
This movie, while not completely accurate historically, certainly gives an idea of the magnitude of the endeavor being undertaken. And it does feature a real locomotive which operated on the railroad during the period portrayed. Historical buffs definitely should not be swayed from enjoying this title simply because it may not strictly conform to history.
I won't go into the story except to say that the various sub-plots keep the viewer very entertained. This was a very well-done movie in my opinion. Acting was very good. And the cinematography was very impressive.
Fans of either westerns or silent-era films certainly should not miss this one.
- bigdinosaur
- May 10, 2005
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $280,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 30 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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