Rails Into Laramie

Director Jesse Hibbs does not mean much to me but he did some extraordinary TV work, notably directing 44 PERRY MASON episodes.

RAILS INTO LARAMIE presents an interesting premise: a misbehaving US Army sergeant is sent to restore order and get the railroad operational in Laramie, where crime kingpin and saloon owner Shanessy (smug Dan Duryea) is pulling all stops to prevent it.

Yep, interesting but not exceedingly believable premise. Cinematography OK, screenplay requires considerable extension of disbelief, acting moderately wooden.

I guess I'll forget it fast enough. 6/10.

I guess Audie Murphy was not available to play in this Jessie Hibbs' western ; Hibbs who was his fetish director - as Lon Chaney was with Tod Browning or Gregory Peck with Hank King - and Dan Duryea already faced Murphy in RIDE CLEAR OF DIABLO the very same year. So, replacing Audie Murphy by John Payne deserves to be noticed. And I did not remember Payne playing in Universal films either. That said, this western, even without the most decorated soldier in WW2, remains solid, taut, efficient enough to grab your attention. I did not watch it since a while and I am glad to see it again. A railroad western, a genre in the genre; as you also had posse westerns, military fort westerns, town under outlaws rule westerns, cattle baron or ruthless landlords vs rustlers westerns, indian wars westerns....

Seems to be a re-hash of Kansas Pacific with a lot of the same actors!

A railroad sends an agent (John Payne) to Laramie to try to find out who is behind the efforts to stop the railroad from building its line into the area.

An enjoyable railroad western that is brisk and keeps your attention throughout. There's a nice buddy angle between John Payne and Dan Duryea, but when Duryea realises Payne isn't going to turn a blind eye to his crooked ways, he chooses to get rid of him the hard way. There's fistfights, attempted riots and Lee Van Cleef snarling with his trigger-happy fingers. There's also an interesting women's jury sequence. But what stands out for me is the wonderful looking trains; the finale with a shootout and a fistfight on top of the train is an exciting one. Mari Blanchard sizzles as Payne's love interest.

A satisfying railroad western that makes you feel good. Nice title song sung by Rex Allen.

Troubleshooter Jefferson Harder (John Payne) is sent to Laramie by the Army to investigate the sabotage that is preventing the railroad from finishing it's line connecting the East and West. Upon arrival Payne quickly finds out the worst kept secret in town, that old buddy and current town saloon owner Jim Shanessy (Dan Duryea) is behind the chicanery, though nobody is ever able to prove Shanessy and his henchmen (Myron Healey and Lee Van Cleef) are involved. The town leaders, while happy about support from the Army, are disappointed from the start that they have only sent one man to do the job and grow increasingly critical of the heavy-handed tactics employed by Payne to clean up the town.

Rails Into Laramie packs a lot of action into it's 80 minute run time. Between busting bad guys heads Payne barely has time to strike up a romantic relationship with Dance Hall owner and partner of Jim Shanessy, Lou Carter (Mari Blanchard). Very little melodrama to be found in this one as Payne spends most of his time eradicating the town's scofflaws.

This movie follows the Universal International Pictures formula of using off the A-list leading actors with familiar casts, packaged in a medium budget production. A formula that worked very well for them and it works here too. John Payne may be the best leading actor of the post World War II era that few people remember today. A versatile actor Payne looked equally a home whether in the saddle, a crime drama or a comedy. Here he carries the day in this action saddle flick.

Good drive-in grade Western flick.