| Union Pacific | 
 enlarge | Director: Cecil B. Demille
Actors: Barbara Stanwyck, Joel Mccrea, Akim Tamiroff, Robert Preston, Lynne Overman
Studio: Mca (Universal)
Category: Video
Buy Used: CDN$ 109.47
Used (3) from CDN$ 109.47
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 980
Format: Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Media: VHS Tape
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 6303382983
UPC: 096898121439
EAN: 9786303382982
ASIN: 6303382983
Theatrical Release Date: May 5, 1939
Release Date: April 4, 1995
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Condition: null
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 7 | | NEXT » |
 An epic huge-scale western April 9, 2004
I hate the way people look at a black and white classic film and automatically think that the movie has to be bad. People only see the poor special effects and the absense of color but never judge a book by it's cover. " Union Pacific " is has a great western backed by a terrific director, great actors, and a large scale plot. Definently a great movie and a true classic.
 Carry Your Brains in Your Holster?... March 18, 2004
This is artful entertainment; this is Cecil B. De Mille presenting an odd blend of celebration and deconstruction in his portrayal of the burgeoning American empire. Far-sighted statesmen and greedy corporate barons; vigilante "justice," racism, ridicule and praise for the durable Irish immigrants, a bolloxed love triangle, a spunky and noble Irish lass, a dissipated lover, a grim strong and silent type, a comic Mexican thug: De Mille's scriptwriters seem inspired to throw in as many elements to the plot as their imaginations allow; and the result isn't the mess you'd suspect but fascinating fun, some gripping action sequences, and a lovely story of confused love.Barbara Stanwyck plays a guileful innocent, a warm-hearted dame better than both her suitors in her generous and wise understanding of human nature. Joel McCrea plays a super-stolid hero whose better part is realized by his attraction for Stanwyck's character; and Robert Preston is a flim-flam man, a gambler and crook whose love for Stanwyck's "Molly Monahan" redeems his otherwise unrepentent self. De Mille plays this beguiling troika against the "canvas of history" and so personalizes the abstraction of history. John Ford's "Stagecoach," also released the same year, 1939, is more accomplished and its story more subtle, but not so much more. De Mille obviously enjoys his broad canvases, and his "history" tends to pompous pronouncement at times, but all history is biography for him, which means that -- just as with Ford -- the individual stories are what is important. You'll like this movie: you'll love "Missy" Stanwyck, McCrea and Preston -- you'll even forgive its somewhat more than occasional moments of silliness.
One More Reason why 1939 was "The #1 Hollywood Movie Year" March 14, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Amidst the glamour of "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz", this b&w Cecil B. DeMille Historical Fiction Classic received its share of eager 1939 movie theatre audiences. Starring a wholesome Irish immigrant Barbara Stanwyck, a noble law man Joel McCrae and a dashing dare devil Robert Preston, "Union Pacific" delivers a love-triangle centered around the historic 1869 joining of rail road tracks to connect the Western and Eastern borders of the United States. The love story is "formula", but delivers several "moments" where many viewers will fumble for their Kleenex. The climactic final scene showing the pay-off for all of the material and human sacrifices is priceless! The very last of DeMille's b&w ventures, Union Pacific is one of those gems that endured the test of time, endearing the "glorious black and white" to generations of viewers. I first saw this classic as a child; I loved it then, as I still do today. Of all of the Hollywood movies ever produced, no single year of film-making has ever stood out from the rest like 1939. "Union Pacific" helped solidify this status. A true Hollywood Classic!*****
deMille at his best! August 11, 2002
This movie takes place during the wild-west era and the Union Pacific Railroad is under construction.Joel Mcrea plays Jeff Butler who's "the Trouble-shooter" for the U.P.R.R. and Robert Preston plays Dick Allen who's being paid by Sid Campeau
(Brian Donlevy),to help sabotage the efforts of the
ever-struggling Union Pacific.He meets his old freind Jeff
Butler and falls in love with an engineer's daughter,Mollie Monahan (Barbara Stanwyck).But the freindship between Dick and Jeff is broken when campeau tells Jeff about the robbing of the payroll which was lead by Dick.Although there are other causes that are stopping the railroad.There are Indian attacks,train wrecks and the distraction of wiskey and liquor in this Cecil B. deMille classic.
MOLLIE MONAHAN November 19, 2001
Cecil B. DeMille's contribution for that sterling movie year of 1939 was, of all things, a Western; but it's a brawling, two-fisted, action-packed Western. It is the story of the Union Pacific Railway, which was destined to link two oceans and open up the West. It's like a rough-and-tumble heavyweight slugfest-exciting, thrilling, gory and cumbersome. Stanwyck is excellent as the Irish Molly Monahan and as Jeff, Joel McCrea is first-rate - as Dick Allen, Robert Preston is terrific. DeMille's first choice for Molly was Jean Arthur; when she was unavailable, her turned his favourite, Barbara Stanwyck - they had worked together many times on the LUX RADIO THEATRE. The exterior shots were filmed in Iron Springs, Utah and Canoga Park, California (to double for Promontory Point). Interestingly enough, the golden spike used in the movie was the actual one used at Promontory Point. DeMille had it exhumed from the vault of Wells Fargo in San Francisco! Joel McCrea commented that Stanwyck was "Absolutely fearless and has more guts than most men". Also: "I have never worked with an actress who was more cooperative, less temperamental and a better workman, to use my term of highest compliment, than Barbara Stanwyck". - Cecil B. DeMille.
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