SYNOPSICS
Wyoming Mail (1950) is a English movie. Reginald Le Borg has directed this movie. Stephen McNally,Alexis Smith,Howard Da Silva,Ed Begley are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1950. Wyoming Mail (1950) is considered one of the best Western movie in India and around the world.
In 1869, the United States begins a railroad mail service to the West Coast which proves highly tempting to train robbers, in particular an organized gang with one of the mail's supposed guardians in their pay. Prizefighter Steve Davis, a former army intelligence man, is hired to track down the gang and save the Territorial Mail Service. Steve goes undercover in territorial prison, learns Morse Code from a fellow prisoner, breaks jail, infiltrates the gang...and finds time to romance dance-hall singer Mary, who proves to have hidden depths...
Wyoming Mail (1950) Reviews
"a desert rose between two Palooka's"
It was amusing to discover that the Director of this pleasant little diversion directed it apparently between two Joe Palooka movies. Now they are tough films to watch. However, although this story line is a bit weak,the film does have a couple of things going for it. Alexis Smith is an attractive heroine. Her character has a life changing decision to make and it works well. The film also attempts to flesh out the role of the Railroad in small communities in the west. The Railroad Club comes off as another saloon but the very fact that its a club is an interesting historical footnote. Much of the exterior scenery is beautifully presented, although the hideout left something to be desired. A good wet Sunday amusement.
The Universal western look overcomes limitations here.
The satisfactions of the Technicolor western register in this production line co feature, with Russell Metty's camerawork and the studio's wooden cowboy town, train station and saloon interiors always a pleasurable environment. The cast is good too so there's only the routine direction to take issue with and Le Borg has exerted himself a few times here - Smith's anguished walk back to the railworker club, knowing her lover is a government spy, is one. Better work followed but this is enjoyable.
This one is really good!
I saw the trailer of this film when I was less than ten years old, here in Brazil, where it was named "A Fogo e a Sangue". I was fascinated by the few scenes I saw, specially one that shows Stephen McNally boxing. The scenery and color cinematography were astonishing. Being underage I could not see the film. I saw it recently, more than fifty years after and went through a great Proustian experience. Unlike many westerns that age and become naive or too predictable or full of clichés, this one maintains its appeal. McNally is the detective that is sent to find out who is behind a continuous robbery of the train carrying mail. He was boxing for a living and does not want to give it up for a low salary, but when he takes a good look at his face, and sees how it is becoming deformed, he decides to carry on the mission. Alexis Smith is the saloon singer he falls in love with, she is quite a presence. McNally pretends he is an outlaw and is sent to prison where he becomes friendly with one of the key members of the gang. There are constant scenes of action, and never a dull moment. This is a really good one.
Nice Mix
Pretty good Western that gets better as it goes along. Railroad agent Steve Davis (McNally) goes undercover to catch an elaborate gang of train robbers. Along the way, he meets lovely songstress Mary Williams (Smith), but much worse, has to go to prison to establish his outlaw cover. The gang, it turns out, has respectable confederates but we can't be sure who they are. There're several good surprises, plus some nice touches from director LeBorg— e. g. a wounded Indian Joe trying to hook on the train, the final scene that hits the right notes, a frantic outlaw (Jaeckle) atop an exploding baggage car. Also, that rock formation of the gang's hideout is impressive as heck, with its spindly ladders to the caves at the top. Then there's a splash or two of great blue sky scenery. The supporting cast is also notable—Begley, DaSilva, Evans and Jaeckle, plus a young, curly-haired James Arness and-- look quickly—Richard Egan as a prison guard. Universal Studio did a number of these Technicolor Westerns at the time, using solid performers and location filming. None that I've seen reach the first rank, but do remain solid entertainment for horse opera fans, including this one.
Seeing the production in real life filming and then the theatre.
I reviewed this movie and find it very strange, that after all these years this movie is still around. I was visiting my relatives in Sonora California when I was 16 years old and Universal International was filming the movie. Most of the movie crew ate at the El Nido Inn where I stayed. I was introduced to the producers and and directors and they took me into the production as a guest. Every morning I would tale the big limos to the locations. One location was the Sonora city dump transformed into a scene that didn't resemble the original location. I met actress Alexis Smith, although she was a very private person. I was introduced to her because she was from Penticton B.C. Canada only 50 miles from my home town. I recall many moments of the production. It was strange to see it later in the theatre, because most of the scenes became different than what I saw in real life. Memories still linger.