Directed by James Nielson;

Based on a story by Norman A Fox; this James Stewart vehicle revolves around a railroad building settlement and the regular robbery of its payroll. This film contains a few twists and oddities, most notably that one of the members of the robbery gang is played by one of Hollywood?s best-known ?goodies? - Audie Murphy!

Our Jimmy is Grant McLaine, an accordion-playing (and singing!) drifter who returns to old friends, regaining employment for a railway camp. The camp is getting increasingly unsettled because it has had its payroll stolen on the last three occasions by a gang led by Whitey Harbin (Dan Duryea). Unbeknown to all involved is that one of the senior members of the gang is the Utica Kid (a very fresh faced Audie Murphy) who just happens to be McLaine?s kid brother! Though not trusted by all the principals of the railway company (for various reasons), McLaine takes on the role of troubleshooter, entrusted with the next payroll run.

Sure enough, the gang tries to rob the train, but the thieves cannot find the dough - even though it?s right under their noses - it has been passed to McLaine?s young friend Joey Adams (Brandon de Wilde) for safety. As a result of the gang?s failure, they take the railway manager?s wife (Elaine Stewart) and Joey as hostages; seeking to get the payroll by way of a ransom payment.

To retrieve the money, save his reputation and rescue the hostages; McLaine confronts the gang in an attempt to infiltrate it. During this standoff, McLaine slowly regains his younger brothers respect and affection - a factor of importance towards the end of the film. Meanwhile, the unexpected arrival of another visitor causes upheaval in the gang, and in the ensuing struggle McLaine temporarily gets away from the gang with the money and the freed hostages.

Following this skirmish is the obligatory chase and final gunfight scene in which the good guys win and the brothers unite for the common good.

Most of the performances in Night Passage are quite good; most notably Stewart, Murphy and Duryea. The ?star? list runs quite deep, with quite a number of faces that are well known to movie buffs of the 1950s. Indeed, a number of western films starring Jimmy Stewart around this time contain several familiar faces that are common to each movie.

THE EXTRAS

Apart from the standard language and chapter access menus, there is a theatrical trailer of excellent quality, but it?s a full screen transfer - why?

CONCLUSION

Night Passage is a shoot? em up train robbery western that has a storyline somewhat different from your standard western flick. It also contains a few differences from the norm including Jimmy Stewart singing and Audie Murphy as (somewhat of) a baddie!

The movie is mildly entertaining rather than great. It also has one of the strangest titles I have ever come across - I have no idea as to its relevance to the film?s content at all!