Review: Zane Grey's 'Western Union' (1941)

Disclosure: I received a free screener for review.

When it comes to the Western genre, few names resonate as strongly as Zane Grey. Born Pearl Zane Grey in 1872, he initially pursued a career in dentistry before finding his true calling as a writer. His first novel, Betty Zane, was published in 1903, and soon after, he became a prolific author, churning out over 90 Western titles—more than that if you count the various reprints and retitled editions. His work has inspired 112 film adaptations, a testament to his influence and popularity.

One of those adaptations—Western Union—is now available on DVD from Twentieth Century Cinema Archives. Directed by the illustrious Fritz Lang, the film features a star-studded cast, including Robert Young, Randolph Scott, Dean Jagger, Virginia Gilmore, John Carradine, Slim Summerville, Chill Wills, and Barton MacLane. However, be forewarned: there are no special features or bonus extras accompanying this single-disc release.

Based on Zane Grey's 1939 novel of the same name, the film follows Edward Creighton (Dean Jagger), a Western Union engineer who gets injured while surveying a telegraph line and crosses paths with the outlaw Vance Shaw (Randolph Scott). At first glance, Vance seems like the villain, attempting to steal Edward's horse, but as the story unfolds, it becomes clear he harbors a more complex nature and ultimately aids Edward.

Once he recovers, Edward returns to Omaha with grand ambitions to stretch a telegraph line from Omaha to Salt Lake City. He recruits his sister Sue (Virginia Gilmore), a diligent assistant named Kettle (Chill Wills), and a foreman named Pat Gorgan (Mintor Watson). Eventually, Vance is brought on as a scout, striving to redeem himself.

As work on the telegraph line commences, Edward discovers that the endeavor is fraught with challenges—much more than he anticipated—namely threats from Confederate soldiers and Native American tribes.

Now, a personal reflection: I couldn't quite recall whether Western Union resided in my book collection, although I proudly own several first prints (and a few reprints) of Zane Grey's works. While I’ve always been a fan of Zane's stories, I had yet to lay eyes on one of the film adaptations until I viewed Western Union on DVD.

I must confess, early Western films have never stirred my enthusiasm. Often plagued by low budgets, stilted dialogue, and an abundance of campy moments, they tend to underwhelm. So, my expectations for this film were low right from the start.

To my surprise, however, I found myself genuinely enjoying it. While the plot may not keep you on the edge of your seat, the script is crafted well enough to satisfy any Zane Grey enthusiast. The cast shines throughout, but Slim Summerville stands out particularly as the endearing cook, aptly nicknamed Cookie.

The film’s picture ratio is 4:3, presented in full screen. Overall, the quality is commendable, though a handful of scenes occasionally drift in and out of focus—none of which are overly distracting.

In summary, I found myself pleasantly surprised by Western Union. Apart from those minor picture quality hiccups, it’s nearly a flawless film. For fans of the genre and Grey's work alike, this movie offers a satisfying way to experience a slice of Western lore. ╌★★★★✰

〜B.J. Burgess