gordonl56 STATION WEST 1948The only way to describe this film, is, film noir meets the wild-west. Dick Powell exchanges his fedora for a Stetson as he plays a Government under-cover agent investigating a series of gold shipment robberies. The Army is also not amused that several of their soldiers had been killed while on escort duty for the gold shipments. The cast includes Jane Greer, Raymond Burr, Burl Ives, Agnes Moorehead, Tom Powers, Gordon Oliver and Guinn (Big Boy) Williams.It takes Powell a bit of time to shift through the possible suspects. He starts the hard way with a knock down drag out fist fight with Big Boy Williams. This soon gets him hired by the main baddie, Jane Greer, who goes by the name of "Charlie".Greer runs the local saloon, stage line and logging camp. All three are tied into the missing gold shipments. One of the local mine owners, Agnes Moorehead, is in with Powell and the local Army commander, Tom Powers. Unable to move the gold out of the area, the gold is being stockpiled at the local fort. Powell is sure this is what the crooks want. He figures the baddies will raid the undermanned fort and scoop the lot.Powell plays his part as if he just stepped out of a hard-boiled noir role. He is always exchanging barbs with Greer and the town's crooked lawyer, Raymond Burr. Powell's rooting around soon stirs up a hornet's nest and bodies begin to pile up. Of course there is mandatory gun battle, with the "right" people collecting all the required lead needed to end their evil plans. All in all a neatly done western with a noir twist. The film has an excellent look with director Sidney Lanfield handling the action. Lanfield was better known for helming several Bob Hope comedies such as, SORROWFUL JONES, THE LEMON DROP KID and MY FAVORITE BLONDE. The cinematography was handled by noir veteran, Harry J Wild. His work included, MURDER MY SWEET, CORNERED, JOHNNY ANGEL, NOCTURNE, THEY WON'T BELIEVE ME, PITFALL, THE BIG STEAL, THE THREAT, MACAO and HIS KIND OF WOMAN.

jazerbini "Station West" is a nostalgic and wonderful western with Dick Powell and Jane Greer, filmed in 1948, so for over 65 years, a lifetime. A photo in black and white is high quality, the screenplay with an investigation into the Old West over gold theft involving actions of the army is well prepared. The dialogs are tastefully decorated, with great intelligence. The film conveys a clear idea of ​​continuation and sequences of actions with a very well built and perfect scenes of the Old West ambiance.And rarely met a group of actors so identified, all of great powers: the charismatic Dick Powell, the beautiful Jane Greer, an amazing and peaceful Burl Ives (singing), one Agnes Moorehead in his best physical shape, very beautiful and charm, Raymond Burr, still young, and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams provides us with Dick Powell one of the best fights of the film, finally a cast of first class. All this with a very appropriate song to this western competent. I got a DVD copy of "Station West" and keep forever.

dougdoepke Good scenic Western that applies the 40's private eye premise to a frontier setting. Powell does his 40's hard case number effectively, while Greer does her slinky spider woman bit. In fact, you have to look twice to make sure this isn't a Spade or a Marlowe. Powell's an undercover investigator on the trail of whoever knocked over an army shipment and killed the guards. In town are a lot of suspicious characters, including Greer and Burr, but suspicion isn't enough. Some good touches, especially the Sedona, AZ, locations, scenically filmed in b&w and lending an atmospheric note. And catch the middle-age romance between Powers and Moorehead, not exactly a staple of standard Westerns, especially for perennial spinster Moorehead. Also, there's nervous lawyer Burr, about as far away from lawyer Perry Mason as it gets. But what I really like is the way the movie works Burl Ives and his catchy tune into the narrative. It's very smoothly and pleasantly done.I don't know that there's anything special here, although the story ends on an unconventionally downbeat note. In passing-- I gather from TCM that director Lanfield gave Greer a bad time because she wasn't the preferred Marlene Dietrich. Too bad because Greer manages in one package to be both conniving and poignant, no mean acting trick.

Red-125 Station West (1948) directed by Sidney Lanfield, is definitely a cut above your standard Grade-B western. The plot is complex, the camera angles are skillful, and the acting is outstanding.However, this is not a film you see because you like guns, fists, and horses. It's the acting that makes this movie so interesting. RKO put real effort into casting the film. Besides Dick Powell and Jane Greer, the cast includes Agnes Moorehead and Raymond Burr.Powell is typecast as the tough-as-nails stranger in a very tough town. Jane Greer is "Charlie," who owns the gambling saloon, the gold mine, and the sheriff. She wears gowns that no 19th-Century saloon owner ever wore, and, being Jane Greer, she looks great in them. (Greer was, of course, very beautiful, but her beauty came from her intelligence as well as from her features. She was known as "The Woman with the Mona Lisa smile.")Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams plays the bouncer Mick Marion. About Marion the hotel clerk says, "Me, I'd rather fight a forest fire." Powell answers, "So would I." Burl Ives is perfect as the hotel clerk who acts like a Greek chorus as he composes and sings a ballad about the plot as it unfolds. (The chorus ends, "And a man can't grow old, where there's women and gold.") I was able to find a used VCR copy of this film. I don't think it's available in DVD, and you'd be lucky to find it being screened in a theater. It would probably work better on a large screen, but the chemistry between Greer and Powell will work in any format. It's a movie that's definitely worth finding and seeing.