With the start of the Civil War in 1861, a man with a past as an outlaw (Randolph Scott) finds himself part of a crew tasked with stringing telegraph lines across what would become Nebraska and Wyoming. Dean Jagger portrays the person in charge of the undertaking, while Robert Young is present as someone new to the area from elsewhere. Virginia Gilmore takes on the role of a woman who could be romantically involved with both the reformed outlaw (Scott) and the fresh-faced newcomer (Young). Fritz Lang directed this film, which was adapted from a Zane Grey novel, "Western Union" (1941), and it was quite significant in the Western genre at the time. It combines elements of suspense, action sequences, romantic feelings, and humor. Although Barton MacLane’s character, Jack Slade, comes across as overly theatrical in his villainy and the locations don't quite add up, this film is among the stronger Western stories from that period. The visuals and photography are impressive, and the Native Americans are shown respectfully, without resorting to stereotypes. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes and was filmed on location in Utah (Zion National Park & Kanab), Arizona (House Rock Canyon), and at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB