A Westward the Women

Director: William A. Wellman William A. Wellman

Overview

This stark, no-nonsense outdoor drama stars Robert Taylor as a trail guide named Buck, who in 1851 is hired by California settler Roy Whitman to head a wagon train full of mail-order brides from Chicago to the West Coast. Buck must lead the expedition through treacherous territory.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/10/2012
UPC:	0883316395875
Original Release:	1951
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:56:00
Sales rank:	1,341

Special Features

Audio commentary by film historian Scott Eyman; Vintage M-G-M promotional featurette Challenge the Wilderness; Original theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Robert Taylor	Buck Wyatt
Denise Darcel	Fifi Danon
Henry Nakamura	Ito
Lenore Lonergan	Maggie O'Malley
Hope Emerson	Patience Hawley
John McIntire	Roy Whitman
Julie Bishop	Laurie Smith
Beverly Dennis	Rose Meyers
Marilyn Erskine	Jean Johnson
Renata Vanni	Mrs. Moroni
George Chandler	Actor
Guido Martufi	Antonio Moroni
Bruce Cowling	"Cat"
Frankie Darro	Actor
Dorothy Granger	Actor

Technical Credits

Charles Schnee

William A. Wellman	Director
Charles Schnee	Screenwriter
Dore Schary	Producer

Editorial Reviews

An extremely unusual Western, especially given the time in which it was made, Westward the Women has a great deal going for it. Chief among its virtues is its story and the treatment of the female characters therein. The trek of mail order brides across an incredibly dangerous West is full of suspense, intrigue, humor, adventure and tragedy. And director William Wellman and screenwriter Charles Schnee do not pamper the women involved; they are unglamorized, called upon to get as dirty and tough as any men would do in a Western. They also are as prone to death and injury as any man would be in a similar film. This fascinatingly egalitarian treatment reveals the strength that actual pioneer women had to possess and pays fine tribute to them and their spirit. Wellman also utilizes his location shooting to very good effect, making the landscape a part of the story rather than just decoration. As the male leader of the troupe, Robert Taylor gives one of his finest performances, relishing the range that the role provides. He's supported by excellent work from a strong Hope Emerson, a sympathetic Renata Vanni, a spirited Lenore Lonergan and an amiable Henry Nakamura. Taylor's love interest, Denise Darcel, is only adequate, which does damage the film somewhat, especially in the second half; when Darcel and Taylor's relationship moves forward, the film is much less interesting. Still, Westward overcomes this flaw, offering the viewer several powerful scenes -- the attack, the birth, the climactic "prettification" -- that stick with the viewer and linger long after the movie is over.