Union Pacific
Union Pacific ★★★ 1939
Full DeMille treatment highlights this saga about the building of America's first transcontinental railroad. Jeff Butler (McCrea) is the construction overseer who must battle saboteurs and Indians (although the U.S. Cavalry does arrive to save the day). He also gets to fall for selfsufficient postmistress Mollie Monahan (Stanwyck). DeMille borrowed the actual golden spike used to drive in the last rail in 1869 for his reenactment of the completion celebration. Based on the book “Trouble Shooters” by Ernest Haycox. 136m/B VHS, DVD . Joel McCrea, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy, Akim Tamiroff, Lynne Overman, Robert Barrat, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Ridges, Henry Kolker, Evelyn Keyes, Regis Toomey; D: Cecil B. DeMille; W: Walter DeLeon, Jesse Lasky Jr., C. Gardner Sullivan; C: Victor Milner.