I am haunted by a Western movie that I must have seen in a theater (in
Brooklyn, of course) between, if memory serves, 1958 and 1961. Why I
remember it, and why the film made such an indelible impression, I
have no idea. I have very few memories of actors or plot, but for
this: a steam locomotive played a major role in the film as well as a
soldier (?), scout (?), whose signature was that he played the
concertina. Indians, naturally, were a threat, as I remember -- and
some sort of a trek where, perhaps, the soldiers (?) were running out
of water. The only key scene that I recall was the sad discovery of
the forlorn concertina--signifying that the wandering soldiers had
succombed to said Indians, or lack of water. For years I have been
watching old Westerns on movie channels thinking, 'this will be the
one,' but I've never rediscovered this film. Perhaps it was a B-movie
so nondescript that it never even made it to cable. I realize there is
little to go on here, but I'd like to see it again, if it's available
on video or DVD, or can be Tivo'ed by title. Many thanks for your
help! |
Request for Question Clarification by
politicalguru-ga
on
13 Aug 2006 07:51 PDT
Could this be this one?
"A western movie featuring Jimmy Stewart as an accordion-playing
trouble- shooter for the railroad in frontier Colorado.
[...]
According to "James Stewart, a biography" Jimmy played his accordion
despite being wrongfully accused of stealing the railroad payroll.
Later, a professional musician dubbed "most" of his playing. The
original director, Mann, bailed out of this project in early
preproduction."
http://www.mediarare.com/
Another description:
"The workers on the railroad haven't been paid in months --- that's
because Whitey and his gang, including fast-shooting, dangerous, but
likeable Utica Kid, keep holding up the train for its payroll. Grant
McLaine, a former railroad employee who was fired in disgrace, is
recruited to take the payroll through under cover. A young boy and a
shoebox figure into the plot when Whitey's gang tries to hold up the
train and Grant and the Kid meet again to settle an old score."
(http://www.imdb.com)
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Clarification of Question by
brooklyndude-ga
on
13 Aug 2006 08:03 PDT
Excellent suggestions but the context of the concertina in your movie
summary seems wrong -- in the movie I remember, there was a doomed
expedition and a poor, abandoned, possibly broken, concertina. I
remember distinctly that the movie was in color. (It could have been
Stewart or Randolph Scott, but I have no memory of the star.)
What was the title and year of your suggested Jimmy Stewart oatburner?
Might ring a bell --
Many thanks --
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Clarification of Question by
brooklyndude-ga
on
14 Aug 2006 09:50 PDT
Thanks, folks; alas I consider the question still, for the moment,
unanswered. I know that the concertina scene was NOT in "How the West
Was Won" (but thanks for the suggestion). And just to be sure, I've
ordered the Jimmy Stewart movie -- "Night Passage" -- on Amazon, since
it sounds like a good flick. But I doubt that it has the scene I'm
looking for, given the plot summaries I've read. However, I know that
my Western is out there somewhere....
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