7.2/10
3,258
46 user 26 critic

Wagon Master (1950)

Two young drifters guide a Mormon wagon train to the San Juan Valley and encounter cutthroats, Indians, geography, and moral challenges on the journey.

Director:

Writers:

(as Frank Nugent),
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Travis Blue
...
Denver
...
Sandy
...
Elder Wiggs
...
Uncle Shiloh Clegg
...
Dr. A. Locksley Hall
...
Sister Ledyard
...
Fleuretty Phyffe
...
Adam Perkins
Kathleen O'Malley ...
Prudence Perkins
...
Floyd Clegg
...
Mr. Peachtree
Fred Libby ...
Reese Clegg
...
Navajo Indian
Mickey Simpson ...
Jesse Clegg

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Storyline

As Mormon settlers head to the promised land at the San Juan river in Utah, they hire horse traders Travis Blue and Sandy as wagon masters. They have to forge a trail across unknown territory and face many hardships along the way. They quickly come across some stranded travelers, a medicine show run by Dr. A. Locksley Hall which includes the attractive Denver. Along the way however, they are also joined by Shiloh Clegg and his murderous clan of robbers and thieves. An encounter with the Navajo leads to an invitation to their camp but after one of the Clegg boys gets a whipping for attacking one of the Navajo women, Uncle Shiloh plans his revenge. It's left to Sandy and Travis to protect the travelers and get them to their destination. Written by garykmcd

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

John Ford's lusty successor to "Fort Apache" and "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"

Genres:

Adventure | Western

Certificate:

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Details

Country:

Language:

| |

Release Date:

22 April 1950 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Caravana de valientes  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$999,370 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(RCA Sound System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The shootout near the river was filmed at Hittle Bottom, UT, close to Moab, UT. There is mention of "a 1950's western," with the fight scene near a picnic table at the Hittle Bottom Campground at an information installation. The campground is close to Fisher Towers, another Moab area filming location for movies and commercials. See more »

Goofs

During the dance, when done going around in a circle, Travis has his hand on Denver's waist, in the next shot it is on her shoulder. See more »

Quotes

Uncle Shiloh Clegg: You boys ever draw on anybody?
Travis Blue: No, sir. Just snakes.
[later, after Travis shoots Clegg]
Elder Wiggs: I thought you never drew on a man?
Travis Blue: That's right, sir. Only on snakes.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in The Last Picture Show (1971) See more »

Soundtracks

WAGONS WEST
Words and Music by Stan Jones
Recorded by Sons of the Pioneers (as The Sons of the Pioneers)
Sung (behind credits) by the Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited)
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User Reviews

 
The covered wagons, their people and their music
29 November 2005 | by (S. Paulo, Brazil) – See all my reviews

It takes a while to get adjusted to the sound of Sons of The Pioneers , but then you thoroughly enjoy it. If the soundtrack would be played by an orchestra like Max Steiner or Dmitri Tiomkin it would lose its folkloric character. The music conducts the film, everything seems to follow its rhythm. The whole cast is excellent. Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr. are the young men guiding the caravan. Ward Bond is the Mormon leader and Joanne Dru is a flirting actress. Ford was able to make of what would be an ordinary western, something totally different and original showing us the music, the dances, and most of all, the people.


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