The Iron Horse (1924)

Writers:

Charles Kenyon (story) and
John Russell (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1925 (Germany)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Blazing the Trail of Love and Civilization

Plot:

Springfield, Illinois. Brandon, a surveyor, dreams of building a railway to the west, but Marsh, a contractor...

Plot Keywords:

Railway | Train | Springfield Illinois | Epic | Native American

Cast

George O'Brien	...	Davy Brandon
Madge Bellamy	...	Miriam Marsh
Charles Edward Bull	...	Abraham Lincoln
Cyril Chadwick	...	Peter Jesson
Will Walling	...	Thomas Marsh
Francis Powers	...	Sgt. Slattery
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Cpl. Casey
Jim Welch	...	Pvt. Schultz (as James Welch)
George Waggner	...	Col. William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
Fred Kohler	...	Bauman
James A. Marcus	...	Judge Haller (as James Marcus)
Gladys Hulette	...	Ruby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean Arthur	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Chief John Big Tree	...	Cheyenne Chief (uncredited)
Danny Borzage	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
George Brent	...	Worker / Extra (uncredited)
Milton Brown	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Thomas Carr	...	Rail Worker (uncredited)
Peggy Cartwright	...	Miriam as a Girl (uncredited)
Colin Chase	...	Tony - Italian Worker (uncredited)
Harvey Clark	...	Dentist / Barber (uncredited)
Elmer Dewey	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
John Webb Dillon	...	Tall Woodsman in Prologue (uncredited)
Thomas Durant	...	Jack Ganzhorn (uncredited)
Bob Fleming	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Willie Fung	...	Chinaman (uncredited)
Jack Ganzhorn	...	Thomas C. Durant (uncredited)
James Gordon	...	David Brandon Sr (uncredited)
Ed Jones	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Tiny Jones	...	Little Woman Who Wants a Divorce (uncredited)
Sid Jordan	...	Gunfighter (uncredited)
Dick La Reno	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Delbert Mann	...	Charles Crocker (uncredited)
Robert Milasch	...	Hell on Wheels Bartender (uncredited)
Winston Miller	...	Davy as a Boy (uncredited)
Pat Moriarity	...	Rail Worker (uncredited)
Charles Newton	...	Collis P. Huntington (uncredited)
Herman Nowlin	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
John B. O'Brien	...	Dinny (uncredited)
Charles O'Malley	...	Maj. North (uncredited)
Jack Padjan	...	Wild Bill Hickok (uncredited)
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Old Chinese Railroad Worker (uncredited)
Jack Richardson	...	Union Officer at White House (uncredited)
Vinegar Roan	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Walter Rodgers	...	Gen. Dodge (uncredited)
Harold D. Schuster	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Tom Smith	...	Cowhand (uncredited)
Chief White Spear	...	Sioux Chief (uncredited)
Charles Stevens	...	Indian (uncredited)
Frances Teague	...	Polka Dot - Dance Hall Girl (uncredited)
Stanhope Wheatcroft	...	John Hay (uncredited)
Leo Willis	...	Gunman in saloon (uncredited)
Chief Eagle Wing	...	Indian (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Charles Kenyon		(story) and
John Russell		(story)
Charles Kenyon		(scenario)
Charles Darnton		(titles)

Produced by
John Ford	....	producer

Original Music by
John Lanchbery		(1994)
William P. Perry		(1974)

Cinematography by
George Schneiderman

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward O'Fearna	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Frank Powolny	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
William S. Darling	....	art department supervisor (uncredited)
Lefty Hough	....	property master (uncredited)
R.L. Hough	....	props (uncredited)
Herbert Plews	....	assistant props (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Burnett Guffey	....	additional photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Harold D. Schuster	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Lanchbery	....	orchestrator (1974 re-release)

Other crew
William Fox	....	presenter
Karl Malkames	....	restorator (1974 re-release)
Harold D. Schuster	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Fox Film Corporation (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1975) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (USA) (DVD)
• Critics' Choice Video (video)

Also Known As:

The Iron Trail (USA) (working title)
The Trans-continental Railroad (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Beale's Cut, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The production had it's own bootlegger. While doing a run one night, said bootlegger allegedly hit somebody with his car and killed them.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000) (TV)

S'alright!

I remember seeing this, done with a real blue tint if I remember right. J. Farrell McDonald was fun-the bald guy who looks like William Frawley? He shows up as a bartender in John Ford's lator 'My Darling Clementine' '46, pretty much looking the same way.

This was pure '20's Western stuff-having Buffalo Bill AND Wild Bill together(can't tell'em apart here well either...), and Indian attack or three, Lincoln on hand for Americana, some good stuff with buffalo hunting and etc.

George O'brien as the hero is alright too. He went on to play the same kinds of rolls as Tim Holt and Bob Steele did for ages.

This holds up well, is kind of long but involving, and NO, the music score is NOT hokey or out of place. Worked real well the two times I have sat through this film, actually.

*** outta ****, a semi-forgetten classic.