Pony Express (1953)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Jerry Hopper

Writers:

Frank Gruber (story)
Charles Marquis Warren (writer)

Release Date:

18 January 1954 (Sweden)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

GALLOPING THRILLS! A mighty adventure when America's destiny rode in the saddle bags of the...PONY EXPRESS

Plot:

Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok join forces to establish a mail route that can get mail from St. Joseph...

Plot Keywords:

Mail | Pony Express | Native American | Beautiful Woman | Pioneer

Cast

Charlton Heston	...	Captain William Frank 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
Rhonda Fleming	...	Evelyn Hastings
Jan Sterling	...	Denny Russell
Forrest Tucker	...	Wild Bill Hickok
Michael Moore	...	Rance Hastings
Porter Hall	...	Jim Bridger
Richard Shannon	...	Red Barrett
Henry Brandon	...	Joe Cooper, Owner Overland Express Co.
Stuart Randall	...	Pemberton, (editor, 'California Weekly Bulletin')
Lewis Martin	...	Sergeant Russell
Pat Hogan	...	Chief Yellow Hand
Eric Alden	...	Miller - the Clerk
Howard Joslin	...	Harvey
Leroy Johnson	...	Pony Express Rider
Jim Burk	...	Pony Express Rider (as Jimmy H. Burk)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Finland:K-7 (new rating: 2001) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-8 | USA:Approved (PCA #16104) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Johnson Canyon, Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Movie Connections:

Remake of The Pony Express (1925)

Enjoyable Western based on factual account...

In 1860, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok joined their strength to establish a communication route with the East through a fresh and fast relay stations of young riders on horseback...

Charlton Heston plays the legendary mountain man, buffalo hunter, U. S. Army Scout and Indian fighter and backer of the 'Pony Express' from St. Joseph to Sacramento in only ten days... Forrest Tucker plays his friend Wild Bill Hickok, an U. S. Marshal who brought order to the frontier with many encounters with outlaws among them Michael Moore (Lance Hastings) and Henry Brandon (Cooper) whose plans are to destroy the relay stations and ambush the express riders...

The film is loaded with action scenes and amusing moments...

- When Heston stops a stagecoach and tells the coachman: 'I'm Buffalo Bill Cody.' 'Sure, and I'm Wild Bill Hickok,' replies the driver... Coming alongside and smiling, Heston says: 'Nope, You're not that ugly!'

- When Heston meets Tucker arriving in town... Their courteous words are replaced by a shooting game, a rare but funny expression of friendship, putting holes in each other's garments including Tucker's nine dollars expensive hat... 'It's fancier than shaking hands,' expresses Jan Sterling to Rhonda Fleming from the window of her hotel...

-When Jan Sterling comes into the presence of the famous 'Pair of Bills,' wishing to increase her impression on Buffalo Bill with a fancy pink dress... Seeing her, Heston notes: 'Why not you go back and put some clothes on!'

Rhonda Fleming plays Evelyn Hastings, the ravishing wealthy redhead, who falls in love with Heston, leaving alone her brother who never wanted the 'Pony Express' to get through..-

Jan Sterling plays the sincere pretty blonde who loves so much Buffalo Bill...

Filmed in Technicolor, this enjoyable Western, based on factual account, is adequately entertaining...