1939's "Union Pacific" was the final black and white feature for the legendary director Cecil B. De Mille, coming on the heels of John Ford's "Stagecoach," spearheading the revival of Hollywood Westerns from hour long quickies to major productions. Owing a debt to Ford's own 1924 silent "The Iron Horse," De Mille proved again a master showman, a fine cast and epic scenes of destruction and Indian battles, though top billed Barbara Stanwyck's oirish accent calls attention to one of her least rewarding performances. Fortunately, Joel McCrea is everything the script calls for, a towering troubleshooter for the Union Pacific railroad, quick to put an end to problems arising in their goal to combine east and west coasts. Banker Henry Kolker is buttressed by reliable villain Brian Donlevy (already well versed in railroad chicanery in Fox's "Jesse James"),confederates played by Fuzzy Knight, Anthony Quinn, Robert Barrat, and Lon Chaney Jr. Robert Preston is the literal wild card in this stacked deck, Donlevy's partner in crime but soft for pretty Stanwyck. For Chaney fans, coming off a small role as 'One of James Gang' in the aforementioned "Jesse James," his role is nothing more than a bearded extra with no dialogue, less than a minute on screen in just two short scenes, in at 26 minutes (aboard the train when a henchman takes a potshot at a defenseless Indian),out at 36 (seated in the saloon when Donlevy offers up free drinks). Lon would fare better in De Mille's "North West Mounted Police" (in the wake of his triumphant "Of Mice and Men"),but would never work for the illustrious director after that. Another trivia note finds unbilled Richard Denning playing a reporter, only three years before wedding Chaney co-star Evelyn Ankers in a lasting union.

After four years of the Civil War, President Lincoln approves the construction of a transcontinental railroad. It becomes a competition between Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. Chicago money man Asa M. Barrows schemes to undermine Union Pacific and short sell their stock. He hires Sid Campeau and Dick Allen (Robert Preston) to set up gambling houses and saloons to get the Union workers drunk and delay their work. Dick is taken with train engineer's daughter Mollie Monahan (Barbara Stanwyck). War veteran and Union Pacific trouble shooter Jeff Butler (Joel McCrea) is tasked with cleaning up the disruption from Dick's gambling houses. The railroad rivals become rivals for Mollie.

It's director Cecil B. DeMille. It's a big old western. It's weird to hear Stanwyck doing a semi-Irish accent. It's a grand production. It may be big and sprawling but I'm not sure that it's a terribly good movie. Despite the boy scout mentality and pretty boy face, I don't find the Jeff Butler character that appealing. The story is a bit messy. The rivalry holds a lot of promise but it needs more head to head confrontations. This may have elevated the western back in its day but it is mostly forgotten now.

Cecil B DeMille goes for a sprawling would be epic with Union Pacific.

President Lincoln pushed ahead with the westward expansion of the railways after the civil war. After his death the investors of the Union Pacific want this to be Lincoln's legacy. However conniving baddie Asa Barrows hopes to profit by shortening the stock and placing obstructions.

Barrows has placed an inside man on the train to cause chaos if and when required. He is corrupt gambler Sid Campeau (Brian Donlevy) aided by associate Dick Allen (Robert Preston.) They get the workers drunk and hooked on gambling.

Dick has the hots for Molly Monahan (Barbara Stanwyck) who is working on the train.

The Union Pacific send in Jeff Butler (Joel McCrea) as a troubleshooter to make sure that the train is operating efficiently by cleaning up the gambling and the baddies.

Campeau knows that Jeff is trouble. However Dick is an old pal and a fellow war veteran of Jeff and is pleased to see him. Both Dick and Jeff have romantic sparks with Molly.

This is an overlong episodic film but the central premise never quiet gains momentum. Dick is being corrupted by Campeau and it is not long before Dick comes into conflict with Jeff when a wages roll is stolen.

The bromance turned into a rivalry over Molly should had been a stronger part of the story.

Preston is charming as a fledgling villain who ultimately values Molly more than greed. Donlevy is good as the slimy crook.

Stanwyck is the plucky Irish lass that men adore. I thought McCrea was solid but boring. He comes off worse compared to Preston and Stanwyck.