Virginia City (1940)

March 23, 1940 (US) • Western, Action, Romance • 121m

Overview

Union officer Kerry Bradford escapes from a Confederate prison and races to intercept $5 million in gold destined for Confederate coffers. A Confederate sympathizer and a Mexican bandit, each with their own stake in the loot, stand in his way.

Director

Michael Curtiz

Writer

Robert Buckner

Top Billed

Errol Flynn

Keywords

prison escape stagecoach

Where to watch

Rent

Buy

Top Billed Cast

Errol Flynn

Kerry Bradford

Miriam Hopkins

Julia Hayne

Randolph Scott

Vance Irby

Humphrey Bogart

John Murrell

Frank McHugh

Mr. Upjohn

Alan Hale

Olaf Swenson

Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams

Marblehead

John Litel

Marshall

Douglass Dumbrille

Maj. Drewery

Moroni Olsen

Cameron

Russell Hicks

Armistead

Dickie Jones

Cobby

Frank Wilcox

Union Soldier

Russell Simpson

Gaylord

Victor Kilian

Abraham Lincoln

Charles Middleton

Jefferson Davis

Trevor Bardette

Union Fanatic with Knife (uncredited)

Hank Bell

Barfly (uncredited)

Ward Bond

Confederate Sergeant Checking Passengers (uncredited)

Roy Bucko

Barfly (uncredited)

Lane Chandler

Irby's Orderly at Libby (uncredited)

Spencer Charters

Sazerac Saloon Bartender (uncredited)

George Chesebro

Southerner (uncredited)

Tex Cooper

Townsman (uncredited)

Ben Corbett

Barfly (uncredited)

Harry Cording

Scarecrow - Union Prisoner at Libby (uncredited)

Claire Du Brey

Southern Woman with Rifle (uncredited)

Tom Dugan

Saloon Spieler (uncredited)

Jim Farley

Southerner (uncredited)

Paul Fix

Murrell's Henchman (uncredited)

Roy Gordon

Maj. Gen. Taylor (uncredited)

George Guhl

Sazerac Saloon Bartender #2 (uncredited)

Henry Hall

Union Officer (uncredited)

Thurston Hall

Gen. George Meade (uncredited)

Charles Halton

Ralston - Virginia City Banker (uncredited)

Chick Hannan

Barfly (uncredited)

John Harron

Union Lieutenant (uncredited)

Al Haskell

Guerrilla (uncredited)

Howard Hickman

Confederate Gen. Page (uncredited)

Max Hoffman Jr.

Union Sergeant (uncredited)

Robert Homans

Southerner (uncredited)

William Hopper

Lieutenant Reporting Murrell's Attack (uncredited)

Reed Howes

Union Sergeant on Horse (uncredited)

Edward Keane

Officer (uncredited)

Jack Kenny

Barfly (uncredited)

Bernard L. Kowalski

Extra (uncredited)

Ethan Laidlaw

Union Soldier (uncredited)

Wilfred Lucas

Southerner (uncredited)

Sam McDaniel

Sam Moore - Black Driver (uncredited)

Robert Milasch

Townsman (uncredited)

Walter Miller

Sergeant in Saloon Reporting Irby's Whereabouts (uncredited)

Frank Mills

Prisoner at Libby Prison (uncredited)

Shirley Mills

Crying Young Southern Girl (uncredited)

Art Mix

Southerner (uncredited)

Kansas Moehring

Townsman (uncredited)

Monte Montague

Wells Fargo Stage Driver (uncredited)

Philip Morris

Confederate Sentry (uncredited)

Jack Mower

Outpost Officer (uncredited)

Wedgwood Nowell

Prosecuting Officer (uncredited)

Artie Ortego

Guerrilla (uncredited)

Bud Osborne

Ted - Stage Driver (uncredited)

Eddie Parker

Lieutenant (uncredited)

George Reeves

Maj. Drewery's Union Telegrapher (uncredited)

George Regas

Murrell's Halfbreed Henchman (uncredited)

Robert Robinson

Townsman (uncredited)

Albert Russell

Southerner (uncredited)

Georgia Simmons

Southern Spinster (uncredited)

Al Taylor

Barfly (uncredited)

Charles Trowbridge

Seddon - Aide to Jefferson Davis (uncredited)

Brandon Tynan

Trenholm (uncredited)

Sailor Vincent

Barfly (uncredited)

Blackie Whiteford

Townsman Standing by Stagecoach (uncredited)

Norman Willis

Union Sergeant (uncredited)

Crew

Michael Curtiz

Director

Robert Buckner

Screenplay

Oliver S. Garretson

Sound

Jack L. Warner

Executive In Charge Of Production

Leo F. Forbstein

Music Director

Francis J. Scheid

Sound

Perc Westmore

Makeup Artist

Robert Fellows

Associate Producer

Orry-Kelly

Costume Design

Robert M. Haas

Art Direction

Hal B. Wallis

Executive Producer

Sol Polito

Director of Photography

Ted Smith

Art Direction

Max Steiner

Original Music Composer

George Amy

Editor

Hans F. Koenekamp

Special Effects

Byron Haskin

Special Effects

Hugo Friedhofer

Orchestrator

Yakima Canutt

Stunt Double

Reviews

John Chard

⭐ 6/10

April 7, 2019

Oh, I'm an expert at that now. Treating friends like strangers and enemies like friends.

Virginia City is directed by Michael Curtiz and written by Robert Buckner. It stars Errol Flynn, Randolph Scott, Miriam Hopkins, Humphrey Bogart, Alan Hale and Guinn Williams. Music is by Max Steiner and cinematography by Sol Polito.

Story is a loose working of actual events that happened in December 1864 at the tail end of the American Civil War. A group of Confederate sympathisers are trying to ship a substantial amount of gold out of Virginia City to rebel leader Jefferson Davis, where it is hoped that the course of the war that the Confederates are close to losing will now be changed...

It was a messy production, not very many people got on, the pic started without a finished script, and with the bad weather mixing with bad blood it was something of a chore for many of the cast. Add in that the great Bogart is woefully miscast - and he knows it - then you got a picture that considering the talent involved across the board is a long way away from being a genre classic.

It starts off so promisingly, we are thrust into the murky confines of Libby Prison - The Black Hole Of The Confederacy (AKA: The Devil's Warehouse), where the ever splendidly twinkled Flynn is burrowing out through a tunnel with his two comedy sidekicks, Hale and Williams. Before you know it they are to be confronted by that bastion of Western/Southern film greatness, Randolph Scott, this is classic film fan nirvana. Sadly it's a false dawn that precedes a film of great moments cobbled together to almost outstay its welcome.

However, such as it is that a love of classic film can keep one engaged for escapist fare value, so it be here. Curtiz at least keeps things brisk enough with a number of action sequences, where we at times find the genius that is stuntman Yakima Canutt at the core of things. Some stunts here beggar belief, including one involving a horse that the ASPCA must have raged at! The stars hold court for their scenes - well except for Bogart trying to munch his way through a Mexican bandit accent and Hopkins out of tone the for the singing sequences , while as fluffy as it is the ending has a warm glow to it. Which leaves what?

It's not the disaster it could have been given the behind the scenes problems, and for sure a love of the era of film making it comes from ensures you have to give it props (it was popular on release). But this could have easily have had twenty minutes shaved from its excess, for then it might have spared an unhappy cast and an expectant audience the sense of disappointment it isn't top line stuff. 6/10

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CinemaSerf

⭐ 7/10

June 23, 2022

This is quite an action packed civil wartime drama with Errol Flynn on good form as escaped Yankee officer "Bradford", sent behind enemy lines to thwart a Confederate plan to smuggle $5 million in gold bullion to help the cash-strapped South. Turns out that the man leading the attempt to pinch the gold is none other than his former prison commander "Irby" (Randolph Scott) and now a cat and mouse game ensues between the men, both desperate to succ… read the rest.

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The Shawshank Redemption

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Status

Released

Original Language

Budget

$1,179,000

Revenue

$2,372,567

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Virginia City (1940)

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

John Chard

CinemaSerf

Recommended Movies

The Shawshank Redemption

First Blood

American History X

Law Abiding Citizen

Status

Original Language

Budget

Revenue

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