This film is about the 1851 journey of a group of women on a wagon train to meet prospective husbands in California. The film's original story was written by Frank Capra who at one time wanted to make it. Fortunately the film ended up with tough guy William "Wild Bill" Wellman directing. God knows what kind of sentimental mush Capra would have turned it into.
For a film released in the early 1950's it has an unusual feminist slant which for the most part isn't compromised in the story telling. The film was photographed in Utah on what looks to be like fairly harsh locations. William C. Mellor was the cinematographer, he was usually associated with George Stevens. but working with Wellman he went for a very harsh look to the photography.
Robert Taylor is the lead and he's very good. In one scene he dishes out some tough justice to a cowboy who has raped one of the women. Taylor had started his career as a pretty boy at MGM. As he got older he grew into more interesting roles. Still the focus of the film is on the women in a series of interesting vignettes.
William Wellman was considered a guy's director, but he had a successful collaboration with Barbara Stanwyck and was the director on the first A Star Is Born film. Wellman was from the John Ford school of film making. He had a no nonsense visual style and also didn's put up with a lot of nonsense on his set. Westward The Women is an exccellent film and one of Wellman's best efforts.
The screenplay was by Charles Schnee, the running time is 118 minutes.
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