Two soldiers have been killed in the theft of a gold shipment so John Haven (Dick Powell) heads West to investigate, working undercover with the help of a mine owner named Mrs. Carlson and a cavalry officer named Iles.
His first stop is the local saloon where he’s immediately smitten with its owner, a pretty young woman who goes by the nickname Charlie (Jane Greer) and seemingly owns a piece of everything in town because men keep losing at her gambling tables.
Haven establishes his toughness by whipping her much larger henchman (Guinn Willaims as Mick) in a fistfight, then convinces Charlie to let him run her stageline and try again to get a shipment of gold through unmolested.
It’s held up, of course, and another undercover agent is killed in the process.
As for Haven, he has more than one suspect, including someone he truly hopes isn’t involved.
Dick Powell as Haven, a federal investigator trying to determine who’s stealing gold shipments in Station West (1948)
Jane Greer as Charlie, owner of a saloon, meeting Haven for the first time in Station West (1948)
Review:
The only Western for Powell, who pretty much takes his film noir character and plops him down in a Western town. And is he trying to imitate Humphrey Bogart? His wise-cracking demeanor grows tiresome in a heartbeat.
This was also pretty much the only Western for Greer. She appeared in a Zane Grey film called “Sunset Pass,” but it was set in the post-World War II West. She was also in episodes of “Gunsmoke,” “Stagecoach West” and the “Zane Grey Theater.”
The cast also includes Anges Moorhead, later of “Bewitched” fame, as a lady mine owner; Raymond Burr, later of “Perry Mason” fame, as a lawyer who loses everything in Charlie’s saloon; and Burl Ives as a singing hotel clerk.
His title tune, “Where There’s Woman and Gold” is one of the highlights of a slow-moving who-dunit of a Western. It might have come off better if the hero wasn’t someone you’d like to slap across the face a few times for being such a smart aleck.
Raymond Burr as Mark Bristow, the attorney in a tight spot because he’s an unlucky gambler in Station West (1948)
Agnes Moorehead as Mrs. Caslon, the female owner of a rich mine in Station West (1948)
Directed by:
Sidney Lanfield
Cast:
Dick Powell … Haven
Jane Greer … Charlie
Gordon Oliver … Prince
Raymond Burr … Mark Bristrow
Agnes Moorehead … Mrs. Caslon
Guinn Williams … Mick Marion
Tom Powers … Capt. Iles
Steve Brodie … Stellman
Burl Ives … Hotel clerk
Regis Toomey … Goddard
Olin Howland … Cook
John Berkes … Pianist
Michael Steele … Jerry
Dan White … Pete
John Kellogg … Ben
Runtime: 87 min.
Title song: “Where There’s Women and Gold”, sung by Burl Ives
Gordon Oliver as Prince, one of the men watching over Charlie in Station West (1948)
Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams as Mick Marion, about to meet his match in Haven in Station West (1948)
Memorable lines:
Charlie to Haven: “Did you ever love me?”
Haven: “From the first night … Every time I tried to get it out of my brain, I pushed it deeper into my heart.”
John Haven, about Prince: “His eyes follow you around like a couple of flies”
Charlie: “They follow me around to see that strangers don’t annoy me.”
Haven: “Only strangers?”
Charlie: “No one else would be so foolish.”
Charlie: “You like to take chances, don’t you?”
Haven: “If I feel lucky.”
Charlie: “I advise you to try the dice table.”
Haven: “I’d rather get lucky here.”
Charlie, shrugging: “Every man has the right to his own funeral.”
Tom Powers as Capt. Iles, a Union officer with a fort full of gold he can’t risk shipping in Station West (1948)
Regis Toomey as Goddard, a shotgun guard to puts his life at risk riding alongside Haven in Station West (1948)
Haven, being nursed after a fistfight with Charlie’s body guard: “Are you always this sweet to the men who fight over you?”
Charlie: “Only the winners.”
Haven: “I might depend on something besides luck.”
Station manager: “Like what for instance?”
Haven: “Well, the fact that they don’t seem to shoot so straight.”
Station manager: “They don’t need to when they shoot so often.”
Charlie: “I almost had to have you killed. I’d have hated it.”
Haven: “So would I.”
Charlie: “I’d have missed you too much.”
Haven: “And too long.”
Burl Ives as the singing hotel clerk, warning Haven of the trouble he’s likely to face in Station West (1948)
Dick Powell as Haven, trying to avoid as assassin’s bullet by surrounding to a sheriff in Station West (1948)
){kind=link}