Wagons West (1952)

Rod Cameron is wagon master Jeff Curtis, hired to escort a band of settlers through Indian country.

He immediately strikes up a liking for young Ben Wilkins and his older daughter Ann (Peggie Castle) and a dislike for wagon boss Cyrus Cook (Frank Ferguson) and his trouble-making nephews, Clay and Gaylord.

But there’s a bigger problem to deal with — someone has been selling rifles to the Indians, putting the wagon train in jeopardy.

The dislike between Clay Cook and Jeff grows, partly because both have their eyes on Ann, partly because of Clay’s hot-headedness.

At one point, he shoots a peaceful Indian just because he’s seen in the vicinity of the wagon train.

Another dispute breaks out wheen the Cooks decide to banish young Arch Lawrence (Noah Beery) from the wagon train because he’s related to a bank robber.

The Cooks voluntarily offer to leave the wagon train, in the heart of Cheyenne country. That odd decision arouses Jeff’s suspicion.

Rod Cameron as Jeff Curtis, wagon train guide hired to get settlers to California safely in Wagons West (1952)

Peggie Castle as Ann Wilkins, a least momentarily unimpressed with Jeff Curtis in Wagons West (1952)

Review:

Predictable, but enjoyable, too, with Cameron at his easy-going best as the no-nonsense wagon guide wise in the ways of the Indians as well as the whites.

The film opens with young Ben Wilkins running away from the wagon train because the leader of the group, Cyrus Cook, wants to ban his pet dog from the trip.

What better tip off could there be that Cook will be the villain of the piece? Cameron’s character solves that problem by adopting the dog as his own.

It’s nice to see Noah Beery is something other than the role of a bad man. Michael Chapin turns in a fine performance as a young boy enamored with Jeff Curtis and not eager to share Curtis’ attention with his sister.

Michael Chapin as Ben Wilkins, the young runaway Jeff Curtis returns to his father and sister in Wagons West (1952)

Noah Beery Jr. as Arch Lawrence, about to buy passage on the wagon train for he and his wife in Wagons West (1952)

Directed by:
Ford Beebe

Cast:
Rod Cameron … Jeff Curtis
Noah Beery Jr. … Arch Lawrence
Peggie Castle … Ann Wilkins
Michael Chapin … Ben Wilkins
Henry Brandon … Clay Cook
Sara Haden … Mrs. Cook
Frank Ferguson … Cyrus Cook
Riley Hill … Gaylord Cook
Anne Kimbell … Alice Lawrence

Runtime: 70 min.

Henry Brandon as Clay Cook as Frank Ferguson as his uncle Cyrus, trouble makers on the wagon train in Wagons West (1952)

Sara Haden as Elizabeth Cook, unaware of what the men in her family are up to in Wagons West (1952)

Memorable lines:

Young Ben Wilkins to his dad, after Ann hops aboard Jeff’s horse for a ride down a not-so-treacherous hill: “Ah, dad, back home she used to climb rocks like a mountain goat.”

Ben Wilkins as Jeff Curtis is smitten by his pretty sister’s charms: “Some roughneck.”

Ann Wilkins, after Jeff Curtis has given a pregnant woman a ride down a hill on his horse: “You’re quite gallant today, aren’t you, Mr. Curtis?”
Jeff Curtis: “Always am on Fridays. Have some left over if you care to use it.”

Wagon master Jeff Curtis (Rod Cameron) checking on Arch Lawrence (Noah Beery Jr.) and his pregnant wife (Anne Kimbell) in Wagons West (1952)

John Parrish as Chief Black Kettle, demanding the rifles his tribe was promised in Wagons West (1952)

Michael Chapin as Ben Wilkins and Wheaton Chambers as his father Sam, watching Ann ride down a hillside with Jeff Curtis in Wagons West (1952)

Rod Cameron as Jeff Curtis, expecting a kiss from Ann Wilkins in return for a safe ride down a hillside in Wagons West (1952)