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Crappy film

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

When "Carson City" begins, a stagecoach is being robbed. However, oddly, these bandits have class and treat their 'guests' to a nice picnic lunch complete with champagne! Not surprisingly, they're dubbed the Champagne Bandits and the mine owner whose gold was stolen is furious. He proposes to build a railroad and avoid all this banditry. To help him get the job done, he brings in an engineer/troubleshooter, Jeff Kincaid (Randolph Scott). However, the new railroad is opposed by two forces--the local newspaper that's afraid it will usher in thugs and the guy who is secretly behind all the robberies. Can Jeff manage to get the job done-- especially when the baddies seem willing to do ANYTHING to stop them?This is generally a well made and enjoyable film--which isn't surprising since Scott stars in it. He seemed to always make even the most ordinary material better and this movie is no exception. The complaints I have are relatively minor (such as how dumb Zeke is when he learns who's behind the robberies--way to do Zeke!) and the film is solid and entertaining.By the way, the pretty lady starring in the film is NOT Virginia Mayo but a near lookalike, Lucille Norman.

Randolph Scott made a lot of westerns, and I guess they can't all be good. This one was more talk than action and had more plot than it needed, but if you are a fan, like I am, Randy can do no wrong. Except maybe pick the wrong movies.This one is pretty formulaic and breaks no new ground for westerns. That being the case there is really no compelling reason to see it. Add on the fact that there is precious little action, save for a couple of fistfights, and you have a disappointing picture worth only a five rating. Raymond Massey was a very good bad guy and Lucille Norman was average as the love interest. Director Andre DeToth must have phoned this one in and as I recall this one was on the bottom of a double feature. It must have been better when I was 11, and that's the only excuse I can give you for watching "Carson City" now, as a grown-up.

Randolph Scott is 1 of 4 or 5 icons of the Western genre (along with Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, possibly Henry Fonda and...?...), and he is always worth the time it takes to watch one of his films. They're not always great, but they are the quintessence of the genre, and his granite-jawed charisma always works.This is one of the better films in the Railway Construction sub-genre. The plot device of the "champagne bandits" is a little comical, but not enough to undermine the film. Raymond Massey, an under-appreciated and versatile actor, delivers a nicely nuanced performance and devises a very good railroad heist. Both his performance and his scheme are well worth your time. It is definitely one of the cleverest railroad robbery schemes ever conceived in a Western, and it is filmed in a way that clearly depicts the various elements of the plan.Of course, Randy wins the day and he also ends up with the girl. However, it is definitely more of a case of her getting him, than Randy getting the girl.

This film is a good Saturday afternoon western. Randolph Scott attempts to build a railroad between Carson City, and Virginia City. He must battle with an assortment of evil men, his own workers, and his step brother. I give this western an 8 out of 10 for its story, and its action.