Rock Island Trail
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Joseph Kane
Forrest Tucker
Adele Mara
Adrian Booth
Bruce Cabot
Chill Wills
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
While riding onboard a stagecoach in Illinois, two young women, Constance Strong and Annabelle Marsh, discuss an upcoming race in which a stage line, a steamboat line and a rail line will compete for a lucrative mail contract. When they arrive at their destination, the town of Rock Island, Constance and Annabelle are greeted by Reed Loomis, chief engineer for the Chicago and Rock Island Rail Lines. Although Constance is engaged to the owner of the steamboat line, Kirby Morrow, she agrees to meet Reed for a walk in the moonlight. Later, Reed's mechanic reports that two of Morrow's men tried to bribe him to sabotage the train's engine so that they would lose the race. Reed then rushes to Morrow's estate, where a party is in progress, and accuses him of attempted bribery. Eager to protect his reputation, Morrow challenges Reed to a duel, and when one of Morrow's guests reminds them that dueling is illegal in Illinois, Morrow invites Reed to take one of his boats up the Mississippi River to a state where dueling is still legal. Once they arrive, Reed and Morrow decide to enjoy a drink at the saloon. Morrow then asks Reed to select a weapon for the duel, and he grabs a couple of mops from a nearby bucket. They begin slapping each other with the wet mops, but are forced to declare a draw when their weapons are reduced to splintered mop handles. They return home, and early the next day, the race begins. The rail line wins by a wide margin, after which Constance's father David hosts a party at his estate. At the party, Constance first breaks her engagement to Morrow and then hints to Reed that she intends to marry him someday. Although he appears to be in love with her, Reed responds teasingly, saying that he would never marry a wealthy woman because they henpeck their husbands. Later, onboard a train traveling to the end of the track, where workers are continuously laying new track, Constance meets a passenger named Aleeta. The elegant, French-educated Aleeta explains that she is the granddaughter of the Indian peacemaker Keokuk. When the train arrives at "end-of-track," Aleeta, who has changed into her native dress, is escorted home by a band of Indian braves. Later, Morrow ignites one of Reed's boats, which is carrying a load of explosives, and sets it drifting toward a nearby bridge, where it explodes. Morrow is convicted of arson, and sometime later, Reed and Aleeta meet in the wilderness. She offers to send her braves to help his workers at end-of-track and then boldly tries to seduce him. Although he rebuffs her advances, Aleeta keeps her promise to send her braves the next morning. Later, Aleeta sees Morrow chasing Reed on horseback and decides to follow them. When Morrow shoots Reed's horse, Aleeta gives him one of her coach horses so that he can escape. Later, Aleeta sees Morrow's men attacking the workers at end-of-track, and after summoning her braves to help them, is fatally shot. Later, with peace and order restored, the smitten Reed capitulates and marries his beloved Constance.
Director
Joseph Kane
Cast
Forrest Tucker
Adele Mara
Adrian Booth
Bruce Cabot
Chill Wills
Barbra Fuller
Grant Withers
Jeff Corey
Roy Barcroft
Pierre Watkin
Valentine Perkins
Jimmy Hunt
Olin Howlin
Sam Flint
John Holland
Kate Drain Lawson
Dick Elliott
Emory Parnell
Billy Wilkerson
Tex Terry
Larry Steers
Billy Mitchell
Clarence Brooks
George Taylor
Frank Jaquet
Dick Curtis
Ralph Moody
Alex Gerry
Charles J. Conrad
Everett Glass
Kathryn Sheldon
Edward Clark
Dick Alexander
William Haade
Steve Darrell
Noble Johnson
Jerry Miley
I. Stanford Jolley
James Flavin
Don Summers
John Compton
Jack Pennick
Sam Flint
Monte Montague
Emil Sitka
George Barton
Norman Rainey
Frank Mcfarland
Charles Morton
Stanley Andrews
Harmon Stevens
Marshall Reed
Emmett Lynn
Crew
Frank Arrigo
R. Dale Butts
T. A. Carman
James Edward Grant
Peggy Gray
William B. Hayes
Howard Lydecker
Theodore Lydecker
Paul Malvern
Bob Mark
Jack Marta
John Mccarthy Jr.
George Milo
Richard Moder
Adele Palmer
Harvey Parry
Arthur Roberts
William Roy
Howard Wilson
Herbert J. Yates
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The following written prologue appears in the onscreen credits: "The period trains and equipment seen in this picture are used by courtesy of the Rock Island Lines and were loaned by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroads, and the Railroad and Locomotive Historical Society, Inc." The opening credits also include a dedication to "the men and women who devoted their lives to developing and perfecting the railroads of our country and to those carrying on that vast public service." According to Hollywood Reporter, this film was made on location in McAllister, OK, where Republic Studios was granted the right to use an abandoned stretch of track belonging to the Rock Island Rail Lines. This same publication reported on April 12, 1950 that a special section of the Rock Island's Golden State Limited would be used to commemorate the film's premiere. Modern sources add Jack Pennick to the cast.
