Santa Fe Trail (1940)

57% of users liked it
(1,170 ratings)

Santa Fe Trail, Errol Flynn's third western, has precisely nothing to do with the titular trail. Instead, the film is a simplistic retelling of the John Brown legend, with Raymond Massey playing the famed abolitionist. The events leading up to the bloody confrontation between Brown and the US Army… More Santa Fe Trail, Errol Flynn's third western, has precisely nothing to do with the titular trail. Instead, the film is a simplistic retelling of the John Brown legend, with Raymond Massey playing the famed abolitionist. The events leading up to the bloody confrontation between Brown and the US Army at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, are treated in a painstakingly even-handed fashion: Brown's desire to free the slaves is "right" but his methods are "wrong." Whenever the leading characters are asked about their own feelings towards slavery, the response is along the noncommittal lines of "A lot of people are asking those questions," "I don't have the answer to that," and so forth. Before we get to the meat of the story, we are treated to a great deal of byplay between West Point graduates Jeb Stuart (Flynn) and George Armstrong Custer (Ronald Reagan), who carry on a friendly rivalry over the affections of one Kit Carson Halliday (Olivia DeHavilland). Just so we know that the picture is meant to be a follow-up to Warners' Dodge City and Virginia City, Flynn is saddled with Alan Hale and "Big Boy" Williams, his comic sidekicks from those earlier films. Despite its muddled point of view, Santa Fe Trail is often breathtaking entertainment, excitingly staged by director Michael Curtiz. The film's public domain status has made Santa Fe Trail one of the most easily accessible of Errol Flynn's Warner Bros. vehicles. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Michael Curtiz
Written By: Robert Buckner
Genres: Western, Drama, Action & Adventure, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1940 Wide
On DVD: Feb 10, 1999

Critic Reviews

Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Racist and reactionary tripe whose closest relative is "Gone with the Wind".
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Rousing John Brown story is really worth it with Reagan and Flynn.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Revels in its inaccuracies.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Semi fictional account of Bleeding Kansas and the pursuit of John Brown is skilled filmmaking but useless as any kind of historical document. Still for fans of Flynn and the Warner stock company an enjoyable enterprise. Olivia's part is negilible, as far as her films with Errol… More
Semi fictional account of Bleeding Kansas and the pursuit of John Brown is skilled filmmaking but useless as any kind of historical document. Still for fans of Flynn and the Warner stock company an enjoyable enterprise. Olivia's part is negilible, as far as her films with Errol go she's seen to much better advantage in Dodge City.
moon r

along w/ the always magnetic flynn and de havilland pairing, and costarring an unforgettable ex-president, this curious pre-ww2 piece about the pre-civil war (or "the wo-ah between the states!" as granny clampett used to quip) days is curiously and definitively southern in… More
along w/ the always magnetic flynn and de havilland pairing, and costarring an unforgettable ex-president, this curious pre-ww2 piece about the pre-civil war (or "the wo-ah between the states!" as granny clampett used to quip) days is curiously and definitively southern in politics, altho that in no way detracts from the stirring action. max steiner contributes a rousing score, but raymond massey's john brown is the hot engine that drives this car.

Cast

            Errol Flynn as Jeb Stuart

            Olivia de Havilland as Kit Carson Halliday

            Raymond Massey as John Brown

            Ronald Reagan as George Armstrong Custer

            Alan Hale as Tex Bell

            Van Heflin as Rader

            William Lundigan as Bob Holliday

            Ward Bond as Townley

            Gene Reynolds as Jason Brown

            Henry O'Neill as Cyrus Holliday

            Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as Windy Brody

            Alan Baxter as Oliver Brown

            John Litel as Martin

            Moroni Olsen as Robert E. Lee

            David Bruce as Phil Sheridan

            Hobart Cavanaugh as Barber Doyle

            Charles D. Brown as Maj. Sumner

            Joe Sawyer as Kitzmiller

            Frank Wilcox as James Longstreet

            Russell Simpson as Shoubel Morgan

            Charles B. Middleton as Gentry

            Erville Alderson as Jefferson Davis

            Spencer Charters as Conductor

            Suzanne Carnahan as Charlotte

            William Marshall as George Pickett

            George Haywood as John Hood

            Luis Alberni
            
            Arthur Ayleswofth
            
            Roy Barcroft
            
            Trevor Bardette
            
            Al Bridge
            
            Jess Lee Brooks as Doorman

            Georgia Caine as Officer's Wife

            Lucia Carroll
            
            Eddy Chandler
            
            Lane Chandler as Adjutant

            Cliff Clark as Instructor

            Edmund Cobb
            
            Mildred Coles as Girl

            Harry Cording
            
            Joseph Crehan
            
            Rev. Neal Dodd
            
            James Farley
            
            Mildred Gover as Woman

            Mitzi Green
            
            Creighton Hale as Telegraph Operator

            Theresa Harris as Maid

            Edward Hearn as Guard

            Louis Jean Heydt as Farmer

            Russell Hicks as J. Boyce Russell

            William Hopper as Officer

            Selmar Jackson
            
            Victor Kilian as Dispatch Rider

            Wilfred Lucas as Weiner

            Frank Mayo as Bit

            Lafe [Lafayette] McKee as Minister

            Mira McKinney as Woman

            Jack Mower as Surveyor

            Nestor Paiva as Agitator

            Edward Peil Sr.
            
            Susan Peters as Charlotte Davis

            Bernice Pilot
            
            Addison Richards as Sheriff

            Clinton Rosemond
            
            Walter Soderling
            
            Grace Stafford as Farmer's Wife

            Harry Strang as Sergeant

            Libby Taylor
            
            Emmett Vogan as Lieutenant

            Eddy Waller as Man

            Maris Wrixon
            
            Henry Hall as Abolitionist

            Richard Kipling as Army Doctor

            Napoleon Simpson as Samson
See full cast