James M. Haugh There is a promotional film for "America's last narrow gauge passenger train" that includes scenes on the making of this film. The film is titled "Journey to Yesterday" and does not seem to be listed on the IMDb. Starting in Durango, this film follows the tourist train on it's journey to yesterday. At one point it reaches the location where the "Denver and Rio Grande" movie is being made. It has extensive coverage of the actors at work and especially the "day for night" cinematography being used for some of the movie's night scenes. It also shows the preparation work for the filming of the train collision right up to the collision itself. During the 1990's this film was available on video tape but a recent (2009) check of Amazon.com indicates that this tape is no longer available.

bkoganbing The Denver and the Rio Grande is purportedly the story of the construction of that line financed by Dean Jagger, designed by J. Carrol Naish and constructed by Edmond O'Brien. They meet some stiff opposition from the the bad railroad where Sterling Hayden and Lyle Bettger run things.With some elements taken from films like Union Pacific and Saratoga Trunk, Denver and the Rio Grande is entertaining, but not consistently. Part of the plot is where the baddies convince Edmond O'Brien he killed Don Haggerty. They do a weak job of it in my opinion. Unfortunately that weakness leads to some rather silly motivation on the part of other characters.What is nice is the good Rocky Mountain location photography and two very good performances by Zasu Pitts and Paul Fix in sidekick roles. They have a very cute romance going and at times they're better than the leads.

bsmith5552 "Denver & Rio Grande" is probably best remembered for its spectacular head on crash of two vintage trains. Reportedly, two actual trains were used in the sequence. I don't think there were any re-takes. The plot is the old one about the two competing railroads trying to outdo the other by nook or by crook. Edmond O'Brien (it's about THAT hat) is the trouble shooter for the Denver & Rio Grande. Dean Jagger is the head man and J. Carroll Naish the designing engineer. Laura Elliott is the love interest who thinks that O'Brien shot her brother (Don Haggerty), but of course he didn't. Because of her belief she has been feeding critical information to baddies Sterling Hayden and Lyle Bettger. It all leads to the final showdown featuring the above-mentioned crash and Elliott finding out who the real killer was. Zasu Pitts and Paul Fix (as the stereo-typical Irish engineer) provide the comedy relief. "Denver & Rio Grande" is full of spectacular scenery and railroad shots that will satisfy the most avid train lover. And there's the crash. A better than average 50's western.

Marta Pretty standard 50's action-western with a railroading theme. Edmund O'Brien's team of men are trying to build a rail line through the mountains, and dirty-dealing Sterling Hayden's men are trying to build their line first by sabotaging the other group. Lots of trains and mountain scenery, and not much else.Landslides, robberies and shootings abound, but despite the action the poor actors can't do much with the dead-end script. Dean Jagger is always good, and Paul Fix and Zasu Pitts are the comic relief as the broadly Irish train engineer and the camp cook who keeps trying to get Fix to propose to her. If you like trains and beautiful scenery, this is a decent movie.