In this slightly unconventional western which does not always follow the usual stylings and cliches of the western, Woody S. Van Dyke, the biggest director, box-office wise on the MGM lot has created a crowd pleaser and a good one too. To believe, this movie deals with trafficking of slaves as an aberration. The movie is set up north where most of the people are abolitionist. There is even a scene where the townspeople want to hang a white man for killing a black man. I kid you not. Taylor is our poverty-stricken southern man who has lost it all and now has to work for a living. Beery runs a stage coach company on the side that helps slaves escape. But someone is capturing this slaves and reselling them back to the southerners. Taylor, when an ex-slave he sets free gets caught decides to find out who. Also, there is a changing of an era clash as the early unrefined and prototype steam engine is just getting started and wants to buy the stagecoach company and its route to link up its tracks. Taylor works for them. Beery and Taylor clash. So who is capturing and reselling the slaves? Is it Beery? If not, then who? Or is Taylor a spy for the railroad company? If not, what is he up to? Enough said. Two big stars who are charming and likable. A romantic interest. MGM cinematography and scenery. A big hit for the studio.
Review of Stand Up and Fight
