Whispering Smith

Whispering Smith is a Technicolor Western film directed by Leslie Fenton and starring Alan Ladd as a railroad detective assigned to stop a gang of train robbers. The supporting cast includes Robert Preston and Brenda Marshall.

For the TV series, see Whispering Smith (TV series). For the blues musician, see Moses "Whispering" Smith.
Whispering Smith
Directed byLeslie Fenton
Produced bySidney Biddell
Written byFrank Butler
Karl Kamb
Based onnovel by Frank H. Spearman
StarringAlan Ladd
Robert Preston
Brenda Marshall
Music byAdolph Deutsch
CinematographyRay Rennahan
Edited byArchie Marshek
Production
company
Paramount Pictures
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • December 9, 1948 (1948-12-09)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million[1]
Box office$2.8 million (US)[2]

The picture is based on a novel by Frank H. Spearman and a previous 1926 film adaptation starring H. B. Warner.

Plot

The bad Barton boys—Blake, Leroy, and Gabby—rob a train and shoot a guard. Luke Smith, known as "Whispering" to some for his quiet ways, is a detective for the railroad sent to investigate.

Murray Sinclair, an old friend of Smith's, is in charge of the railroad's wrecking crew. He's glad to see Smith, who shoots Leroy and Gabby and is saved when a bullet is deflected by a harmonica in his pocket, given him long ago by his sweetheart Marian, who is now Sinclair's wife.

It saddens Smith to find out that Sinclair might be in cahoots with Barney Rebstock, a rancher with a bad reputation. Rebstock has been hiding the remaining Barton brother, Blake, who is tracked down by Smith.

Whitey DuSang is a hired gun for Rebstock, who wants to see Smith dead. When the railroad's boss gives Sinclair an order, Sinclair rebels and is fired. Rebstock hires him to pull off a string of daring train holdups.

Smith forms a posse. Whitey kills a guard and betrays Rebstock, shooting him. Sinclair is wounded. Smith does away with Whitey but gives his old friend Sinclair a last chance. When Sinclair rides home, he finds Marian packing and strikes her, accusing her of leaving him for Smith.

Smith shows up and Sinclair apologises for his actions. He seems sincere, but when Smith's back is turned, Sinclair pulls a hidden gun. Before he can fire, Sinclair falls over and dies. Smith leaves town, his work there done.

Cast

Production

The film was announced in early 1947 as a vehicle for Alan Ladd.[3] It was Ladd's first Western and his first movie in colour.[4][5]

The script made a number of changes to the original novel including changing the double love story to one.[6]

Brenda Marshall was given her first screen role in four years. Filming began on 14 April 1947.[7]

The role of Whispering Smith was partly based on Jake Lefors. The part of Murray Sinclair, Smith's friend who turns to crime, was supposedly inspired by Butch Cassidy.[8]

The filmmakers built a Western town on five acres of the backlot at a cost of $70,000.[9][10] It included 2000 feet of railroad track on which authentic 1870 locomotives owned by Paramount were operated. The trains were converted from their original wood-burning fuel system to oil. The set was later re-used in many later TV shows and films, including Bonanza.[8]

Reception

The film was not released until 1949, by which time Paramount had made and released another Ladd film, Beyond Glory.

The film was popular with audiences. According to Variety it was the 20th-most popular film in the US and Canada in 1949.[11] It was also one of the most watched films of the year in Britain.[12]

Possible follow up

Sol Lesser, who had rights to ten Whispering Smith stories, wanted to film some of them with Robert Mitchum.[13] These films were not made. However, Audie Murphy later starred in a Whispering Smith TV series.

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gollark: They were on my list of possibilities, but alas.
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References
  1. Variety 18 February 1948 p7
  2. "Top Grossers of 1949". Variety. 4 January 1950. p. 59.
  3. Hedda Hopper (Jan 25, 1947). "DRAMA AND FILM". Los Angeles Times. p. A5.
  4. Schallert, Edwin (Feb 7, 1947). "DRAMA AND FILM: Ladd Gains Coveted Role in Color Western". Los Angeles Times. p. 9.
  5. THOMAS F. BRADY (Feb 7, 1947). "PARAMOUNT TO DO 'WHISPERING SMITH': Studio Will Remake Western Story by Frank H. Spearman, With Alan Ladd in Lead". New York Times. p. 29.
  6. "Whispering Smith in TV & Film | Frank H. Spearman". Frankhspearman.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  7. THOMAS F. BRADY (Apr 5, 1947). "BRENDA MARSHALL SIGNS FOR WESTERN: Returns to Screen, After Four Years, in Paramount Remake of 'Whispering Smith'". New York Times. p. 13.
  8. "Whispering Smith". Tcm.com. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  9. Frank Daugherty (May 2, 1947). "Western Railroad Film In Prospect for Screen". The Christian Science Monitor. p. 5.
  10. "SCREEN AND STAGE: Old Western Town Built in Hollywood Paramount Spends $70,000 to Locate 'Whispering Smith'". Los Angeles Times. June 15, 1947. p. C3.
  11. Variety 4 January 1950 p 59
  12. Thumim, Janet. "The popular cash and culture in the postwar British cinema industry". Screen. Vol. 32 no. 3. p. 258.
  13. Schallert, Edwin (Mar 17, 1949). "Revue Beckoning Webb; Lesser Planning Series; Rains 'Barricade' Star". Los Angeles Times. p. 23.
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