SPRINGFIELD RIFLE
DIRECTED BY ANDRE DE TOTH
PRODUCED BY LOUIS F. FELDMAN
WARNER BROS. PICTURES
Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas
Information from IMDb
Plot Summary
Major Lex Kearney, dishonorably discharged from the army for cowardice
in battle, has actually volunteered to go undercover to try
to prevent raids against shipments of horses desperately needed
for the Union war effort. Falling in with the gang of jayhawkers
and Confederate soldiers who have been conducting the raids,
he gradually gains their trust and is put in a position
where he can discover who has been giving them secret information
revealing the routes of the horse shipments.
Written by Doug Sederberg
Full Cast
Gary Cooper ... Maj. Alex 'Lex' Kearney
Phyllis Thaxter ... Erin Kearney
David Brian ... Austin McCool, Raider Leader
Paul Kelly ... Lt. Col John Hudson (Ft. Hedley CO)
Lon Chaney Jr. ... Pete Elm, Leader of Non-military Raiders (as Lon Chaney)
Philip Carey ... Capt. Edward Tennick
James Millican ... Det. Matthew Quint
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams ... Sgt. Snow (as Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams)
Alan Hale Jr. ... Mizzell
Martin Milner ... Pvt. Olie Larsen
Wilton Graff ... Col. George Sharpe
Holly Bane ... Red (uncredited)
Vince Barnett ... Cook (uncredited)
Ray Bennett ... Commissioner (uncredited)
James Brown ... Pvt. Ferguson (uncredited)
Michael Chapin ... Jamie Kearney (uncredited)
Ben Corbett ... Sergeant Major (uncredited)
George Eldredge ... Judge Advocate (uncredited)
William Fawcett ... Cpl. Ramsey (uncredited)
Kit Guard ... Barfly (uncredited)
Richard Hale ... Gen. Halleck (uncredited)
Poodles Hanneford ... Cpl. Hamel (uncredited)
Eric Hoeg ... Southerner (uncredited)
Richard Lightner ... Lt. Johnson (uncredited)
Rory Mallinson ... Barfly (uncredited)
Ewing Mitchell ... Capt. Spencer (Confederate horse buyer) (uncredited)
Jack Mower ... Guard (uncredited)
Jerry O'Sullivan ... Lt. Evans (uncredited)
Fess Parker ... Jim Randolph (uncredited)
Ric Roman ... Guard (uncredited)
George Ross ... Riley (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford ... Barfly (uncredited)
Paula Sowl ... Woman (uncredited)
Jack Tornek ... Soldier (uncredited)
Jack Woody ... Sims, Raider (uncredited)
Nedrick Young ... Sgt. Poole (uncredited)
Writing Credits
Charles Marquis Warren (screenplay) and
Frank Davis (screenplay)
Sloan Nibley (story)
Original Music
Max Steiner
Cinematography
Edwin B. DuPar
Goofs
Anachronisms
Film is set during the Civil War which took place in 1861-1865,
yet one of the characters is seen to be using what appears to be a model 1873 Colt Army revolver.
The Trapdoor Springfield rifle featured in this movie was issued in 1873.
Its immediate breechloading predecessor in the military was not produced until after the Civil War.
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When Kearney and the troopers ride out of town in the wagon with the Springfield rifles,
at one point the edge of a road can be seen in the lower left of the screen.
Continuity
When Captain Tennick is trying to line up a shot at the leader of the horse raiders,
his kerchief changes from a bright red plaid color to that of an off-white, then back and forth several times.
During the battle between the army (driving herd of horses) and the rebels,
Pete Elm's face is dirty/clean/dirty between shots.
When Kearney is pursuing Hudson through the rocks, at one point he places his hat
on his gun and pushes it forward. The sunlight and shadows vary between shots in this scene,
with Kearney and the hat sometimes in full sun, sometimes in full shadow.
When attempting to drive out the horse thieves by burning them out,
the wagon section that Kearney drove is twice pushed over the edge in flames.
Factual errors
At the beginning, General Halleck is wearing a crimson sash. As a General,
he should be wearing a cream-colored sash.
Revealing mistakes
In the shot immediately after Col. Hudson's bandits surrender,
a piece of debris stuck on the camera lens is visible at the bottom of the screen.
At the start of the movie, when the Major has his shirt painted yellow, it's clear that the brush
did not go all the way down to his trousers, however, when he was escorted out,
you can see that it's now all the way down to his trousers.
Filming Locations
Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA
Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California, USA
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