Whispering Smith (1948)

Legendary railroad detective Whispering Smith becomes convinced that old friend and colleague Murray Sinclair has joined a criminal band to loot the railroad.

Director:

Leslie Fenton

Writers:

Frank Butler (screenplay), Karl Kamb (screenplay),

Stars:

Alan Ladd, Robert Preston, Brenda Marshall

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Ladd	...	Whispering Smith
Robert Preston	...	Murray Sinclair
Brenda Marshall	...	Marian Sinclair
Donald Crisp	...	Barney Rebstock
William Demarest	...	Bill Dansing
Fay Holden	...	Emmy Dansing
Murvyn Vye	...	Blake Barton
Frank Faylen	...	Whitey Du Sang
John Eldredge	...	George McCloud
Ward Wood	...	Leroy Barton (as Robert Wood)
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Bill Baggs
Will Wright	...	Sheriff McSwiggin
Don Barclay	...	Dr. Sawbuck
Eddy Waller	...	Conductor (as Eddy C. Waller)
Ashley Cowan	...	Train Brakeman

Storyline

Smith as an iron-willed railroad detective. When his friend Murray is fired from the railroad and begins helping Rebstock wreck trains, Smith must go after him. He also seems to have an interest in Murray's wife (and vice versa).

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Plot Keywords:

railroad detective | psychopathic killer | train | mexican standoff | police detective hero | 

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Vida Por Um Fio

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

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Goofs

Just after 23 minutes into the film, Whispering Smith is given a harmonica, the box of which he drops to the ground, only to have it immediately reappear in his hand.

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Quotes

Luke 'Whispering' Smith: Murray, if they'd be any other way, I'd a played it differently. You know that, don't you?
[Murray tries to talk]
Luke 'Whispering' Smith: The only cards I had wee the ones you dealt me.
[Murray smiles and dies]

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Connections

Referenced in Living Steam: Virginia and Truckee Then and Now at the Nevada State Railroad Museum (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Billy Boy"
(uncredited)
Tradtional folk and children's song first recorded in 1930.
William Demerast plays the tune on a harmonica and is joined in song with Fay Holden and Alan Ladd.

User Reviews

Hello stranger

In "this gun's for hire" ,Robert Preston was Veronika Lake's co-star whereas Alan Ladd was supporting.But when you see that movie today you realize that ,although the credits mention "introducing A.L." ,his part was much more "written" ,more important than that of the lead.

In "whispering Smith" ,the roles are reversed:not only Ladd plays the lead ,but he has also the part of the good guy whereas Preston is supporting and gets the role of the villain.It's a routine western with a derivative screenplay:the umpteenth story of the pretty girl who married the wrong guy and see the other one come back into her life.The talents of the actor ,with many fine supporting performances (particularly Donald Crisp and Fay Holden who sings a duet with Ladd) make the movie watchable though.