Whispering Smith (1948)

Director:

Leslie Fenton

Writers:

Frank Butler (writer)
Karl Kamb (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

9 December 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Smith as an iron-willed railroad detective. When his friend Murray is fired from the railraod and begins helping Rebstock wreck trains...

Plot Keywords:

Outlaw Gang | Robbery | Sabotage | Railroad Detective | Romantic Rivalry

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Alan Ladd	...	Luke '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
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Bill Baggs
Will Wright	...	Sheriff McSwiggin
Don Barclay	...	Dr. Sawbuck
Eddy Waller	...	Conductor (as Eddy C. Waller)
Ashley Cowan	...	Train Brakeman
Jimmie Dundee	...	Karg
Ray Teal	...	Seagrue
Bob Kortman	...	Gabby Barton
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Irving Bacon	...	Telegrapher
Edgar Dearing	...	Engineer (scenes deleted)
Eric Alden	...	Railroad man (uncredited)
George Barton	...	Railroad Man (uncredited)
Hank Bell	...	Posse member (uncredited)
George Bruggeman	...	Railroad Man (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns	...	Baggage car guard (uncredited)
Ann Cameron	...	Girl on Street (uncredited)
James Davies	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Mike Donovan	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Clint Dorrington	...	Railroad Man (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Woody, Train Brakeman (uncredited)
Tom Fadden	...	Telegrapher at Coyete Creek (uncredited)
Budd Fine	...	Wrecking crew member (uncredited)
Terry Frost	...	Wrecking crew member (uncredited)
Gary Gray	...	Bobby, Baggs' Grandson (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Frank, Wrecking crew member (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins	...	Snake oil spieler (uncredited)
Perry Ivins	...	McGuinness (uncredited)
Roberta Jonay	...	Girl (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Train Engineer (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Wrecking crew member (uncredited)
Pat Lane	...	Member of Rebstock Gang (uncredited)
Don Lynch	...	Wrecking crew member (uncredited)
Broderick O'Farrell	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Ed Randolph	...	Wrecking crew member (uncredited)
Robert St. Angelo	...	Railroad Man (uncredited)
Hank Worden	...	Murray's Ranchhand (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	...	Railroad Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Leslie Fenton

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Frank Butler		writer
Karl Kamb		writer
Frank H. Spearman		novel

Produced by
Mel Epstein	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Adolph Deutsch

Cinematography by
Ray Rennahan

Film Editing by
Archie Marshek

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier
Walter H. Tyler		(as Walter Tyler)

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Bertram C. Granger		(as Bertram Granger)

Costume Design by
Mary Kay Dodson

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor
Nellie Manley	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
William Mull	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Francisco Day	....	assistant director

Art Department
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
John Cope	....	sound recordist
Gene Merritt	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Gordon Jennings	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Jimmie Dundee	....	stunts (uncredited)
Pat Lane	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Farciot Edouart	....	process photographer
Guy Bennett	....	camera operator (uncredited)
G.E. Richardson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Darrell Turnmire	....	grip (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Brower	....	associate color director
Natalie Kalmus	....	color director
Lupe Hall	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The rail-head town site was constructed on the Paramount lot adjacent to the neighboring RKO studio. It became the basis for what would go on to become Paramount's famous western town set as seen in TV's "Bonanza" and numerous other TV shows and movies. Prior to 1948, Paramount didn't have a western set on its studio lot. A short line of track was laid down that allowed a working period locomotive to pull into town.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

Murray Sinclair: Barney heard you'd been shot up. He asked after ya.
Bill Dansing: Yeah, he seemed mighty disappointed when he heard you wasn't buried yet.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Laramie

Whispering Past the Railroad

Colorful, but dull, tale of two friends "working on the railroad." Alan Ladd plays the friend who falls a little more to the good side of the tracks -- and Robert Preston plays the friend who bends over more on the wrong side of the tracks. Of course, there is a Woman between them… she married one, but longs for the other -- or maybe she loved/loves them both? The sets and photography are lovely. There is a big railroad and train running through town, which means robbers, and a lot of shooting, are obligatory. I guess the ending could be interpreted as a little open-ended, but I think Mr. Preston decides whether Mr. Ladd lives -- or dies.