Winchester '73 (1950)

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Robert L. Richards (screenplay) &
Borden Chase (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 July 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

The journey of a prized rifle from one ill-fated owner to another parallels a cowboy's search for a murderous fugitive.

Plot Keywords:

Rifle | Winchester Rifle | Shooting | Contest | Search

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Stewart	...	Lin McAdam
Shelley Winters	...	Lola Manners
Dan Duryea	...	Waco Johnnie Dean
Stephen McNally	...	Dutch Henry Brown
Millard Mitchell	...	High Spade Frankie Wilson
Charles Drake	...	Steve Miller
John McIntire	...	Joe Lamont
Will Geer	...	Wyatt Earp
Jay C. Flippen	...	Sgt. Wilkes
Rock Hudson	...	Young Bull
John Alexander	...	Jack Riker
Steve Brodie	...	Wesley
James Millican	...	Wheeler
Abner Biberman	...	Latigo Means
Tony Curtis	...	Doan (as Anthony Curtis)
James Best	...	Crater
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor Adamson	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Robert Anderson	...	Basset (uncredited)
Mel Archer	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Ray Bennett	...	Charles Bender (uncredited)
Frank Chase	...	Cavalryman (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb	...	Target Watcher (uncredited)
Frank Conlan	...	Contest Clerk in Saloon (uncredited)
Tex Cooper	...	Shooting Contestant (uncredited)
Victor Cox	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Jack Curtis	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Steve Darrell	...	Bat Masterson (uncredited)
John Doucette	...	Roan Daley (uncredited)
Bonnie Kay Eddy	...	Bonnie Jameson (uncredited)
Bill Gillis	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Chick Hannon	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Jimmy Hawkins	...	Boy at Store Window (uncredited)
Timmy Hawkins	...	Boy at Rifle Shoot (uncredited)
Carol Henry	...	Dudeen (uncredited)
Gary Jackson	...	Gary Jameson (uncredited)
Jack Kenny	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Norman Kent	...	Buffalo Hunter (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Stationmaster (uncredited)
Ted Mapes	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Gregg Martell	...	Mossman - Cavalryman (uncredited)
Bill McKenzie	...	Boy at Rifle Shoot (uncredited)
Jennings Miles	...	Stagecoach Driver (uncredited)
Virginia Mullen	...	Mrs. Jameson (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Norman Ollestad	...	Stable Boy (uncredited)
Larry Olsen	...	Boy at Rifle Shoot (uncredited)
Bud Osborne	...	Man (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	...	Long Tom (uncredited)
Forrest Taylor	...	Target Clerk (voice) (uncredited)
Tony Taylor	...	Boy (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Marshall Noonan (uncredited)
Jack Tornek	...	Townsman (uncredited)
John War Eagle	...	Indian Interpreter (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson	...	Virgil Earp (uncredited)
Duke York	...	Man #1 (uncredited)
Chief Yowlachie	...	Indian at Rifle Shoot (uncredited)

Directed by
Anthony Mann

Writing credits
Robert L. Richards		(screenplay) &
Borden Chase		(screenplay)
Stuart N. Lake		(story)

Produced by
Aaron Rosenberg	....	producer

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(director of photography) (as William Daniels)

Film Editing by
Edward Curtiss

Art Direction by
Bernard Herzbrun
Nathan Juran

Set Decoration by
A. Roland Fields
Russell A. Gausman

Costume Design by
Yvonne Wood		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist
Jack Kevan	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Merle Reeves	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Dewey Starkey	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jesse Hibbs	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Richard DeWeese	....	sound (as Richard De Weese)

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Polly Burson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carol Henry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Mapes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Slim Talbot	....	stunts (uncredited)
Duke York	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sherman Clark	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ben Hawkins	....	grip (uncredited)
Lloyd Hill	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Bill Johnson	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	musical director
Daniele Amfitheatrof	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Charles Previn	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Milton Rosen	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Hans J. Salter	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Paul Sawtell	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Walter Scharf	....	composer: title music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Leith Stevens	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Connie Clark	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI) (presents) (as Universal - International)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures Canada (1950) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1951) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Väinän Filmi (1951) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (VHS) (reissue)
• MCA Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Norway:16 | West Germany:12 (nf) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:G | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #14546) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Mescal, Arizona, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

The filmmakers did not have the budget to pay James Stewart his requested fee of $200,000, so he suggested they take the then-unusual step of paying him a cut of the profits instead. This deal, the first of its kind since the advent of talkies, would soon become the norm and change the studio-agent-actor relationship, leading to the demise of the long-term contract and the studio system. Stewart is believed to have made around $600,000 from this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lin and High Spade leave Rikers, they are supposed to be riding at night. However, when they are fleeing the pursuing braves, the sun is clearly visible behind the ridge they ride along.

Quotes:

Joe Lamont:Indian smoke always means the same thing... trouble.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)

One Of The Better Westerns Of That Era

I was very impressed with this film. I would have to rate it as one of the better classic-era westerns. I say that for the whole thing: the acting, mature dialog, no- nonsense story and excellent cinematography.

Director Anthony Mann, who did several well-photographed film noirs around this same era, also made some westerns such as this one. It has that same film-noir look. Mann and Jimmy Stewart collaborated on several westerns during this period. . If you like this movie, I recommend the Mann-Stewart film "Bend Of The River."

In a nutshell, the story is about a man, "Lin McAdam," (Stewart) who owns this prestigious Winchester 73 rifle, a weapon he won fair-and-square in a contest. It is then stolen and passed on from villain to villain. All of those villains are interesting characters.

Aiding Stewart act out this interesting tale are Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Millard Mitchell, Charles Drake, Will Greer and J. C. Flippen. All of them are fun to watch. It was a bit of a stretch, however, to see Rock Hudson playing an Indian ("Young Bull"), but you can't have everything.