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{{Short description|1952 film}}
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{{Infobox Film
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2021}}
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{{Infobox film
| name = Springfield Rifle
| name = Springfield Rifle
| image = Poster of the movie Springfield Rifle.jpg
| image = Poster of the movie Springfield Rifle.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| caption =
| director = [[Andre de Toth]]
| director = [[André de Toth]]
| producer = Louis F. Edelman
| producer = Louis F. Edelman
| writer = Frank Davis<br> [[Sloan Nibley]] (story)
| writer = Frank Davis<br>[[Sloan Nibley]] (story)
| starring = [[Gary Cooper]]
| starring = [[Gary Cooper]]
| music = [[Max Steiner]]
| music = [[Max Steiner]]
| cinematography = Edwin B. DuPar
| cinematography = [[Edwin B. DuPar]]
| editing = Robert L. Swanson
| editing = Robert L. Swanson
| color_process = WarnerColor
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| distributor = [[Warner Bros. Pictures]]
| studio = Warner Bros.
| released = [[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|22px|North America]] October 22, 1952 (New York City)<br>[[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|22px|North America]] October 25, 1953<br>[[Image:Flag of Finland.svg|22px|Europe]] August 21, 1953<br>[[Image:Flag of Norway.svg|22px|Europe]] September 10, 1953<br>[[Image:Flag of Sweden.svg|22px|Europe]] September 21, 1953<br>[[Image:Flag of Austria.svg|22px|Europe]] October 1953<br>[[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|22px|Europe]] October 1, 1953<br>[[Image:Flag of France.svg|22px|Europe]] November 6, 1953
⚫
| distributor = [[Warner Bros.]]
| released = {{Film date|1952|10|25|}}
| runtime = 93 minutes
| runtime = 93 minutes
| country = {{USA}}
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
⚫
| gross = $4.9 million (US rentals)<ref>'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', ''Variety'', January 13, 1954 and 'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', ''Variety'', January 7, 1953</ref>
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| budget =
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| gross = $2.5 million (US)<ref>'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', ''Variety'', January 13, 1954</ref>
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
}}
'''''Springfield Rifle''''' is an American [[Western (genre)|Western]] film directed by [[Andre de Toth]] and released by [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] in 1952.<ref name="Lev2006">{{cite book|author=Peter Lev|title=The Fifties: Transforming the Screen 1950-1959|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TEGl2Ele_XoC&pg=PA113|access-date=April 24, 2013|year=2006|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-24966-0|page=113}}</ref> The film is set during the [[American Civil War]] and stars [[Gary Cooper]], with [[Phyllis Thaxter]] and [[Lon Chaney Jr.]]


It is described as "essentially an espionage thriller that pits a Union intelligence officer (Gary Cooper) against a Confederate spy ring."<ref name="LoukidesFuller1993">{{cite book|last1=Loukides|first1=Paul|last2=Fuller|first2=Linda K.|title=Beyond the Stars III: The Material World in American Popular Film|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sSPILzc9rkcC&pg=PA167|access-date=April 24, 2013|year=1993|publisher=Popular Press|isbn=978-0-87972-623-2|page=167}}</ref>
'''''Springfield Rifle''''' is a [[western film]], directed by [[André de Toth]] and released by [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] in [[1952 in film|1952]]. The film is set during the [[American Civil War]] and stars [[Gary Cooper]] in the lead role as Major Alex Kearney. [[Phyllis Thaxter]] played the lead female role as Erin Kearney. The film also starred [[Lon Chaney Jr.]].


==Reference==
==Plot==
A Confederate spy has been informing [[Horse theft|rustlers]] about the timing and route of horse herds being driven by the Union Army, enabling the herds to be seized. Charged with cowardice when he abandons such a herd in the face of greater numbers, Major Lex Kearney is drummed out of the Union Army with a dishonorable discharge. His disgrace is complete, with wife Erin even informing him that their ashamed son has run away. What no one knows is that Kearney has accepted a fake discharge so he can carry out a top-secret assignment to go undercover to find the rustlers and the spy who has been giving them the information. A shipment of the new rapid loading Springfield rifles arrives, providing an opportunity.

==Cast<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045184/fullcredits?mode=desktop&ref_=m_ft_dsk|title=Springfield Rifle (1952) - IMDb|website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>==
* [[Gary Cooper]] as Major Alex 'Lex' Kearney
* [[Phyllis Thaxter]] as Erin Kearney
* [[David Brian]] as Austin McCool
* [[Paul Kelly (actor)|Paul Kelly]] as Lt. Col. John Hudson
* [[Philip Carey]] as Capt. Tennick
* [[Lon Chaney Jr.]] as Pete Elm
* [[James Millican]] as Matthew Quint
* [[Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams]] as Sgt. Snow
* [[Alan Hale Jr.]] as Mizzell
* [[Martin Milner]] as Pvt. Olie Larsen
* [[Wilton Graff]] as Col. George SharpeRest
* [[Fess Parker]] (uncredited) as Confederate Sergeant Jim Randolph

==Reception==
The film was not well received by critics. Jeffrey Meyers noted that Cooper's career went down hill in the early 1950s, until ''[[High Noon]]'' opened in 1952, and labelled ''Springfield Rifle'' a "mediocre" western.<ref name="Meyers2001">{{cite book|last=Meyers|first=Jeffrey|title=Gary Cooper: American Hero|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SCe8JQfDQlgC&pg=PA253|access-date=April 24, 2013|date=March 1, 2001|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-8154-1140-6|page=253}}</ref>

Rebecca Fish Ewan called the film "confusing" and said that Cooper looked "ever perplexed".<ref name="Ewan2000">{{cite book|last=Ewan|first=Rebecca Fish|title=A Land Between: Owens Valley, California|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nT5pXMZzehMC&pg=PA215|access-date=April 24, 2013|date=November 3, 2000|publisher=JHU Press|isbn=978-0-8018-6461-2|page=215}}</ref>
''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine said "even Cooper can't keep this film from being just another ho-hum Western."<ref name="LLC1986">{{cite journal|title=New York Magazine|journal = Newyorkmetro.com.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1eYCAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA177|access-date=April 24, 2013|date=June 9, 1986|publisher=New York Media, LLC|page=177|issn=0028-7369}}</ref>

However, ''New York Life'' described it as an "exciting military melodrama of espionage and counterespionage in a frontier fort."<ref name="Cue: The Weekly Magazine of New York Life">{{cite book|title=Cue: The Weekly Magazine of New York Life|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8BAwAQAAIAAJ|access-date=April 24, 2013|date=January 1962|publisher=Cue Publishing Company|page=48}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{imdb title|0045184}}
* {{AFI film|50665}}
* {{IMDb title|0045184}}


{{André de Toth}}
{{André de Toth}}


[[Category:1952 films]]
[[Category:1952 films]]
[[Category:1950s Western films]]
[[Category:1952 Western (genre) films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American Western (genre) films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Western (genre) cavalry films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Lone Pine, California]]
[[Category:Films directed by Andre de Toth]]
[[Category:Films scored by Max Steiner]]
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[[Category:American Civil War spy films]]
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[[Category:Films set in 1864]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:English-language Western (genre) films]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. films]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. films]]
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[[Category:American Civil War films]]
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[[Category:Cavalry Western films]]


{{western-film-stub}}

[[fr:La Mission du commandant Lex]]

Latest revision as of 23:55, 22 October 2024

Springfield Rifle
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAndre de Toth
Written byFrank Davis
Sloan Nibley (story)
Produced byLouis F. Edelman
StarringGary Cooper
CinematographyEdwin B. DuPar
Edited byRobert L. Swanson
Music byMax Steiner
Color processWarnerColor
Production
company
Warner Bros.
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • October 25, 1952 (1952-10-25)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$4.9 million (US rentals)[1]

Springfield Rifle is an American Western film directed by Andre de Toth and released by Warner Bros. Pictures in 1952.[2] The film is set during the American Civil War and stars Gary Cooper, with Phyllis Thaxter and Lon Chaney Jr.

It is described as "essentially an espionage thriller that pits a Union intelligence officer (Gary Cooper) against a Confederate spy ring."[3]

Plot

[edit]

A Confederate spy has been informing rustlers about the timing and route of horse herds being driven by the Union Army, enabling the herds to be seized. Charged with cowardice when he abandons such a herd in the face of greater numbers, Major Lex Kearney is drummed out of the Union Army with a dishonorable discharge. His disgrace is complete, with wife Erin even informing him that their ashamed son has run away. What no one knows is that Kearney has accepted a fake discharge so he can carry out a top-secret assignment to go undercover to find the rustlers and the spy who has been giving them the information. A shipment of the new rapid loading Springfield rifles arrives, providing an opportunity.

Cast[4]

[edit]

Reception

[edit]

The film was not well received by critics. Jeffrey Meyers noted that Cooper's career went down hill in the early 1950s, until High Noon opened in 1952, and labelled Springfield Rifle a "mediocre" western.[5]

Rebecca Fish Ewan called the film "confusing" and said that Cooper looked "ever perplexed".[6] New York magazine said "even Cooper can't keep this film from being just another ho-hum Western."[7]

However, New York Life described it as an "exciting military melodrama of espionage and counterespionage in a frontier fort."[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954 and 'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', Variety, January 7, 1953
  2. ^ Peter Lev (2006). The Fifties: Transforming the Screen 1950-1959. University of California Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-520-24966-0. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  3. ^ Loukides, Paul; Fuller, Linda K. (1993). Beyond the Stars III: The Material World in American Popular Film. Popular Press. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-87972-623-2. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  4. ^ "Springfield Rifle (1952) - IMDb". IMDb.
  5. ^ Meyers, Jeffrey (March 1, 2001). Gary Cooper: American Hero. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-8154-1140-6. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  6. ^ Ewan, Rebecca Fish (November 3, 2000). A Land Between: Owens Valley, California. JHU Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-8018-6461-2. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  7. ^ "New York Magazine". Newyorkmetro.com. New York Media, LLC: 177. June 9, 1986. ISSN 0028-7369. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  8. ^ Cue: The Weekly Magazine of New York Life. Cue Publishing Company. January 1962. p. 48. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
[edit]
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