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Customer Reviews of Whispering Smith

Good railroad western has a top cast
One of Alan Ladd's first starring films is this good detective western as the title character who is a railroad investigator assigned to solve the mystery of a rash of train robberies. Luke "Whispering" Smith meets up with old friend Murray Sinclaire [Robert Preston], a railroad employee whose fine ranch and well-to-do lifestyle are not in accord with his workman's salary. Railroad executive George McCloud [John Eldredge] suspects Sinclaire of wrong-doing but can't prove anything until Sinclaire is caught red-handed looting a wrecked train, and is terminated from the railroad on the spot. Sinclaire is now free to rob and plunder trains as part of a gang led by mastermind Barney Rebstock [Donald Crisp]. With Smith closing in on Sinclaire, the two erstwhile friends square off in a showdown at Sinclaire's ranch in the last reel. There is a romantic triangle of sorts involving Smith, Sinclaire and his wife, Marian. Brenda Marshall has a touching, feminine role as Sinclaire's unhappy wife who was Smith's sweetheart at one time and still carries a torch for him. Ray Rennehan's camera and Adolph Deutsch's music top off a first-rate production.

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ONE OF THE BEST RAILROAD WESTERNS
Not just a western, but this is one of the better RAILROAD westerns--there's a lot of us train nuts out here. This film shows a vanished way of life on the American railroad that held true for over 100 years. The power of the railroad, the comradory, wreck trains, roundhouses, etc.

Not only that, but for a 1948 release it's also in COLOR--jeesh not even 1976's SILVER STREAK is out on DVD!!!

You get to see all those 4-4-0 Americans seen in Cecil B.'s UNION PACIFIC--only in COLOR and, get this, Robert Preston is the heavy in this film just as he was in UP!!! Ooh he's a mean one here too.

A good price, hopefully an equally good scan (the scan on Jimmy Stewart's NIGHT PASSAGE was a bit dark; in any even you CAN'T go wrong here!!!

Now if they'll only release DENVER & RIO GRANDE over at Paramount!!!

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Alan Ladd's WHISPERING SMITH at last!
Although I write this "review" weeks in advance of the release on DVD of "Whispering Smith," there is, I think, the need to acknowledge this significant release before the event. Certainly after his magnificent "Shane" Alan Ladd's "Whispering Smith" deserves greater familiarity and exposure. It's a superb western, with some excellent acting, good production values, and well worth viewing. I am unaware that it ever showed up on VHS; but now that Universal intends to release it on DVD, moviegoers and western fans can enjoy it in their homes. Thanks, again, to Universal for this release.