Agreeable Western packs drama , thrills , go riding , shootouts and some moving action sequences . Highly watchable Western in which a railway detective resolves conflicts and investigates train assaults . As the legendary railroad detective Whispering Smith (Alan Ladd) becomes convinced that old friend and colleague Murray Sinclair (Robert Preston) has united a criminal band to loot the railroad . But Murray is married to a beautiful wife , Marian Sinclair (Brenda Marshall) , who was Smith's old flame . A new Ladd thrills the Old West ! LADD'S In the West...In Two-Gun Technicolor!here is a Ladd you have always dreamed about quiet gentle-like , but the feared man on the wild frontier ¡ Afraid of nothing but the woman who loved him ¡.
This colorful as well as enjoyable picture contains action , thrills , fights , crossfire and results to be entertaining , being a decent oater . Well crafted and sweeping Western with interesting screenplay , brilliant cinematography and breathtaking production design . Finely starred by Alan Ladd who gives a nice acting in one of his first roles as starring . After a string of bit parts in "B" pictures and an unbilled part in Orson Welles' classic Kane Citizen (1941) he tested for This Gun for Hire (1942) late in 1941. His fourth-billed role as psychotic killer Raven made him a star. He was drafted in January 1943 and discharged in November with an ulcer and double hernia. Throughout the 1940s his tough-guy roles packed audiences into theaters and he was one of the very few males whose cover photos sold movie magazines. His career as Western starring starts in this Whispering Smith (1948) , following Branded (1951) as a captain who joins Quantrill's Confederate army , Red Mountain (1951) the historical Jim Bowie in The Iron Mistress (1952) . In the 1950s he was performing in lucrative but unrewarding films , an exception being what many regard as his greatest role, Shane (1953), his tough-guy roles packed audiences into theaters and he was one of the very few males whose cover photos sold movie magazinesm. And other Western roles as a Sergeant of the brave Canadian Mounted Police in Saskatchewan (1954) , as a goverment agent againt Indians in Drum Beat (1954) , as a cattle drive guide in The big land (1957) , a family man in The proud rebel (1958) , and , furthermore , The Badlanders , Timberland , One foot in hell , among others. Ladd is nicely assisted by an awesome support cast , such as : Donald Crisp , William Demarest , Fay Holden, Murvyn Vye , Ray Teal , and Frank Faylen.
Filmed on a scale to rival the never-to-be-forgotten Union Pacific , including portentous cinematography in Technicolor by Ray Rennahan , shot on location in Sierra Railroad, Jamestown,Cornell Road, Agoura, Paramount Ranch, California . As well as rousing and moving musical score by Adolph Deutsch. The motion picture was directed in sure visual eye by Leslie Fenton . He was a good actor and occassionally filmmaker , including some Westerns such as : The Redhead and the Cowboy , Three Texans ,The Man from Dakota and this Whispering Smith . Rating : 6.5/10. Wellworth watching .
