JohnHowardReid Copyright 18 February 1949 by Paramount Pictures, Inc. U.S. release: 9 December 1948. New York opening at the Paramount: 14 February 1949. U.K. release: 4 April 1949. 88 minutes. COMMENT: Third re-make of Frank Hamilton Spearman's 1906 novel about a railroad detective has a considerable cult reputation that in my opinion is not wholly deserved. For one thing, I'm not altogether happy with Alan Ladd as Whispering Smith. H.B. Warner in George Melford's 1926 version sounds much more like Spearman's charismatic hero. Nonetheless, the studio has not spared the cash and this version is certainly a colorful period piece and it has been handsomely represented on Universal's DVD. If Ladd is not quite the "Whispering Smith" of the villains' nightmares, the rest of the players are ideally cast. Full marks to Preston and Crisp, but even the smallest bits are just perfect.

writers_reign The novel on which this movie was based was published in 1916 and it shows in the white hat, black hat simplicity, cardboard cut-out villains, 'noble' unspoken love, etc. In several areas it foreshadows Shane, arguably Ladd's best role, though each key resemblance is slightly off; Ladd as Shane was enigmatic, an avenging angel symbol, as Whispering Smith he has a background and is even set up for us as something of a legend before he is introduced formally; in Shane, the unspoken, palpable attraction/love between Ladd and Jean Arthur, was new-minted and Arthur was happily married to Van Heflin, Ladd's new-found friend; in WS Ladd and Robert Preston's close friendship goes back several years and Ladd was actually 'courting' Brenda Marshall before she married Preston, with whom she is increasingly unhappy; finally, as Shane, Ladd joined forces with the homesteaders out of a sense of justice whilst as Whispering Smith he is paid to so as an employee of the railroad. This was Ladd's first oater and his first film in colour and film buffs will relish appearances by an uncredited Irving Bacon, Will George - upgraded from house detective in The Blue Dahlia to sheriff here - plus William Demarest, Donald Crisp and so on. Nobody's going to claim it belongs up there with Citizen Kane but it's an enjoyable romp.

Wuchak Released in 1948, "Whispering Smith" stars Alan Ladd in the eponymous role of a train detective who's starts to suspect that his friend, Murray (Robert Preston) may be involved with a gang that wrecks and loots trains. Murray's wife, (Brenda Marshall), is concerned about her husband hanging with ne'er-do-wells and wishes she had a righteous man, like Smith.I was surprised at how much I enjoyed "Whispering Smith." It lacks that goofy humor and wacky characters that plague many old Westerns; plus the ancient score is more bearable than usual. Ladd is stunning as the noble and determined protagonist and so is Preston as the amiable husband gone bad. Can Murray be redeemed or has he gone too far? The film runs 88 minutes and was shot in California.GRADE: A-

FilmFlaneur OK, I am going to come right out and say it. I actually prefer this more muscular film to the (imho) considerably more self-conscious and portentous 'Shane'. The ever un-demonstrative Ladd has more of chance to breath here in an excellent, vigorous action story which involves him playing the eponymous railroad detective dogged with a secretly broken heart. Even with the constraints of the genre at this time and date the lead actor manages to find some depths and seriousness in a role which could easily have become a cliché. After foiling the predations of the notorious Barton gang, a wounded Whispering Smith finds himself back on home territory and being cared for by his one true love Marian (Brenda Sinclair) - who has meanwhile married his closest friend Murray (a splendidly tousle-haired Preston Foster). Murray meanwhile has problems on his own account after making some wrong choices when losing his job on the railroad, and grows increasingly closer to the crooked rancher Rebstock (Donald Crisp), eventually turning outlaw himself. Crisp, normally type-cast as the model of rectitude, here grabs the chance to appear menacing with both hands.What distinguished 'Whispering Smith' above all is the vital quality of the action sequences, particularly the opening railway robbery, which have a violent, modern air about them. Ladd is excellent as the introspective Legend of the Line, ably supported by a cast with no weaknesses. Only the requisite no-surprise hidden love subplot seems more of its time, although even this remains free of an obligatory happy ending and the expected clinch never materialises. Standout too are the accompanying cast: an excellent psychopathic sidekick 'Whitey' - Frank Faylan, an actor I was unfamiliar with - as well as the redoubtable William Demarest. Did he ever put in a bad supporting act? Interestingly the plot of 'Whispering Smith' features a number of train rides, virtually all of which are interrupted: sabotaged or hi-jacked. One can argue that this echoes the life of Smith himself, which has become a interrupted journey itself - a way of distraction, it is implied, from his romantic disappointments, as he's wedded to his dangerous job - a passage in life which never reaches any final, emotionally fulfilling destination. Director Fenton made 'The Streets of Laredo' with Holden immediately after this which, on this experience, I shall now seek out.The colour film appears these days on disc in an excellent print - it certainly looked good on a blu-ray player though a HD projector at 80", a highlight of a 3 disc DVD westerns box set I found cheap on Amazon. Recommended.