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This is a very fine western. Great Technicolor, decent acting and a nice plot. As a fan of the western genre, I appreciate the snappy way the story moves along. Modern westerns (and most films, in fact) drag the exposition out. Here, for example, when Robert Preston's character meets up with his old friend Ladd and mentions Preston's wife's name, the look on Ladd's face instantly tells you "oh-oh, there's a history here." Very quick, but well done and you know what's coming.

This is a "railroad western." It's nice to see a western that emphasizes the importance and power of the the railroads in the settlement of the west.

Alan Ladd's first film in color was also his first Western, a genre with which he would become associated after making 11 of them in all (having previously excelled in noirs during the 1940s and early 50s). Here he plays a character dating back to the Silent era: a soft-spoken (hence the title) but sharp-shooting investigator for a railroad company which also employs his best friends – rugged foreman Robert Preston (who married Ladd's girl Brenda Marshall) and old-timer William Demarest. With Ladd away on company business i.e. chasing a notorious trio of sibling train robbers, Preston falls in with a bad crowd headed by cattle rustler Donald Crisp and his albino henchman Frank Faylen and, on whose account, he has been pilfering 'damaged' goods transported by the railroad. Ladd is ordered back home to look into this wave of train wrecks which have been occurring on a regular basis. Suspecting Crisp and his crew, he pleads with Preston to pull out in time but the latter is too deeply involved by now to listen and an eventual shootout between the two childhood friends is inevitable. An ordinary, unpretentious Western to be sure but one that is well acted, competently staged and provides consistent entertainment for the undiscriminating viewer and Western film buffs in particular.

Whispering Smith is directed by Leslie Fenton and co-adapted to screenplay by Frank Butler and Karl Kamb from Frank H. Spearman's novel. It stars Alan Ladd, Robert Preston, Brenda Marshall, Donald Crisp, William Demarest and Frank Faylen. Music is by Adolph Deutsch and cinematography by Ray Rennahan.

Famed railroad detective Whispering Smith (Ladd) becomes conflicted when his latest case pits him up against one of his best pals.

It's somewhat surprising to find Whispering Smith is not more well known, given that it's Ladd's first full length Western feature and that it's really rather good. With its opening scene of Ladd riding towards camera, with glorious landscape in the background, and the thematics of how Smith operates around women and children, this signposts towards Shane five years down the line. In fact this very much works as a tasty appetiser for that superb 1953 picture.

Ladd cuts a fine figure as Smith, giving him the right amount of calm toughness so as to not over play the role, and Preston is on fine form, very ebullient and able to act heaps with only his eyes. Marshall on the surface doesn't impact greatly, in what is a key role, but the character is very shrewdly written and sits in the story as more than a token. The villains headed by Crisp are not very inspiring, while Faylen looks laughably out of place with a blonde wig!, but with Preston erring on the side of badness the good versus bad axis of plotting thrives well enough.

Pic is filled with a number of shoot-outs, banditry and awesome locomotive action, all set to the backdrop of beautiful - Technicolor enhanced - California locales. The running theme of railroad progression in the West is interestingly written, managing to not take sides and let the viewer enjoy both sides of the coin, though a moral equation that Smith ultimately arrives at doesn't quite add up. Add in Fenton's unfussy direction, Rennahan's location photography (see also night sequences) and Deutsch's pleasingly compliant score, and Western fans are good to go.

This doesn't pull up any tress or have the psychological savvy of what many Oaters of the next decade would explore, but it's very well mounted and engages from the get go. 7/10

Two railroad buddies drift apart when one decides to join a local gang.

Good "buddy" western. The soft-spoken Ladd and the voluble Preston play off one another really well. Their friendship appears touchingly real, unusual for movie make-believe. Then too, the movie has a lot of colorful aspects, especially the train wreckage scene that's both well-written and well-mounted, and like no other western set-up I've seen. There's also some great Sierra scenery along with a fine supporting cast. I especially like Frank Faylen's droopy-eyed gunman and Donald Crisp's friendly bad guy. And catch the lovely Brenda Marshall, unusually soulful for a western heroine. In fact, each of the supporting players manages a distinctive personality.

Certainly, no one could ever accuse Ladd of over-acting. He was always best when asserting a kind of quiet authority as he does here. Actually, that's an effective way to compete with Preston's naturally big personality. So, when the two have a showdown, it's almost like two complementary personalities tragically splitting apart. Something should also be said of the skillfully thought-out script that manages to mesh the complex plot into a believable whole. Anyway, in my book, it's a colorfully done, generally underrated oater from Hollywood's golden period.

One of Alan Ladd's first starring films is this entertaining detective western as a railroad investigator assigned to solve the mystery of a rash of train robberies. The detective investigates an old friend whose fine ranch and well-to-do lifestyle are not in accord with his workman's salary, which is the main plot angle. The picture is more of a mystery than a typical western and Ladd's inclination to underplay his scenes gives his character credibility. Ladd's deceptively easygoing portrayals in westerns made him one of the most popular actors of his time. Robert Preston is also good in a role that he seemed to relish, an ethically-compromised man who knew right from wrong but did the devil's work because he thought he could get away with it. Brenda Marshall is lovely as a married woman who still carries a torch for her one-time suitor. The cast is good, as is Ray Rennahan's camera work and Adolph Deutch's music accompaniment.

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 .

Alan Ladd's first starring western and first film in technicolor is Whispering Smith. I have a funny feeling that someone at Paramount figured out that in boots with a couple of inches of heels on them, Mr. Ladd could get some additional height unnoticed. He certainly did do a lot of westerns after Whispering Smith.

According to the films of Alan Ladd and the biography by Beverly Linet, Ladd had purchased a ranch for his family and enjoyed his time out there and became an expert rider. For someone who arrived late to the western genre, Alan Ladd does sit the saddle well and looks right at home on the range.

The story based on a novel by Frank Spearman had been filmed two times previously as a silent film. Ladd is a railroad detective and we first meet him going after Murvyn Vye and his two outlaw brothers. Ladd's best friend is Robert Preston and his wife Brenda Marshall almost married Ladd back in the day.

Preston is a happy go lucky sort, but a lout none the less. The green eyed monster gets him though as Ladd is hanging around. Preston falls for the line that chief villain Donald Crisp gives him. Especially after he gets fired from the railroad after tangling with new superintendent John Eldredge. With his knowledge about the railroad, Preston becomes invaluable to Crisp.

Whispering Smith is directed by Leslie Fenton, former actor who was gradually getting into A films, but he retired after directing only a few more films after this one. The character he creates for Ladd is a harbinger of the one that George Stevens did for Ladd in Shane. I have no doubt that Stevens cast Ladd in Shane after viewing Whispering Smith.

And Whispering Smith probably would be considered a classic western if someone like George Stevens or John Ford or Anthony Mann had directed it. It's that good.

Donald Crisp is a garrulous, but crafty outlaw leader. William Demarest is fine in the sidekick role. But the portrayal among the supporting cast to watch is Frank Faylen's as the albino killer in Crisp's gang. I also think that George Stevens was influenced in his direction of Jack Palance in Shane from Faylen's portrayal. Faylen has even less dialog than Palance did in Shane, but he will absolutely chill you when you watch the film.

Whispering Smith is an absolute must for western fans and fans of Alan Ladd. It's a turning point film in his career and I'm glad it is finally out on DVD. Only wish a VHS version had been made of it.

Don't we all love trains? Railroads as a crucial element in the settlement of the West and the general prosperity of 19th century America seldom get their due in the western movie genre. Whispering Smith, a beautifully crafted 1948 Technicolor Allan Ladd vehicle, fills the gap nicely. Almost every character in this handsome horse opera -- or should I say "locomotive opera" -- makes his scratch either by working for the railroad or robbing it. The town saloon is called "The Roundhouse" and features a mural of a train coming. When soft-spoken, straight-shooting railroad detective Smith (Ladd) goes after the bad guys, he and the posse take a train with their horses riding penned flat cars.

Frank H. Spearman's long, complex 1916 novel, which yours truly read as a youngster 50-some years ago, has been distilled down by the Frank Butler/Karl Kamb screenplay to concentrate on a love triangle of Smith, his good friend Murray (Robert Preston), and Murray's wife Marian (Brenda Marshall) who is Smith's lost love. Murray is a heel who doesn't deserve the pretty, gentle Marian. Even worse, when he gets fired from his job as foreman of the railroad wrecking crew, he becomes deeply and inextricably involved with a gang of rustlers, train robbers, and general baddies. Though Smith is very proper and stand-offish with Marian, it's obvious he still loves her. But she poorly hides her love for Smith, fueling Murray's volatile temper and wanton disposition with jealously.

While there is plenty of action, Whispering Smith, like most of the better westerns, concentrates on character development, period color, and cinematography. Ladd, though known as a stone-face, was very expressive with his soulful eyes. He plays the stern, upright, and fearless, but friendly, kind, and loyal Smith to perfection. Preston, always fun to watch, essentially reprises his boisterous, happy-go-lucky good guy gone bad character from the even bigger and better train picture Union Pacific (1939). Brenda Marshall plays her tormented role with sensitivity, never forgetting that she is portraying a Victorian lady. In fact one of the charms of this movie is that little of the time period (1940's) in which it was made creeps in to spoil the late 19th century atmosphere. Thanks to the script and Leslie Fenton's expert direction, supporting and even minor characters show robust personalities. William Demarest as Smith's friend and the wrecking crew straw boss is allowed to play it straight, instead of hamming it up as he so often did, and he comes off very nicely. Donald Crisp, seldom a villain in the sound era, is colorful and dastardly as the smarmy, ruthless leader of the outlaw band. Frank Faylen gives a chilling performance as Crisp's main henchman Whitey, an evil, weird-looking albino. Kudos also to Fay Holden as Demarest's boarding house proprietress wife, who sings a duet on the porch with Ladd in a charming scene of 19th century Americana.

The splendid three-strip Technicolor cinematography is provided by Ray Rennahan, who put on film a number of grander Technicolor oaters, such as the exotic Duel In The Sun (1946) and California (1946) (see my review), as well as another very interesting railroad epic The Denver And Rio Grand (1952) (see my review). He no doubt got much good advice, wanted or not. from the Technicolor Corporation's top adviser Natalie Kalmus. She had a reputation for intruding herself into set decoration and costuming, but she usually knew what she was doing. In Whispering Smith it seems everyone's revolver is a nickle-plated one, and the same can be seen in many of Natalie's Westerns. No doubt she thought the nickeled pistols looked prettier in Technicolor than the blue ones! Sets and decorations in this picture, provided by Sam Comer/Betram Granger, and costumes by Mary Kay Dodson are superb. My wife, who claims to know about such things, says the women's dresses were perfectly accurate to the time period.

Editing was silky smooth as in most 'forties productions. All-important pacing was perfect. The story moved fast, but took plenty of breathers for color, character development, and tension building. Credit Fenton and editor Archie Marshek. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that Adolph Deutsch's score was perhaps slightly too pat and restrained. It was good, but could have been better. Western movies practically demand grand, operatic scores like those of Steiner and Tiompkin. They should be horse operas literally as well as figuratively!

Colorful, authentic, thrilling, and dramatically absorbing, Whispering Smith is a top-notch, adult, "A" western, an under-appreciated classic from Hollywood's Golden Era.

This is a standard actioner about railroad detective Luke Smith (Alan Ladd) who has to track down an old buddy Murray Sinclair (Robert Preston) whom he believes is involved in a series of railroad hold ups. Murray also happens to have a fine spread and is married to Smith's old love interest, Marion (Brenda Marshall).

Smith cut's Murray a lot of breaks and gives him the benefit of the doubt until someone is killed in a railroad hold-up and he can no longer turn a blind eye towards his old friend. Donald Crisp plays the leader the gang that led Murray astray and we have bad guy Whitey (Frank Faylen wearing a blond wig) as the heavy.

Paramount gave it an "A" picture look with excellent Technicolor production values, but it deserves a better plot. Preston merely repeats his good-guy-gone-bad role from BLOOD ON THE MOON, and Ladd is capable but low-key to the point of almost being monotonous. Crisp as a bad guy makes no impression while Faylen's blond wig, looks ridiculous.

It starts off being filmed up in the beautiful Sierras but winds up towards the end at the same ranch locations that Paramount used for most of it's programmers. Same old locations.

It's not bad, but it's nothing special, imo. Average.

5 out of 10

In "this gun's for hire" ,Robert Preston was Veronika Lake's co-star whereas Alan Ladd was supporting.But when you see that movie today you realize that ,although the credits mention "introducing A.L." ,his part was much more "written" ,more important than that of the lead.

In "whispering Smith" ,the roles are reversed:not only Ladd plays the lead ,but he has also the part of the good guy whereas Preston is supporting and gets the role of the villain.It's a routine western with a derivative screenplay:the umpteenth story of the pretty girl who married the wrong guy and see the other one come back into her life.The talents of the actor ,with many fine supporting performances (particularly Donald Crisp and Fay Holden who sings a duet with Ladd) make the movie watchable though.

Alan Ladd is aptly named in his first Technicolor western, in which he plays a railroad detective who as usual is on the receiving end of plenty of punishment at the hands of the bad guys; with the result that when we first meet heroine Brenda Marshall he's laid up in bed with his arm in a sling.

The fact she's married (SLIGHT SPOILERS COMING:) to Robert Preston proves something of a problem, especially as he's involved with a gang led by Donald Crisp; prominent among whom is Frank Faylen as long-haired mouth-breathing heavy named Whitey DuSang, described as "as cruel as a soft-nosed bullet".

Too bad Paramount couldn't have found a better script on which to lavish good Technicolor and handsome sets for ALAN LADD's first western.

It's really a below average western story about a good railroad man (Ladd) who resumes friendship with an old friend from his past (ROBERT PRESTON) who is married to Ladd's former childhood sweetheart (BRENDA MARSHALL). The set-up is predictable once Ladd starts to see through Preston's villainous behavior after Preston has joined a train robbery gang headed by DONALD CRISP.

WILLIAM DEMAREST does his usual dependable job as Ladd's friend, while Crisp is only slightly menacing in his bad guy mode. FRANK FAYLEN plays a squinty-eyed albino with a poker face and is supposed to be chilling as a merciless gunman. Unfortunately, his make-up is ridiculous.

ALAN LADD makes a handsome hero and plays his role in usual low-key style. ROBERT PRESTON does okay as the loutish friend turned bad guy, while BRENDA MARSHALL makes very little impression in a weak supporting role.

Summing up: Below average western is enhanced by gorgeous Technicolor.

Nebraska-Pacific Trains are being derailed, and the wrecks looted of cargo. Whispering Smith, a well-known railroad detective is on the case, and he suspects that his old friend and romantic rival, Murray, is involved. Alan Ladd is "Whispering Smith," a kissing cousin to "Shane;" handsome, mild tempered, and popular with the ladies, Smith is fast with a gun and quick to charm with a toothy grin. Based on a 1906 novel by Frank H. Spearman, the story was twice filmed in the silent era before Paramount produced this 1948 version, which was Alan Ladd's first color western. Alan Ladd looks great in Technicolor, and two-time Oscar winner Ray Rennahan's camera perfectly captures and flatters the star's blonde good looks.

Smith's crooked friend, Murray, played by Robert Preston, is a showier part than Ladd's, and Preston shades the character as basically decent. However, Murray has been corrupted by temptation and lured astray by Donald Crisp as Rebstock, leader of the bandit gang. Icy cool Brenda Marshall is Preston's wife, Marian, who has a past with Smith that she has never shaken; unfortunately, glycerin tears fall on her high cheekbones and fail to evoke any hint of genuine emotion that might mar her makeup. William Demarest and Fay Holden are welcome support as the amiable Dansings, loyal friends to both Smith and Marian. Sporting a long white-blonde wig, an almost unrecognizable Frank Faylen chews scenery as the dastardly Whitey Du Sang, a cruel and cunning henchman for Rebstock.

A former actor turned director, Leslie Fenton helmed a few well-regarded westerns during his career, and "Whispering Smith" is a fairly good film that climaxes with an action-filled chase and shoot-out. The romantic triangle is kept to a minimalist subplot, and the focus is fixed on the relationship between Smith and Murray and on bringing the bad guys to justice, Old West style. Fans of Alan Ladd will not want to miss him at his physical best in this entertaining Technicolor western.

Colorful, but dull, tale of two friends "working on the railroad." Alan Ladd plays the friend who falls a little more to the good side of the tracks - and Robert Preston plays the friend who bends over more on the wrong side of the tracks. Of course, there is a Woman between them… she married one, but longs for the other - or, maybe she loved/loves them both? The sets and photography are lovely. There is a big railroad and train running through town, which means robbers, and a lot of shooting, are obligatory. I guess the ending could be interpreted as a little open-ended, but I think Mr. Preston decides whether Mr. Ladd lives - or dies...

***** Whispering Smith (1948) Leslie Fenton ~ Alan Ladd, Robert Preston, Brenda Marshall

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-

Railroad detective Alan Ladd shows up in town to meet up with old friend Robert Preston, and Preston's wife, Brenda Marshall. He's injured, so they nurse him back to health. But despite his marriage, Preston is a wild man. He gets fired from his job as head of the railroad's local wrecking crew, and falls in with bad company Donald Crisp When Ladd returns to town, it's time for a showdown. Can these two old friends shoot each other?

Preston was getting tired of the role, which he had played again and again since Union Pacific (1939). The fact that he was paid more than Ladd wasn't that much comfort. Although the cast is filled with fine players like William Demarest, Fay Holden, and J. Farrell MacDonald, it's another movie in which the always popular Ladd sustains mediocre, derivative material.

The synopsis on the cover sounded good. Sadly the real action didn't start until 2/3rds of the way into the film, after a drawn out romance between Ladd and Preston's wife, and his regret of not asking her to marry him. The film does pick up once Preston's character is fired from the railroad and joins a train robbery gang led by a friend called Redstock. The henchman called Whity is interesting a sketchy character, Preston's character is good too as he is very likable. I wasn't really sold on Ladd as the lead, I found his character to be rather wooden and kinda boring when compared to Randolf Scott, Eastwood. The ending is decent. There are better westerns out there. I recommend Albuquerque of the same year, or some later European efforts like A man called Blade 1977, Keoma 1976.