Carbine Williams

Carbine Williams is a 1952 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring James Stewart. The film follows the life of its namesake, David Marshall Williams, who invented the operating principle for the M1 Carbine while in a North Carolina prison. The M1 Carbine was used extensively during World War II and Korea.

Carbine Williams
Directed byRichard Thorpe
Produced byArmand Deutsch
Written byArt Cohn
Based onThe Most Unforgettable Character I've Met
1951 Reader's Digest
by Capt. H. T. Peoples
StarringJames Stewart
Music byConrad Salinger
CinematographyWilliam C. Mellor
Edited byNewell P. Kimlin
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • May 1952 (1952-05)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,111,000[1]
Box office$2,589,000[1]

Originally filmed in black-and-white, it is also shown in a computer-colorized version.[2]

Plot

The film follows the life of David Marshall Williams (James Stewart), who was a member of the Winchester team that invented the semi-automatic M1 Carbine used in World War II. Williams was found distilling illegal moonshine, and was held responsible for the death of a sheriff's deputy during a raid on his still. He was sentenced to thirty years' hard labor. He cycled through the prison system until a firm but compassionate warden, H.T. Peoples (Wendell Corey), allowed him to work in a prison tool shop. There, he invented the gas system for his famous rifle. Williams was released from prison in 1929 and worked with Winchester Firearms on development of the M1 Carbine.

Cast

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,787,000 in the US and Canada[4] and $802,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $575,000.[1]

Comic book adaptation

References
  1. The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. Maltin, Leonard, ed. (2007). Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide. New York: Signet. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-451-22186-5.
  3. James Arness#Filmography
  4. See also 'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', Variety, January 7, 1953
  5. "Fawcett Movie Comic #19". Grand Comics Database.


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