Smoky is a 1946 American Western film directed by Louis King and starring Fred MacMurray. It is the second of three film adaptations of the 1926 novel Smoky the Cowhorse by Will James; others were made in 1933 and 1966.
| Smoky | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Louis King |
| Screenplay by | Lillie Hayward Dwight Cummins Dorothy Yost |
| Based on | novel by Will James |
| Produced by | Robert Bassler |
| Starring | Fred MacMurray |
| Cinematography | Charles G. Clarke (as Charles Clarke) |
| Edited by | Nick DeMaggio (as Nick De Maggio) |
| Music by | David Raksin |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | 20th Century Fox |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.3 million[1][2] |
| Box office | $4 million (US/ Canada)[3][2][4] |
Plot
A cowboy riding alone in Utah witnesses a stampede of wild stallions, one of whom particularly catches his eye. He returns the horse to its rightful owner, Julie Richards, owner of the Rocking R Ranch, introducing himself as Clint Barkley and asking for a job.
The wild horse, Smoky, slowly develops a relationship with Clint, but ranch foreman Jeff doesn't trust the new hired hand, who is vague and mysterious about his past. A stranger arrives named Frank and persuades a reluctant Clint to vouch for him to be hired as a wrangler.
It turns out Clint took the blame for a crime Frank committed and served eight months behind bars. Frank begins causing trouble at the ranch, mistreating Smoky and the other horses. A gambler turns up, seeking Clint's payment for a $200 debt, discovering that Frank actually lost the money and forged Clint's name on the IOU.
Frank rustles the horses and rides off. Jeff remains suspicious until Clint finally reveals that Frank is his brother. Smoky, abused again, fights off Frank and ends up killing him. Other cowboys discover the horse and sell him to a rodeo in Cheyenne. The horse's condition deteriorates and he ends up pulling a junk cart. One day Clint rides into town and Smoky recognizes him. They are reunited, and return to Julie and the ranch.
Cast
- Fred MacMurray as Clint Barkley
- Anne Baxter as Julie Richards
- Bruce Cabot as Frank Denton
- Esther Dale as Mrs. 'Gram' Richards
- Roy Roberts as Jeff Nix
- J. Farrell MacDonald as Jim - the Cook
- Burl Ives as Willie
- Douglas Spencer as Gambler (uncredited)
Production
Parts of the film were shot in Utah: Zion National Park, Kanab Race Track, Cave Lakes, Aspen Mirror Lake, the Gap, Rockville Road, Kanab Canyon, Ogden, and Cedar Breaks. Fredonia, Arizona, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Burbank and Saugus, California were also filming locations.[5]
References
- ^ "Amber cost seen near $5,000,000" Variety 30 October 1946 p 7
- ^ a b Charles Tranberg, Fred MacMurray: A Biography, Bear Manor Media, 2014
- ^ "All-Time Top Grossers", Variety, 8 January 1964 p 69. Please note figure is rentals accruing to distributors.
- ^ "60 Top Grossers of 1946", Variety 8 January 1947 p8
- ^ D'Arc, James V. (2010). When Hollywood came to town: A history of moviemaking in Utah (1st ed.). Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423605874.
External links
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