Bugles in the Afternoon
Bugles in the Afternoon | |
---|---|
Wilfred M. Cline | |
Edited by | Thomas Reilly |
Music by | Dimitri Tiomkin |
Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | William Cagney Productions |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $1.5 million (North America)[1] |
Bugles in the Afternoon is a 1952 American
Plot
A rivalry between two U.S. cavalry officers results in Capt. Kern Shafter being court-martialed for striking a fellow officer, Lt. Edward Garnett, with a saber. Shafter claims to have been defending the honor of his fiancée. The court-martial finds Shafter guilty as charged, and he is dismissed from the US Army.
After his dismissal from the Army, Shafter drifts for a while and then decides to enlist in the Army as a private. He chooses to enlist at Fort Abraham Lincoln in the
Shafter makes friends with Private Donovan who was formerly a sergeant until he punched a sergeant major. The two of them are assigned to investigate the murder of local miners by Sioux tribesmen, leading to a dangerous encounter. When these risky missions continue, Capt. Moylan begins to realize that Garnett is deliberately putting Shafter at risk. Moylan puts into motion an effort to clear Shafter.
The feud escalates when Shafter discovers that Garnett also has romantic designs on Josephine. Unaware of the history between the two men, or of Garnett's true character, she feels that Shafter should be dealing with issues more reasonably. She is angered when Shafter strikes Garnett.
The soldiers leave with
Shafter and Moylan survive. Thanks to Moylan, Shafter's reputation and rank of captain are restored, and Josephine now sees Shafter as the man she wants.
Cast
- Ray Milland as Sgt. Kern Shafter
- Helena Carter as Josephine Russell
- Hugh Marlowe as Capt. Edward Garnett
- Forrest Tucker as Pvt. Donovan
- Barton MacLane as Cap. Myles Moylan
- George Reeves as Lt. Smith
- James Millican as Sgt. Hines
- Gertrude Michael as May
- Stuart Randall as Bannack Bill
- William 'Bill' Phillips as Tinney
- Hugh Beaumont as Lt. Cooke (uncredited)
- Walter Coy as Capt. Benteen (uncredited)
- Charles Evans as Gen. Terry (uncredited)
- Sheb Wooley as Custer (uncredited)
Production
Development
The film was based on a novel by Ernest Haycox that was published in 1944 and was serialised in The Saturday Evening Post. The New York Times called it "competent".[4]
In May 1944,
The movie was meant to follow Blood on the Sun, but was put back when Cagney elected to make The Time of Your Life instead.[8]
By March 1949 the Cagney deal with United Artists had ended, and William Cagney signed a three-picture deal with Warner Bros; the films were to be Only the Valiant,
In February 1951, Warners, which hoped that Errol Flynn would play the lead, announced that Harry Brown and Geoffrey Home had written the script and that filming would start in May.[11] In April, Roy Rowland, who had signed a long-term deal with Cagney Productions (CP), was going to direct; he left for Utah to scout locations, and CP was still hopeful that Flynn would star.[12]
In April, William Cagney announced he had signed Ray Milland to star and that Helena Carter,
Filming
Filming took place in June 1951. Parts of the film were shot in Johnson Canyon, Long Canyon, Asay Creek, Kanab Canyon, Aspen Mirror Lake, and Strawberry Valley in Utah.[16]
In late June, the unit returned from Utah.[17]
References
- ^ "Top Box-Office Hits of 1952", Variety, January 7, 1953. Please note this figure is of rentals accruing to distributors, not gross box office takings.
- ^ "THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; 'Bugles in the Afternoon,' a Technicolor Western With Ray Milland, Bows at the Warner". The New York Times. March 5, 1952.
- ^ "BUGLES IN THE AFTERNOON". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 19, no. 216. London. January 1, 1952. p. 78.
- ^ Hutchens, John K. (February 13, 1944). "Custer's New Stand: BUGLES IN THE AFTERNOON. By Ernest Hayco. 306 lop. Boston: Little, Brown Co. $2.50". The New York Times. p. BR6.
- ^ "Of Local Origin". The New York Times. May 2, 1944. p. 15.
- ^ "News of the Screen". The Christian Science Monitor. July 21, 1944. p. 4.
- ^ "SCREEN NEWS: Metro to Make Film on Women's Army Corps". The New York Times. August 11, 1944. p. 12.
- ^ A.H. WEILER (December 15, 1946). "BY WAY OF REPORT: Cagneys Have 'The Time of Your Life'-- Man From Down Under--Addenda Author at Work Chips Newcomer Billing Ford Film". The New York Times. p. X5.
- ^ THOMAS F. BRADY (March 24, 1949). "PREMINGER PLANS FILM IN HONG KONG: Fox Producer and Scenarist, Dunne, Return From China With Idea for Picture". The New York Times. p. 35.
- ^ "JOHN HUSTON WINS DIRECTORS' AWARD: Captures Quarterly Prize of Screen Guild for 'Asphalt Jungle,' Made at Metro Of Local Origin". The New York Times. September 5, 1950. p. 39.
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (February 17, 1951). "Drama: 'Force of Arms' Indexed for Todd; Flynn Right for 'Bugles in Afternoon'". Los Angeles Times. p. 9.
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (April 24, 1951). "Drama: Breakston-Stahl Buy 'Primrose;' Barbara Bates Wins 'Best' Role". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
- ^ "LIPPERT, PETRILLO IN ACCORD ON VIDEO: Movie Producer and Head of Musicians' Union Work Out Formula on TV Films Of Local Origin". The New York Times. April 24, 1951. p. 35.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (February 14, 2020). "Helena Carter: An Appreciation". Filmink.
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (June 25, 1951). "Drama: Joan Fontaine Deal for Rowena Hinted; 20th Plans Brady Build-up". Los Angeles Times. p. 15.
- ISBN 9781423605874.
- ^ "MOVIELAND BRIEFS". Los Angeles Times. June 25, 1951. p. B7.