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Springfield Rifle

Play trailer Poster for Springfield Rifle 1952 1h 33m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 5 Reviews 50% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
During the Civil War, Union forces stationed in Colorado are hampered by raiders who have been stealing their horses as they travel through the mountains. When several commanding officers begin to suspect a traitor is revealing troop movements, Maj. Lex Kearny (Gary Cooper) goes undercover to investigate. However, the assignment strains Kearny's relationship with his wife, Erin (Phyllis Thaxter), after he chooses to continue the operation instead of searching for their runaway son.

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Springfield Rifle

Critics Reviews

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 05/10/2025
2/4
Gary Cooper, that most noble of movie heroes, playing a coward and a traitor? Say it ain’t so! It ain’t so. Go to Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 10/21/2019
Gary Cooper in another western, nowhere near High Noon in quality but still better than a lot of 'em. Go to Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 08/08/2008
Visually fine Western, that is as much a crime drama or spy film as a Western. Go to Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid 11/12/2006
A solidly constructed Western Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 03/28/2004
C+
An incurious Western set during the Civil War days. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Matthew D @OceanSage 5d It’s just Gary Cooper riding horses and finally shooting men with a cool rifle called a trapdoor Springfield Model 1865. That is awesome. But it’s too little action too late as the rest of the movie is Cooper being an undercover Union spy hiding out among Confederate scum. Director André de Toth’s Civil War era Western film Springfield Rifle (1952) starts out like a riveting Western drama, then morphs into a strange spy movie, then just dumb action that feels too chaotic. Gary Cooper is a cool and steadfast star as the courageous Major Lex Kearney. Once he finally fires his rifle, he guns down everyone, which is awesome. I did find Cooper’s dramatic skills crucial here in keeping the numerous plot details straight. Phyllis Thaxter is forgettable as Cooper’s wife Erin Kearney. She’s in like 3 brief scenes. In all, Springfield Rifle needed more inventive direction for the action and people needed to get shot earlier on as all the action is in the finale. See more G L. @RT09869090 May 18 North vs South as Gary Cooper goes undercover to figure out who's the traitor within the Union Army. See more Steve D @RT35616104 06/24/2023 Slow but with some interesting twists. See more Deke P @RT96675217 04/14/2023 Very underrated & unappreciated. Civil war espionage. Interesting concept. Lots of action. GREAT CAST! GARY COOPER! LON CHENEY. Phyllis Thaxter. Granny Goose Phil Carey. Giving it 4 stars, cuz unappreciated. Saw it on the television set, 4.13.23. See more 07/20/2019 A litle hamy but a good story. See more ashley h @ashleyhobgood87 12/25/2018 Springfield Rifle is an okay film. It is about Major Lex Kearney who becomes the North's first counterespionage agent. Gary Cooper and Phyllis Thaxter give decent performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Andre De Toth did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama. See more Read all reviews
Springfield Rifle

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Cast & Crew

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Andre de Toth

Director

Gary Cooper

Maj. Alex "Lex" Kearney

Phyllis Thaxter

Erin Kearney

David Brian

Austin McCool

Paul Kelly

Lt. Col John Hudson

Philip Carey

Capt. Edward Tennick
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Springfield Rifle

Springfield Rifle (1952) Springfield Rifle (1952) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During the Civil War, Union forces stationed in Colorado are hampered by raiders who have been stealing their horses as they travel through the mountains. When several commanding officers begin to suspect a traitor is revealing troop movements, Maj. Lex Kearny (Gary Cooper) goes undercover to investigate. However, the assignment strains Kearny's relationship with his wife, Erin (Phyllis Thaxter), after he chooses to continue the operation instead of searching for their runaway son.
Director
Andre de Toth
Producer
Louis F. Edelman
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 28, 2019
Runtime
1h 33m