433:, so that British warships can pass. André gives one a letter to deliver afterwards at the Storm King Tavern. Bolton drowns one agent, but when he tries to arrest the other, is confronted by an armed Ben Potter, who still thinks that Bolton is a murderer and deserter. The agent disarms Ben and nearly kills Bolton. Ben finds his gun and shoots the agent. At a secret meeting with Howe, Bolton uses spectacles to decipher the letter, which points to Gustavus as someone at West Point with authority. Bolton volunteers to return to New York to identify the mysterious "James Osborn". Odell more than ever believes Bolton is a spy, but Bolton convinces André that the British agents completed their mission.
394:), is traveling under a flag of truce possibly carrying information to the enemy. She catches them searching her room, where Bolton takes her safe conduct pass after verbally sparring with her. Mrs. Cameron tries to seduce Bolton to obtain its return, but he rebuffs her. A messenger arrives with a package for "Mr. Moody", but when no one by that name can be found, another traveler, Col. Winfield, offers to deliver the package. Bolton recognizes that Winfield is an imposter, and in a struggle over the package, kills him. Other American officers arrest Bolton for murder and deliver him to Howe.
422:) for deciphering, using a pair of spectacles to isolate key words. Bolton claims that he was Moody's source of information. He offers to continue working for the British. Odell bluntly tells Bolton that he thinks his story is too neat and believes him to be a Rebel spy. But André takes an immediate liking to Bolton. He invites him to a dinner party that evening, where Bolton suffers an anxious moment when Sally Cameron (unmarried and André's mistress) is present. Bolton's explanation corroborates information about the murder that André had checked, and Sally provides the perfect eyewitness.
444:. André assures Bolton that "Gustavus" and "Osborn" have conjured a quick end to the war. The wily "Gustavus" changes the meeting at the last moment to the house of a Tory sympathizer and orders André to come alone. Bolton persuades André to go in uniform, and not in civilian clothing, lest he be captured as a spy. Soon after, Odell detects Bolton warning American shore batteries of the British presence, but Bolton escapes by swimming ashore to the American garrison. The American commander,
459:, Bolton testifies that André entered the lines in uniform and changed into civilian clothing only at Arnold's treacherous orders. The court reluctantly sentences André to be executed as a spy. André pledges his continuing friendship with Bolton and asks him to protect Sally from any retribution. Bolton brokers a last-minute deal to exchange André for Arnold, but André considers the suggestion a taint on his honor and declines.
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Bolton's arrest as a Rebel spy. He is saved from hanging by André, who intervenes for him after Sally confesses her feelings for Bolton and begs him to vouch on Bolton's behalf. He does so, despite her refusal of his marriage proposal. Putting duty before personal considerations, André asks Bolton to accompany him to a meeting between "Gustavus" and "Osborn" aboard the
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film. Bolton betrays this friendship out of duty in the film, but Karl
Tunberg's script ameliorates that difficulty by having Bolton make attempts to save Andre's life. Another important departure from history is that during the course of events André saves Bolton when the latter is arrested for being a spy, something that never occurred.
31:
315:; for this film it is simply treated as the character's actual name), each unaware that the other is attempting to outsmart him for the sake of their countries, deal with issues of honor, loyalty, and friendship. There is also some rivalry between the men for the love of a beautiful woman, the fictional Sally Cameron (
452:), is skeptical of Bolton's loyalties and stubbornly holds him until Howe can vouch for him. "Gustavus" escapes. "Osborn" is captured and Bolton realizes that Benedict Arnold is "Gustavus". To his horror, Bolton learns that "Osborn" is André, and worse, that he changed into civilian clothes trying to escape.
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To trap him, Odell writes a false dispatch from "Mr. Osborn" for Bolton to steal. At another dinner, Bolton notices that Sally
Cameron only pretends to toast the King. She has also fallen in love with him and warns Bolton about Odell's trap. The British attack on Verplanck is crushed and results in
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While historically André and Major
Benjamin Tallmadge, Bolton's historical counterpart, did meet shortly before André was to be hanged as a spy (Talmadge's regiment of light dragoons was charged with guarding André), their acquaintance was not the longer-term and deeper friendship suggested in the
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to the
British. Bolton agrees, aware that he could be hanged if the British discover his mission. With Moody's pass, Bolton passes through the British lines, but the British lieutenant on duty recognizes that he is not the same man who previously used the pass and follows him. In New York, Bolton
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Both Bolton's "5th
Dragoons" and Winfield's "2nd Connecticut Light Horse" were entirely fictional. Only four mounted regiments existed in the Continental Army, all part of the Continental Light Dragoons. Only two state regiments were mustered, both part of the Southern Army, and were
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André is treated sympathetically in the film while Wilde's fictional Major Bolton is portrayed as more ruthless, particularly in the brutality he employs to accomplish his objectives. The script is noted for its even-handedness in depicting both sides of the conflict.
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The film is in error placing the chain between
Verplanck and Stony Point. Verplanck was however the location of the strategic King's Ferry crossing of the Hudson, held by the Americans in 1780, and used a year later by Washington's army marching to
378:, stating that Arnold has taken command at West Point. The secret knowledge indicates that the spy is a "highly placed person". Bolton returns to the tavern, where one of his contacts, stable boy Ben Potter (
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According to MGM records, the film earned $ 449,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $ 719,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $ 1,158,000.
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letter from "Gustavus" to "Osborn" in his possession. The package, a ream of blank paper, concealed a message from "Osborn" written in
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In June 1954 production was delayed because of a shortage of sound stage space and stagehands. Exteriors filmed on location in
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A pass through the lines found hidden in
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The film is available for streaming and on Region 1 NTSC DVD at Amazon. For several years it has been shown on
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requesting an urgent meeting to finalize an unknown arrangement. Howe proposes that Bolton feign
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List of television series and miniseries about the
American Revolution
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Although the actual Odell studied medicine, he chose as his vocation
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Tavern, and captures a letter found on his body. He reports to Gen.
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was named Granger's replacement, to co-star with Michael Wilding.
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tale in which British and American counterparts, played by
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for depicting the historical September 1780 time frame.
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before a British attack on the American position at
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Bolton is sent with two Tory agents to sabotage the
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773:Escape Artist: The Life and Films of John Sturges
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342:In 1780 General Benedict Arnold commands the
666:List of films about the American Revolution
637:were shot in the autumn of 1954 to capture
272:. The film is based upon the events in the
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622:as the film's director. Later that year
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1330:Cultural depictions of Benedict Arnold
1315:Adventure films based on actual events
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284:to the British in exchange for money.
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427:chain barrier across the Hudson River
604:as the basis for the screenplay of
573:as Maj. Andre's Butler (uncredited)
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299:as the historical personage Major
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280:offered to surrender the fort at
1310:American Revolutionary War films
786:"Film Review "The Scarlet Coat""
618:in the role of John Bolton and
1320:Films about capital punishment
1295:Films directed by John Sturges
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555:John O'Malley as Col. Winfield
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1300:Films set in New York (state)
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588:As reported in April 1952 in
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1290:1950s English-language films
851:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
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1093:Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
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579:as Mr. Cameron (uncredited)
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1325:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
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1013:The People Against O'Hara
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537:Ashley Cowan as Mr. Brown
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35:Theatrical release poster
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1117:Last Train from Gun Hill
567:as Narrator (uncredited)
1109:The Old Man and the Sea
758:The Eddie Mannix Ledger
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165:July 29, 1955
1265:1950s historical films
1053:Escape from Fort Bravo
997:The Magnificent Yankee
788:. banastretarleton.org
611:The Hollywood Reporter
410:calls upon Dr. Odell (
390:, Mrs. Sally Cameron (
382:), tells him that the
1133:The Magnificent Seven
1101:The Law and Jake Wade
1061:Bad Day at Black Rock
925:For the Love of Rusty
648:on Independence Day.
646:Turner Classic Movies
350:. Major John Bolton (
311:Intelligence officer
1335:1950s American films
1237:The Eagle Has Landed
1181:The Hallelujah Trail
471:as Major John Bolton
348:West Point, New York
1157:A Girl Named Tamiko
949:The Sign of the Ram
631:Tarrytown, New York
602:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
274:American Revolution
246:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
228:is a 1955 American
152:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
142:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
1285:American spy films
1021:It's a Big Country
933:Keeper of the Bees
917:Alias Mr. Twilight
887:Films directed by
828:TCM Movie Database
608:. In January 1953
418:Major John André (
313:Benjamin Tallmadge
1305:Films set in 1780
1275:CinemaScope films
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1197:Ice Station Zebra
1141:By Love Possessed
1029:The Girl in White
965:The Walking Hills
901:The Man Who Dared
545:Sir Henry Clinton
532:James Westerfield
450:James Westerfield
225:The Scarlet Coat
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1165:The Great Escape
1077:The Scarlet Coat
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486:as Sally Cameron
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309:Continental Army
250:Nicholas Nayfack
230:historical drama
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244:released by
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234:swashbuckler
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181:Running time
158:Release date
87:Anne Francis
75:Cornel Wilde
55:Karl Tunberg
45:John Sturges
18:
1149:Sergeants 3
1069:Underwater!
989:Right Cross
973:The Capture
941:Thunderbolt
721:unnumbered.
633:and on the
571:Olaf Hytten
525:as General
523:John Dehner
512:Robert Howe
510:as General
455:At André's
364:Robert Howe
332:Olaf Hytten
256:. It stars
242:CinemaScope
185:101 minutes
93:Narrated by
61:Produced by
41:Directed by
1260:1955 films
1254:Categories
709:ordination
677:References
584:Production
565:Paul Frees
479:John André
477:as Major
386:wife of a
360:Storm King
301:John André
293:counterspy
282:West Point
214:Box office
169:1955-07-29
134:Production
97:Paul Frees
51:Written by
1005:Kind Lady
739:Citations
731:Yorktown.
682:Footnotes
652:Reception
431:Verplanck
407:desertion
276:in which
117:Ben Lewis
113:Edited by
16:1955 film
1213:Joe Kidd
1205:Marooned
1085:Backlash
1037:Jeopardy
909:Shadowed
839:AllMovie
660:See also
519:as Peter
376:New York
198:Language
123:Music by
71:Starring
848:at the
826:at the
614:listed
492:as Dr.
442:Vulture
388:redcoat
356:dragoon
330:It was
201:English
190:Country
167: (
136:company
1240:(1976)
1232:(1974)
1224:(1973)
1216:(1972)
1208:(1969)
1200:(1968)
1192:(1967)
1184:(1965)
1176:(1965)
1168:(1963)
1160:(1962)
1152:(1962)
1144:(1961)
1136:(1960)
1128:(1959)
1120:(1959)
1112:(1958)
1104:(1958)
1096:(1957)
1088:(1956)
1080:(1955)
1072:(1955)
1064:(1955)
1056:(1953)
1048:(1953)
1040:(1953)
1032:(1952)
1024:(1951)
1016:(1951)
1008:(1951)
1000:(1950)
992:(1950)
984:(1950)
976:(1950)
968:(1949)
960:(1948)
952:(1948)
944:(1947)
936:(1947)
928:(1947)
920:(1946)
912:(1946)
904:(1946)
792:6 July
268:, and
206:Budget
1221:Chino
439:sloop
399:coded
354:), a
817:IMDb
794:2009
596:and
463:Cast
384:Tory
338:Plot
303:and
240:and
232:and
1229:McQ
837:at
815:at
543:as
501:as
374:of
319:).
289:spy
236:in
1256::
747:^
264:,
260:,
880:e
873:t
866:v
796:.
762:.
448:(
366:(
291:/
171:)
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