Sergeant Rutledge (1960)

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Approved
1h 51min
Crime, Drama
25 May 1960 (USA)
Movie

7.4 (5,358)

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Respected Black cavalry Sergeant Brax Rutledge stands court-martial for raping and killing a white woman and murdering her father, his superior officer.

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

James Warner Bellah, Willis Goldbeck, James Warner Bellah

Stars:

Awards:

2 nominations.
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Reviews:

Photos and Videos

Trailer this classic western suspense film

Still of Woody Strode in Sergeant Rutledge (1960)

Still of Constance Towers (I) in Sergeant Rutledge (1960)

Still of Jeffrey Hunter (I) and Constance Towers (I) in Sergeant Rutledge (1960)

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35 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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	Jeffrey Hunter	...	Lt. Tom Cantrell
	Constance Towers	...	Mary Beecher
	Billie Burke	...	Mrs. Cordelia Fosgate
	Woody Strode	...	1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge
	Juano Hernandez	...	Sgt. Matthew Luke Skidmore
	Willis Bouchey	...	Col. Otis Fosgate
	Carleton Young	...	Capt. Shattuck
	Judson Pratt	...	Lt. Mulqueen
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Phil Adams	...	Court Guard (uncredited)
	Mario Arteaga	...	Mexican (uncredited)
	Gertrude Astor	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Brandon Beach	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Oscar Blank	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Clifton Brandon	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Naaman Brown	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Louis Byrd	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Ruth Clifford	...	Officer's Wife (uncredited)
	Jane Crowley	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Shug Fisher	...	Mr. Owens (uncredited)
	Eugene Gaines	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Sam Harris	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Chuck Hayward	...	Capt. Dickinson (uncredited)
	William Henry	...	Capt. Dwyer (uncredited)
	James Johnson	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Rafer Johnson	...	Cpl. Krump (uncredited)
	Jack Kenny	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Mike Lally	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Jack Lewis	...	Indian (uncredited)
	Fred Libby	...	Chandler Hubble (uncredited)
	Marvin Luster	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Cliff Lyons	...	Sam Beecher (uncredited)
	Wilbur Mack	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Mae Marsh	...	Mrs. Nellie Hackett (uncredited)
	Toby Michaels	...	Lucy Dabney (uncredited)
	Jack Mower	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Trusse R. Norris	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Eva Novak	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Jack Pennick	...	Courtroom Sergeant (uncredited)
	Jack Perrin	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
	Walter Reed	...	Capt. McAfee (uncredited)
	Chuck Roberson	...	Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
	Charles Seel	...	Dr. Walter Eckner (uncredited)
	Ed Shaw	...	Chris Hubble (uncredited)
	Bobby Lee Smith	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Ed Sweeny	...	Sentry (uncredited)
	Walter Torrence	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	David Washington	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	William Wellman Jr.	...	Court Guard (uncredited)
	Lloyd Winston	...	Trooper (uncredited)
	Sheb Wooley	...	Screaming Trooper (uncredited) (archiveSound)
	Hank Worden	...	Laredo (uncredited)

Directed by

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John Ford

Written by

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James Warner Bellah	...	(written by) and
Willis Goldbeck	...	(written by)

James Warner Bellah	...	(novel) (uncredited)

Produced by

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Patrick Ford	...	producer
Willis Goldbeck	...	producer

Music by

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Howard Jackson

Cinematography by

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Bert Glennon

...

director of photography

Editing by

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Jack Murray

Editorial Department

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Michael A. Hoey

...

assistant editor (uncredited)

Art Direction by

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Eddie Imazu

Set Decoration by

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Frank M. Miller

Costume Design by

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Marjorie Best

...

(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department

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Gordon Bau	...	makeup supervisor
Web Overlander	...	makeup artist (uncredited)
Norman Pringle	...	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Russell Saunders	...	assistant director (as Russ Saunders)
Wingate Smith	...	assistant director
Edward O'Fearna	...	assistant director (uncredited)
Allen Pomeroy	...	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Robey Cooper

...

props (uncredited)

Sound Department

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M.A. Merrick

...

sound

Stunts

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Chuck Hayward	...	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Lewis	...	stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	...	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	...	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Louis Jennings	...	camera operator (uncredited)
Richard L. Wilson	...	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Martha Bunch	...	wardrobe (uncredited)
Wesley Jeffries	...	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department

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Leonard Rosenman

...

composer: stock music (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Howard Hohler	...	script supervisor (uncredited)
Dolores Rubin	...	script supervisor (uncredited)

Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Warner Bros. (presents)
John Ford Productions

Distributors

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Warner Bros. (1960) (United States) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. Film (1960) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1960) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1960) (Norway) (theatrical)
Warner-Pathé Distributors (1960) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
Warner Bros. (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
Astória Filmes (1961) (Portugal) (theatrical)
Sacil (1979) (Portugal) (theatrical) (re-release)
Cargo Records (2018) (Germany) (DVD)
Maritim Pictures (2018) (Germany) (DVD) (label)
Warner Home Video (1994) (United States) (VHS)
Warner Home Video (2006) (United States) (DVD)
Warner Archive Collection (2016) (United States) (DVD)
BBC Two (2016) (United Kingdom) (tv)
The Criterion Channel (2021) (United States) (tv) (digital)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (this picture made under the jurisdiction of: affiliated with A.F.L. - C.I.O.)

Storyline

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Plot Summary	Lieutenant Tom Cantrell is sent to defend Sergeant Braxton Rutledge, a Black cavalry soldier, on a charge of rape and murder. The story begins in a courtroom and it is told through flashbacks. This is a story of how a Black soldier in the face of danger from the Indians can be so easily mistaken for a criminal. Written by Christopher D. Ryan Plot Summary
Plot Keywords	murder-of-a-nude-woman implied-female-nudity witness binoculars murder-of-father See All (119) »
Taglines	THERE'S NO TURNING BACK! (original print media ad - all caps) See more »
Genres	Crime Drama Western
Parents Guide	View content advisory »
Certification	Canada:PG (video rating) Finland:K-16 France:Tous publics Italy:T Japan:PG-12 (video rating) Netherlands:18 Netherlands:18 Norway:16 Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) Singapore:PG (video rating) South Africa:PG (video rating) Spain:13 Sweden:15 United Kingdom:A United Kingdom:PG (tv rating) United Kingdom:PG (video rating) United States:Approved West Germany:12 (nf)

Additional Details

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Also Known As	Captain Buffalo (United States) The Trial of Sergeant Rutledge (United States) Le sergent noir (France) Capitaine Buffalo (France) Der schwarze Sergeant (Germany) See more »
Runtime	111 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Color	Color
Aspect Ratio	1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
Filming Locations	Mexican Hat, Utah, USA See more »

Did You Know?

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Trivia	Unsatisfied with Woody Strode's rehearsal of bullet-wounded drowsiness, director John Ford took his own steps to make Strode appear authentically weary for Rutledge's gunshot early on in the film. The day before the scene was to be shot, Ford got Strode drunk early in the day and had an assistant follow him around for the rest of the day to make sure he stayed that way. When the time came for Strode to shoot the scene with Constance Towers, his hangover gave him the perfect (for Ford) appearance of a man who had been shot. See more »
Goofs	The US Cavalry officer saber shown throughout the movie appears to be the straight blade, double edge M1913 Patton style saber which wasn't adapted by the military until 1913. Since the movie appears to be set before 1900, the cavalry would still be using the swept back single edge Model 1860 Light Cavalry saber. See more »
Movie Connections	Edited into John Ford: The Man Who Invented America (2019). See more »
Soundtracks	Captain Buffalo See more »
Quotes	Capt. Shattuck: You are trying to trade your murderer's bravery for the mercy of the court! Isn't that it? 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge: No, sir, that is not it at all! Capt. Shattuck: All right, Rutledge, if that isn't it, what was it? 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge: It was because the Ninth Cavalry was my home, my real freedom, and my self-respect, and the way I was desertin' it, I wasn't [voice cracking] 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge: nuthin' worse than a swamp-runnin' nigger, and I ain't that! Do you hear me? I'm a man! See more »

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