Smiley Gets a Gun
1958 Australian film
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Smiley Gets a Gun is a 1958 Australian comedy-drama film in CinemaScope directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Sybil Thorndike and Chips Rafferty. It is the sequel to the 1956 film Smiley.
Rex Rienits
| Smiley | |
|---|---|
| |
| Directed by | Anthony Kimmins |
| Written by | Anthony Kimmins Rex Rienits |
| Based on | novel by Moore Raymond |
| Produced by | Anthony Kimmins |
| Starring | Sybil Thorndike Chips Rafferty |
| Cinematography | Edward Scaife |
| Edited by | G. Turney-Smith |
| Music by | Wilbur Sampson |
| Color process | Color by DeLuxe |
Production company | Canberra Films |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century Fox |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Synopsis
A young boy named Smiley desperately wants a gun. A deal is made between him and Sergeant Flaxman that if he gets 8 nicks (marks on a certain tree) for his good deeds he will get a .22 calibre rifle, valued at £2.[1] He has several adventures and is accused of stealing some gold. Smiley runs away but the real thief is caught and Smiley is rewarded with a gun.
Cast
- Keith Calvert as Smiley Greevins
- Alexander ( Bruce) Thomas as Smiley Greevins on horse
- Bruce Archer as Joey
- Sybil Thorndike as Granny McKinley
- Chips Rafferty as Sergeant Flaxman
- Margaret Christensen as Ma Greevins
- Reg Lye as Pa Greevins
- Grant Taylor as Stiffy
- Guy Doleman as Mr Quirk
- Leonard Thiele as Mr Scrivens
- Verena Kimmins as Miss MacCowan
- Bruce Beeby as Dr Gasper
- Ruth Cracknell as Mrs Gaspen
- John Fegan as Tom Graham
- Brian Farley as Fred
- Janice Dinnen as Jean Holt
- Barbara Eather as Elsie
- William Rees as Mr Protheroe
- Gordon Chater as Reverend Galbraith
Production
The novel Smiley had been so popular that author Moore Raymond followed it up with Smiley Gets a Gun in 1947.[2]
The father of Colin Petersen, the actor who first played Smiley, wanted more money for him to return.[3] This meant a replacement had to be found. Anthony Kimmins looked at over 4,000 other applicants before finding Keith Calvert.[1] Moore Raymond also had returned to England, writing Smiley comics for Swift Comics. Kimmins' daughter Verena, who helped the young actors in the first Smiley movie, had a featured role in the film.
Filming took eight weeks towards the end of 1957. Shooting took place at Camden and Pagewood Studios.[4] It was part of a "mini boom" of foreign productions in Australia in the late 1950s.[5]
