BrianRxm Coins in Movies 316/411
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US Cavalry court-martial officers play cards with coins on the table
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The 1960 film "Sergeant Rutledge" is a Western film set at a US Army Cavalry post located in the American Southwest in August of 1881.
 
Sergeant Braxton Rutledge is subjected to a military court-martial, accused of assaulting and murdering a young girl and of killing her father. A young lieutenant is appointed as his defense counsel.
 
Most of the film is about the court-martial trial with a few battles between soldiers and Indians. At one point the court officers take a break to play poker for money and coins are shown on a table.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
1. Sergeant Rutledge on trial
First Sergeant Rutledge (Woody Strode), a top sergeant of the cavalry troop (company), was seen in the area when Lucy Dabney (Toby Michaels), the daughter of an post officer, was assaulted and killed.
 
Lt. Tom Cantrell (Jeffrey Hunter), a cavalry officer and not a lawyer, is appointed to defend the sergeant in court. Captain Shattuck, a professional lawyer, is the prosecutor.
 
Lieutenant Colonel Otis Fosgate is the presiding officer at the trial.
 
Mary Beecher (Constance Towers) is the daughter of an officer and Lt. Cantrell's girlfriend.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
2. Defense counsel Lt. Cantrell questions Mary
Mary testifies that Sergeant Rutledge saved her life from Indians at a railroad station.
 
Colonel Fosgate is surprised to see his wife Cordelia (Billie Burke) as a witness.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
3. The court in session.
Captain Shattuck questions Cordelia Fosgate.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
4. Mrs. Cordelia Fosgate testifies
She testifies that the dead girl was seeing a local boy, Chris Hubble, the son of Chandler Hubble, a local civilian who ran a store on the post.
 
Another witness describes a battle between soldiers and Indians.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
5. Cavalry riding in Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a rock formation in Utah used for many Western films.
 
Back at the post the court recesses.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
6. Court-martial officers attend to business
The men play poker.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
7. Money on the table
The coins appear to be standard film prop coins resembling US silver dollars and gold coins.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
8. Colonel Fosgate holds the cards
Lieutenant Mulqueen on the right wins the money.
 
The officers return to court.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
9. Back in court
Lt. Cantrell begins his defense.
 
Sergeant Rutledge
10. Lt. Cantrell presents his defense
A gold cross and a jacket are important pieces of evidence.
 
The real killer is called as a witness and confesses. Sergeant Rutledge rejoins his soldiers.
Cast, Directors, Writers:
 
Woody Strode as First Sergeant Rutledge
Toby Michaels as Lucy Dabney
Jeffrey Hunter as Lt. Tom Cantrell
Carleton Young as Captain Shattuck
Willis Bouchey as Lieutenant Colonel Otis Fosgate
Constance Towers as Mary Beecher
Billie Burke as Cordelia
Ed Shaw as Chris Hubble
Fred Libby as Chandler Hubble
 
Director: John Ford
Writers: James Warner Bellah, Willis Goldbeck
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