1940 movie "Arizona", more on the guns

[springfield art]

Still watching the DVD of 1940's 'Arizona'; Jean Arthur does a great acting job; I've posted about the actual BP guns used; characters have powder horns or flasks, no hokey cartridge belts as it's 1860! Arthur's character gives her fiance, a recent Union vet, (Wm Holden) a Henry rifle, a real actual one, as no repros were made in 1940; it's minty! She also hands him a box with pre-loaded charger tubes, to "speed load" into the rifle, and an additional box of bulk ctgs. He's amazed that it can shoot 16 rounds without re-loading. The sets are still used today as Old Tucson. Arthur's shotgun is a hammer percussion; You don't see much reloading, I'll admit, but the extras are real local Natives and the Indians are the real deal; imagine Arizona in 1940 and the availability of real 19th C. guns, not props or repros.

 

[windini]

imagine Arizona in 1940 and the availability of real 19th C. guns, not props or repros.

Authenticity by default!

 

[springfield art]

I'm watching 'Arizona' in small segments, almost like the old movie serials. Last night, the main bad guy trying to scam Jean Arthur out of her ranch, pulled out an ADAMS REVOLVER, fully viewable in profile in the film. Of course it's a real original one, at the time, 1940! He was gonna shoot Jean Arthur's fiance, but was foiled by his 'partner', who he's going to double-cross anyway. The 550 herd of cattle, (no CGI!) stampede and the 100 Indians, is amazing filmmaking for 1940. The Indians aren't guys they got at a drugstore downtown in LA, they're the real deal! Seeing people with Bowie knives, powder flasks, powder horns, and possible pouches is refreshing. There's clear-cut good and bad people, it's a great movie! During a cattle stampede, one character shoots his 1858 Remington; he's a former Union sgt., so he would be familiar with 'em.