JAMES STEWART WITH JEAN HAGEN IN 'CARBINE WILLIAMS'

Title: CARBINE WILLIAMS Year: 1952 Rating: ***1/2

Famously likeable James Stewart did his share of dramatic roles, although most were of simple, everyday fellas, so in CARBINE WILLIAMS he plays a determined, insanely stubborn white trash loser...

Although he starts out nice enough in a frame story about the titular gun-maker whose backstory begins with a perfect marriage contrasting a secret, very illegal and dangerous moonshine gig... 

Stewarts James and Paul ride the prison train in CARBINE WILLIAMS

But CARBINE is mostly a hard-line prison flick, initially of the chain-gang nature, and Stewart does a pretty good job as a convict who refuses to give in, even to logic when there's a nice-enough warden (Wendell Corey) on the last stretch... 

As Stewart remains a sullen wishbone between token rebel Paul Stewart, always planning an escape, while avoiding perfectly-patient wife Jean Hagen in a nifty biopic with a little more run-time than the usual programmer.

James Stewart and Jean Hagen in CARBINE WILLIAMS

James Stewart and Jean Hagen in CARBINE WILLIAMS

James Stewart and James Arness (younger brother, cameo) in CARBINE WILLIAMS

James Stewart and Paul Stewart in CARBINE WILLIAMS

James Stewart and Jean Hagen in CARBINE WILLIAMS

James Stewart and Wendell Corey in CARBINE WILLIAMS