Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

"Carbine Williams" is a seldom seen film. It offers a rare James Stewart in a role that was so opposite to the kind of characters he usually portrayed. The film which was based on a real individual, David Marshall Williams, gives us a glimpse about his life in rural North Carolina. The film, directed by Richard Thorpe, should be seen as a curiosity piece showcasing a great actor.Marsh Williams' life was not a happy one. He had the misfortune of being at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Without being a criminal, he was condemned to jail. His time in prison was not exactly a happy one because everything conspired against him. Marsh had high values and evidently, he was ashamed of even corresponding with his family. It takes a wise man, Capt. Peoples, a warden from the facility where he was serving time, to see that Marsh had the potential for achieving greatness, as he proves at the end.James Stewart plays a much younger man with conviction. Mr. Stewart was an actor that always delivered in spite of playing against type. In fact, his performance is more nuanced in this film. Jean Hagen, the good girl who marries Marsh, is also good. Wendell Corey has the more interesting role of the warden who sticks his neck out because he believes in a man, that by right, shouldn't be helped. Veteran actors Paul Stewart, Porter Hall, James Arness, Rhys Williams, Otto Hulett, and Leif Erickson are seen in supporting roles."Carbine Williams" is worth a try because of all the elements that went into the production of the film.

This is a great story about David Marshall Williams - an independent spirited man who rightfully or wrongfully gets accused of killing a law enforcement officer during a moonshine distillery raid and goes to prison. The twist is that he's not a career criminal but a strait forward man, and also an inventor who comes across wrong during the trial for speaking the event as he believes it, and gets the unfair blame for the death. Williams (Jimmy Stuart) is an honest man who says things as he believes it - which doesn't win him charm points with the prison warden, but has a principle he believes in. Some of his integrity shines through, and although seen as a trouble maker, he is entrusted to be in the machine shop of the prison. There he puts his mind to work and starts working on a new rifle design. During one altercation, he's thrown into solitary confinement where he uses the time to invent the new gas action loading mechanism for his rifle. By this time prison warden Capt. H.T. Peoples (Wendell Corey) is sympathetic with Williams and allows him to develop his idea. He even allows Williams to have time out of prison to spend with his wife. Marshall could have escaped during this time, but he returns to prison again showing his strait forward integrity. On the day Williams completes the design, to test fire the rifle, Capt. Peoples hands Williams the bullet - warden is giving his prisoner a bullet to fire a rifle ! The design works, and Williams applies for patent. Colt fire arms is interested in his design, and visits him in prison to license his design. The design becomes none other than the M1 rifle which became the staple fire arms during WW II for the U.S. military.This is a great story told by great actors about a man who despite his odds achieved something no short of a miracle. It also tells a story about human heart, that there are good men who can be understanding, generous, and develop friendship despite situations they are placed under. James Stuart play the role of Carbine Williams character perfectly. An honest man of few words, but lives by a principle he believes in. He's an anti-hero of a sorts in this movie, but is my most favorite part he's ever played in a movie. Wendell Corey plays somewhat of a protective role to Williams who he understands is living life too honestly for his own good. Their muted but genuine friendship shines through in this film.One of the few unknown classic of Hollywood. A marvelous movie to watch.

Some how I just seemed to have missed this great film of James Stewart and his great acting and a very entertaining film. James Stewart,(David Marshall,'Marsh',Williams),"Bell Book & Candle",'58, winds up in a prison camp with nice stripe uniforms and a very bad attitude towards writing home to his wife, and his prison warden, Wendell Corey,(Capt. H.T. Peoples),"The Big Knife",'55. Capt. Peoples tries to break Marsh down to his way of thinking and as a result, he starts making automatic weapons. Jean Hagen,(Maggie Williams),"The Big Knife",'55, gave an outstanding supporting role as the wife of Marsh. If you want to see a young Stewart and a very entertaining story, watch this great CLASSIC!

Jimmy Stewart plays real-life inventor Marsh "Carbine" Williams, a not-so-very-nice guy, really. Which is mostly the reason why Stewart wanted to take the part. Marsh Williams is convicted of murder although there was really never any proof. He is a bitter man, proud, trying to spare his family the heartache of seeing him in prison, but they stick by him anyway.I enjoyed this movie; my favorite part probably being the friendship that slowly develops between inmate Williams and Captain Peoples ("Cap"). Watch for a good scene towards the end where Cap makes his friendship for Williams loud and clear - a true symbol of the trust he had in the alleged killer.The story of the man, his family, and his friends, is the real story here. The fact that he invented a new kind of gun is a side-note. Interesting, though, the ability he had to build things with bare essentials and his own two hands.Good movie. Not the typical "everyman" Stewart, but he does a great job in the part.Jean Hagen (perhaps best known for her role as the ditzy silent-movie star opposite Gene Kelly in "Singin' in the Rain") plays Stewart's wife in the movie.