Soldier of Fortune
Theatrical Release Poster
Main Cast
Character
Actor
Hank Lee
Clark Gable
Mrs. Jane Hoyt
Susan Hayward
Inspector Merryweather
Michael Rennie
Louis Hoyt
Gene Barry
Rene Dupont Chevalier
Alexander D'Arcy
Tweedie
Tom Tully
Madame Dupree
Anna Sten
Fernand Rocha
Mel Welles
Soldier of Fortune is a 1955 adventure movie directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Clark Gable and Susan Hayward. American photojournalist Louis Hoyt covertly enters Communist China from Hong Kong but is imprisoned as a suspected spy. His wife Jane (Hayward) arrives in Hong Kong and decides to arrange his escape. Local shady shipping magnate Hank Lee (Gable) tries to dissuade her from such plans. But after he falls in love with Jane and realises that she will not give up, Hank decides to rescue Louis himself.
The following weapons were used in the film Soldier of Fortune :
Handguns
M1911A1
An M1911A1 pistol is Hank Lee's (Clark Gable ) handgun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing World War II Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP. This was an issued U.S. Army pistol with parkerized finish, thus the official designation of M1911A1
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank holds the pistol. The shape of the grip matches the A1 version.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank loads his pistol.
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Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank tucks the pistol into his belt.
Webley .455 Mk VI
Hong Kong Marine Police Inspector Merryweather (Michael Rennie) carries a Webley .455 Mk VI revolver.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Webley Mk VI - .455 Webley
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The grip of Merryweather's holstered revolver is seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A good view of the holster.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank Lee loads the revolver that he confiscated from Merryweather.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank returns the revolver to Merryweather after Inspector agrees to help.
Unidentified pistol
The skipper of Hank's junk Ying Fai (Frank Tang) holds an unidentified pistol during the prison break for Louis Hoyt.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Ying Fai cocks the slide of his pistol. The gun is seen very unclear due to the darkness and the dirty windshield.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Ying Fai, disguised as a soldier, breaks in the room where Hoyt is held. The pistol seems to have a massive tubular barrel shroud, and the barrel protrudes slightly from it.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of the pistol. The hammer spur can be seen.
Submachine Guns
Sten Mk II
Some Chinese soldiers, guarding the prison, and sailors, boarding the ferry from Hong Kong to Macau, are armed with Sten Mk II submachine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sten Mk II (Canadian) - 9x19mm
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier with a Sten guards arrested Louis Hoyt.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A sailor with a Sten.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Canadian stock is seen.
Thompson M1928A1
Several other Chinese sailors are armed with Thompson M1928A1s . One of the Thompsons has an uncommon hooded front sight.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45 ACP. This specimen has the sling swivel relocated to the top of the stock, a modification often made to Thompsons in British service.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Two sailors with Thompsons.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The hooded front sight of a Thompson is seen.
Beretta Model 38A
A Beretta Model 38A submachine gun without the magazine is seen in Hank Lee's cabin on his junk.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Beretta Model 38A - 9x19mm
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Winchester Model 70 and the Beretta Model 38A (the bottom one) hang on the wall in the captain's cabin.
Rifles
Winchester Model 70
A Winchester Model 70 with a sniper scope is seen in Hank Lee's cabin on his junk.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 - .30-06
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Winchester Model 70 (on top) and the Beretta Model 38A hang on the wall in the captain's cabin.
Mauser Gewehr 1898
Several Chinese soldiers are armed with Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles. The rifles are seen only in the night scenes.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A sentry with Gewehr 98 rifle. The sword bayonet is seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another sentry holds a Gewehr 98 without a bayonet. The straight bolt handle is seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of the rifle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel is seen.
Machine Guns
Oerlikon 20 mm Cannon
Hank Lee armes his junk Chicago with an Oerlikon 20 mm Cannon , hidden under the deck. In the final scene he uses the gun against the pursuing patrol boat.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing US Navy Mark 4 single pedestal mount Oerlikon L70 Cannon with early-war eyepiece / ring antiaircraft sight - 20x110mm RB
Error creating thumbnail: File missing During the inspection of the junk Inspector Merryweather is very surprised by the find.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A dozen 20-round magazines for the Oerlikon.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank loads the autocannon.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A good view of the barrel.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank aims the Oerlikon at the patrol boat.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Fire!
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A close-up of the muzzle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hank fires the autocannon.
Trivia
Single Action Army
The film poster depicts Hank Lee (Clark Gable ) holding a Single Action Army "Civilian" model revolver. He doesn't use such gun in the film.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt Single Action Army with 4.75" barrel, case colored and blued, referred to as "Quick-Draw" or "Civilian" model - .45 Long Colt
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Patrol Boats
A Chinese patrol boat is armed with a Hotchkiss 6-pounder (57 mm) gun, a common gun on various navies in late 19th - early 20th century. During the WWII such guns were still in use on small crafts. Two machine guns that are also mounted on the boat are mockups, approximately representing the flexible mount variant of Browning AN/M2 as they are fitted with spade grips.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The patrol boat boards the ferry from Hong Kong to Macau. The Hotchkiss gun and the mockups of the machine guns are seen.
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Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Hotchkiss gun is seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The patrol boat pursues Hank's junk.
On the close-ups of the deck of the patrol boat during the chase after Hank's junk, the Hotchkiss gun is replaced with a US Navy 3-inch/L23 Mk 9, Mk 13 or Mk 14 "boat gun", a light naval cannon designed for the use on boats and submarines. Most likely, these scenes were filmed not on a real boat, but on a mockup of the deck in the pavilion.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The 3-inch gun and mockup machine guns are seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel of the 3-inch gun.