Soldier of Fortune (1955)

Soldier of Fortune Error creating thumbnail: File missing Theatrical Release Poster Country Error creating thumbnail: File missing USA Directed by Edward Dmytryk Release Date 1955 Studio 20th Century Fox Distributor 20th Century Fox 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.

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World War II Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP. This was an issued U.S. Army pistol with parkerized finish, thus the official designation of M1911A1

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Hank holds the pistol. The shape of the grip matches the A1 version.

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Hank loads his pistol.

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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.

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Webley Mk VI - .455 Webley

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The grip of Merryweather's holstered revolver is seen.

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A good view of the holster.

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Hank Lee loads the revolver that he confiscated from Merryweather.

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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.

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Ying Fai cocks the slide of his pistol. The gun is seen very unclear due to the darkness and the dirty windshield.

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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.

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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.

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Sten Mk II (Canadian) - 9x19mm

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A soldier with a Sten guards arrested Louis Hoyt.

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A sailor with a Sten.

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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.

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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.

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Two sailors with Thompsons.

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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.

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Beretta Model 38A - 9x19mm

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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.

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Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 - .30-06

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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.

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Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

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A sentry with Gewehr 98 rifle. The sword bayonet is seen.

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Another sentry holds a Gewehr 98 without a bayonet. The straight bolt handle is seen.

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Another view of the rifle.

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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.

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US Navy Mark 4 single pedestal mount Oerlikon L70 Cannon with early-war eyepiece / ring antiaircraft sight - 20x110mm RB

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During the inspection of the junk Inspector Merryweather is very surprised by the find.

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A dozen 20-round magazines for the Oerlikon.

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Hank loads the autocannon.

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A good view of the barrel.

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Hank aims the Oerlikon at the patrol boat.

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Fire!

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A close-up of the muzzle.

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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.

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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.

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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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The Hotchkiss gun is seen.

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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.

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The 3-inch gun and mockup machine guns are seen.

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The barrel of the 3-inch gun.