Sergeant Rutledge (1960) on Netflix
Approved19601h 51mCrimeWestern
Sergeant Braxton Rutledge, a Black first sergeant of the 9th U.S. Cavalry, is charged with raping and murdering Lucy Dabney and killing her father. Lieutenant Tom Cantrell defends him.
- Netflix4.1/5
- IMDb7.4/106,228 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes91%
Trailer
Plot summary
In 1881, at a cavalry post, Sergeant Braxton Rutledge of the 9th U.S. Cavalry, one of the Army's four Black regiments, is charged with the rape and murder of Lucy Dabney and the killing of her father, Major Custis Dabney, who commanded the fort. Lieutenant Tom Cantrell, Rutledge's own troop officer, steps forward to defend him before a court-martial. The trial plays out through the testimony of witnesses who recall the events in flashbacks, among them Mary Beecher, who tells the court that Rutledge saved her life when Apache fighters attacked. The fort is also caught up in an Apache uprising, and the case draws a crowd of onlookers.
Cast
- Phil Adamsas Court Guard
- Mario Arteagaas Mexican
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Sergeant Rutledge (1960)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The film still draws interest as an early mainstream American movie that dealt with racism openly and gave a Black actor a leading role.
- For the 1960 release, advertisements warned audiences they could not be seated during the final 10 minutes of Sergeant Rutledge, to preserve its suspense.
- Some newspaper ads for Sergeant Rutledge were fake classified ads asking anyone with information about what Sergeant Rutledge did to contact Mary Beecher at CI.6-1000.
