Carbine Williams is one of those movies that is just hard to comment on, mostly because it tells the story of a person's life but adds in things that might not have happened to them. This movie (starring James Stewart) is the backstory of one of the most successful weapons of the second world war: the M1 carbine. A carbine, in simple terms, is a shorter version of a rifle that may or may not use a smaller diameter bullet. The M1 was developed by the US military because the Colt 1911 pistols america was issuing at the time were difficult to aim correctly at ranges longer than about 100 feet. David Williams (or Carbine Williams as he is known) would set about developing a new weapon based around a new bullet, would have a stock, and be aimed like a rifle, making shooting easier. The carbine was basically intended to replace the 1911 because it was easier to aim, but it never truly did. Many servicemen liked the weapon for its higher ammo capacity over the pistol, and others hated it because it wasn't as accurate as a true rifle. Love it or hate it, the M1 carbine was one of the most important weapons in the american arsenal during world war 2, and it would make a big difference in the course of the war. The movie follows David Williams and how he eventually would become part of a group of men who were responsible for coming up with the carbine during the second world war. It's important to note that Williams did not invent the weapon all by himself, but was credited with inventing what is known as a short stroke piston, which is a device some guns have that utilizes gas generated near the breech to cycle the action and load the next round. In the film, Williams gets busted for making moonshine, and also killed a cop when he came to investigate what he was doing. Because of this, he gets imprisoned for 3 decades. One day, he gets transferred to a different prison, and the warden lets him put his knowledge to use in an area with tools. It is in this place where he invents the gas operating system for the M1. After being released in the late 20s, he works at Winchester and helps build the gun that will eventually be made in the millions. It's a good enough movie based on a person whose invention would save (and end) a lot of lives in the second world war.
Review of Carbine Williams
