The Clay Pigeon

film by Fleischer [1949]

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July 20, 2026

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The Clay Pigeon is a 1949 American film noir directed by Richard Fleischer. The movie centers on a sailor who awakens from a coma to discover he is facing a court-martial for treason.1

The term "clay pigeon" refers to a saucer-shaped target, typically made of baked clay or limestone and pitch, used in sports like skeet and trapshooting.2

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Richard Fleischer
Early life and work
…who is framed for murder; The Clay Pigeon (1949), about a sailor (played by Bill Williams) who awakens from a coma only to learn that he is about to be court-martialed for treason; Follow Me Quietly (1949), a police procedural about a serial killer; and Trapped (1949), a pseudodocumentary about…
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…who is framed for murder; The Clay Pigeon (1949), about a sailor (played by Bill Williams) who awakens from a coma only to learn that he is about to be court-martialed for treason; Follow Me Quietly (1949), a police procedural about a serial killer; and Trapped (1949), a pseudodocumentary about…
Read More