Boxcar Bertha_
"Life made her an outcast. Love made her an outlaw."
"Boxcar" Bertha Thompson, a transient woman in Arkansas during the violence-filled Depression of the early '30s, meets up with rabble-rousing union man "Big" Bill Shelly and the two team up to fight the corrupt railroad establishment.
Starring
Barbara Hershey, David Carradine, Barry Primus
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
Boxcar Bertha was released 54 years ago in 1972.
Overview
"Boxcar" Bertha Thompson, a transient woman in Arkansas during the violence-filled Depression of the early '30s, meets up with rabble-rousing union man "Big"...
Boxcar Bertha is a Crime, Drama film with a runtime of 1h 28m.
CAST (15)
Barbara Hershey
Boxcar Bertha
David Carradine
Big Bill Shelly
Barry Primus
Rake Brown
Bernie Casey
Von Morton
John Carradine
H. Buckram Sartoris
Victor Argo
McIver #1
DO
David Osterhout
McIver #2
Harry Northup
Harvey Hall
JR
Joe Reynolds
Joe Cox
MD
Marianne Dole
Mrs. Mailler
AM
Ann Morell
Tillie Parr
Martin Scorsese
Brothel Client (uncredited)
JC
Jerry Cortez
Sheriff (uncredited)
Louie Elias
Boxcar Tough (uncredited)
GR
Gayne Rescher
Brothel Client (uncredited)
CREW
Writer
Writer
BOX OFFICE
$600K
Budget
STUDIOS (1)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
88 min (1h 28m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
5.8/10 (236 votes)
Popularity
4
Budget
$600,000
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Boxcar Bertha about?
"Boxcar" Bertha Thompson, a transient woman in Arkansas during the violence-filled Depression of the early '30s, meets up with rabble-rousing union man "Big" Bill Shelly and the two team up to fight the corrupt railroad establishment.
How long is Boxcar Bertha?
Boxcar Bertha has a runtime of 88 minutes (1h 28m).
Who stars in Boxcar Bertha?
The cast of Boxcar Bertha includes Barbara Hershey, David Carradine, Barry Primus, Bernie Casey, John Carradine.
What is the rating of Boxcar Bertha?
Boxcar Bertha has a rating of 5.8 out of 10 based on 236 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Crime
Drama
KEYWORDS (3)
depression
based on novel or book
labor organizer