3 Godfathers

Based on the short novelette by Peter B. Kyne, 3 Godfathers is the story of three outlaws who find themselves taking care of a baby as they try to bring it to civilization in an act of goodwill. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings, the film is a dramatic tale in which three men find themselves in a situation as well as trying to do some good in a world that is often chaotic. Starring John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, Harry Carey Jr., Ward Bond, Mae Marsh, and Ben Johnson. 3 Godfathers is a riveting and compelling film from John Ford.

Following a robbery that left one of three criminals wounded and forced to hide in the desert with very little water, three criminals find a covered wagon in the middle of the desert where a dying woman is giving birth as they made a promise to take care of her baby. It’s a film with a simple story yet it bears a lot of spiritual elements while balancing with it elements of the western genre as it manages to be a lot more. The film’s screenplay by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings start off with these three men wanting to rob a bank as it would be successful except one of the men gets wounded and they also lose their water supply. It becomes cat-and-mouse game between these criminals and a sheriff who is accompanied by a posse of deputies where it is a game of wits. Once the three men find this woman and help her give birth, they realize that they need to get this baby to shelter as it’s no longer about them anymore. Even as they also struggle to do the right thing amidst their lack of water and trekking through the treacherous desert.

John Ford’s direction is definitely rapturous in terms of its visuals as a lot of the film would be shot in and around Death Valley, California as Arizona and parts of Utah. The locations would give Ford a canvas to work with as his usage of the wide shots would play into the beauty of the American West and the Rocky Mountains where he would create images that are just gorgeous to watch. Especially in the attention to detail in how he would frame his actors for a shot while he would also use medium shots to create some intimacy but also moments where it plays into some suspense and drama. The film is set during the Christmas holidays which does add to the air of spirituality in the journey the three criminals would take as it has biblical references while giving the men something more noble than what they were doing. All of which play into doing what is right for a child and bring him into a world where no matter how bad things can be. There is a sense of good that can come in and with people who will do the right thing. Overall, Ford creates a fascinating yet powerful film about three criminals trying to make a vow for a dying woman to take care of her baby.

Cinematographer Winton C. Hoch does amazing work with the film‘s gorgeous and colorful cinematography with the usage of the Technicolor film stock as it captures a lot of the beauty of the Death Valley desert as well as the Rocky Mountains along with some unique yet naturalistic lighting for the scenes set at night. Editor Jack Murray does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for some of the action and a few dissolves for transitions. Art director Jack Basevi and set decorator Joseph Kish do amazing work with the look of the town that the criminals encounter early in the film as well as the water tank stops on the railroad. The sound work of Joseph I. Kane and Frank Moran is terrific as it plays into the sound of train whistles and gunfire as well as other naturalistic elements in the sound. The film’s music by Richard Hageman is fantastic for its orchestral-based music with its string arrangements that range from bombastic to somber as it plays into the many moods in the film as it would also include traditional songs of the times.

The film’s superb cast include some notable small roles from Charles Halton as the bank manager, Dorothy Ford as the bank manager’s niece, Guy Kibbee as the local judge, Jane Darwell as a train stop manager in Miss Florie, Ben Johnson as a member of the deputy posse, Hank Worden as a sheriff’s deputy in Curley, Mae Marsh as the sheriff’s wife, and Mildred Natwick as the dying mother the criminals find in the desert as they help deliver her baby. Ward Bond is fantastic as Sheriff Buck Sweet as a man who is going after the three criminals while admiring their strategy in how to evade capture. In the titular roles as the three criminals are its leads in Harry Carey Jr., Pedro Armendariz, and John Wayne in great performances. In the role of the youngest in William Kearney aka the Abilene Kid, Carey provides that sense of youth but also a spirituality as someone that is well-versed in the Bible while dealing with a gunshot wound on his shoulder.

Pedro Armendariz’s performance as Pete “Pedro” Fuerte is just fun to watch as someone that randomly speaks Spanish as he’s a Mexican bandit yet knows a lot about raising children while also being a man that knows a lot about the story of the three wise men where he sees it as a call to God. John Wayne’s performance as Robert Marmaduke Hightower is really Wayne in one of his best roles as this aging bandit that has seen a lot and knows what to do. Yet, he becomes this unlikely father for this baby while he is determined to do the right thing.

3 Godfathers is a phenomenal film from John Ford that features incredible performances from John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, Harry Carey Jr., and Ward Bond. It’s a film that isn’t just a western that breaks away from some of its conventions but also give it a sense of spirituality in what three men try to do for a baby. In the end, 3 Godfathers is a spectacular film from John Ford.

© thevoid99 2016

2016 Blind Spot Series: Fort Apache

Based on the short story Massacre by James Warner Bellah, Fort Apache is the story of a cavalry officer who is asked to help his commander from preventing a war between the cavalry and the Native Americans during the Indian Wars. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by Frank S. Nugent, the film is the first of a trilogy of films devoted to the cavalry in the American West during the late 1800s where it explores two men with different views and tactics trying to work together to avoid conflict with the Native Americans. Starring John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, Victor McLagen, Ward Bond, Pedro Armendariz, and John Agar. Fort Apache is a riveting and thrilling film from John Ford.

Set in the late 1800s after the American Civil War and during the Indian Wars between various Native American tribes and the American Cavalry. The film revolves around a lieutenant-colonel who arrives to Fort Apache to command a cavalry as he deals with his role as well as trying not to mess with a treaty involving the Apaches. Still, he finds himself having to deal with the way the fort is run as well as those trying to adhere to his rules where a captain finds himself at odds with his commanding officer but doesn’t want to stir trouble. It’s a film that isn’t just about two men who have different ideas of how to run things but also what to do from preventing a war. Especially as it relates to dealing with the Apache where Lt. Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) knows very little about while Captain Kirby York (John Wayne) is someone that sees the Apache as just people wanting to live in peace.

Frank S. Nugent’s screenplay doesn’t play into the conflict of ideologies in Lt. Col. Thursday and Cpt. York but also how would affect the way the fort is run as the latter is trying to play nice and not question the former. Among those living in the fort is Lt. Col. Thursday’s daughter Philadelphia (Shirley Temple) who takes a liking to the young Lieutenant Mickey O’Rourke (John Agar) whose father Sgt. Major Michael O’Rourke (Ward Bond) is a leader of the regiment that also includes men he fought with in the Civil War as part of the Irish Brigade. Lt. O’Rourke’s attraction towards Philadelphia makes her father uneasy not because he’s protective but also due to class prejudice that would eventually upset Sgt. Major O’Rourke at one point as he had tried to do what his superior officer had said much to the chagrin of some of his men. There is also some unique complexities to the characters where Lt. Col. Thursday is seen as egocentric and arrogant but is also a man that is aware of what he has to do despite his reluctance to lead this regiment.

The script also shows complexities in Captain York where despite being an officer that is often friendly with his fellow soldiers while sometimes having dinner with the O’Rourke family. He is still a man of duty and does what is asked without question where he does have to take the criticism of the men who revere him. When it comes to dealing with the Apache following an incident that left two soldiers killed as it relates to the actions of a corrupt agent in Meacham (Grant Withers). The ideologies of Captain York and Lt. Col. Thursday start to go at odds where the latter sees the Apache as savages while the former sees them as real people who don’t want conflict. The film’s third act is about this conflict between the cavalry and Apache where there is an air of respect when they meet before battle but it also show the flaws of Lt. Col. Thursday in dealing with someone like Cochise (Miguel Inclan) as Cpt. York made a deal with him as it also leads to the concept of honor which is something that starts to be questioned during the film’s climatic battle.

John Ford’s direction is truly mesmerizing for the way he captures the American West where he shoots the film largely at Monument Valley in Utah with some of the locations set in California. The locations definitely have a grand look to it as Ford takes advantage of the locations to play into its beauty as there’s a lot of depth of field in the wide and medium shots as well as creating compositions that are just gorgeous. The attention to detail in the wide shots from the way the clouds look above the desert to a wide shot of the entire regiment ready for battle with the wives looking on the balcony in the background. It’s all part of the world that Ford creates as it says a lot to what was happening in those times where it was this uneasy conflict where the American government tried to instill their own rules towards the natives as Lt. Col. Thursday is a representation of that ideology. There are these moments that are intimate as the first scene involving Cpt. York has him in a dance with the officers and soldiers along with their wives as it shows him as someone who is very open and friendly to the soldiers.

It’s a very interesting way in how Ford introduces a major character as opposed to Lt. Col. Thursday and his daughter as they’re introduced when they’re riding on a stagecoach on their way to Fort Apache. It’s among some of the intriguing moments in the film while Ford isn’t afraid to put some humor as it relates to some of the soldiers and how they found some whiskey that they’re supposed to get rid of. The film’s climatic moments involving the cavalry and the Apache are quite intense with its sprawling usage of the dolly tracking shots to capture the chases as well as the wide shots to play into the scope of these battle scenes. The way Ford was able to present the climax is nothing short of astonishing as it has a lot of what is happening but also destroy some of the mythical aspects that is the American West. Overall, Ford crafts an exhilarating and compelling film about two cavalry officers dealing with their different ideas of conflict while dealing with the Apache.

Cinematographer Archie Stout, with un-credited work from William H. Clothier, does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the beauty of the daytime exterior scenes as well as some unique lighting for some of the interiors set at night. Editor Jack Murray does excellent work with the editing with its usage of dissolves and fade-outs for structural reasons along with some rhythmic cutting for the action. Art director James Basevi does amazing work with the design of the fort as well as some of the houses and such in the desert to play into the look of the West. The sound work of Joseph I. Kane and Frank Webster is superb for some of the natural elements in the locations along with the way the bugles sound and some of the more broad elements in the action involving gunfire. The film’s music by Richard Hageman is fantastic for its bombastic orchestral score with its usage of string arrangements and brass section to play into some of the moments of action along with the usage of traditional music for some of the more intimate moments.

The film’s incredible cast include some notable small roles from Irene Rich as Major Sgt. O’Rourke’s wife, Anna Lee as Captain Collinwood’s wife who knew Lt. Col. Thursday’s wife, Movita as Lt. Col. Thursday’s cook Guadalupe, Guy Kibbee as the surgeon Captain Wilkens, and Miguel Incan as the famed Apache warrior Cochise. Victor McLagen is terrific as Lt. O’Rourke’s godfather Sgt. Mulcahy who likes to drink and have fun as he doesn’t like Lt. Col. Thursday while Pedro Armendariz is superb as Sgt. Beaufort as a former Confederate who aids Captain York in talking with the Apache. Grant Withers is wonderful as the scheming agent Silas Meacham who had caused trouble with the Apache as he’s disliked by many though is protected by the government much to Cpt. York’s dismay.

George O’Brien is fantastic as Cpt. Sam Collinwood as an old friend of Lt. Col. Thursday who tries to deal with what his superior wants as well as making the move to transfer to another company. John Agar is pretty good as Lt. Mickey O’Rourke as a young lieutenant, who like Lt. Col. Thursday is a West Point graduate, who is trying to find his footing while falling for Philadelphia much to her father’s dismay. Ward Bond is excellent as Major Sgt. O’Rourke as Lt. O’Rourke’s father who was part of the revered Irish brigade during the Civil War as a man who is proud of his duty as a soldier only to find himself at odds with Lt. Col. Thursday over class. Shirley Temple is brilliant as Philadelphia Thursday as Lt. Col. Thursday’s daughter who falls for Lt. O’Rourke while trying to understand the ideas of duty as she is just fun to watch.

Henry Fonda is great as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday as this officer who is trying to do his duty and do everything he is asked where he is also arrogant in his ways as it’s a very chilling role from Fonda who intentionally plays a man that looks stiff in the way he looks and does things but it is one of his finest performances. Finally, there’s John Wayne in a phenomenal performance as Captain Kirby York as this man that has encountered and knows a lot about the Apache as he tries to help Lt. Col. Thursday every way he can while swallowing some of his pride to do his duty unless he knows something isn’t right as it’s Wayne at his best.

Fort Apache is a sensational film from John Ford that features top-notch performances from John Wayne and Henry Fonda. With a great script, a superb supporting cast, and gorgeous visuals, the film isn’t just one of Ford’s great westerns but also a study of ideologies and myths surrounding the American West. In the end, Fort Apache is a tremendous film from John Ford.

© thevoid99 2016

007 James Bond Marathon: From Russia with Love

Based on the novel by Ian Fleming, From Russia with Love is about James Bond protecting a Soviet defector where they team up to retrieve an encryption device from SPECTRE as they’re also seeking to kill Bond. Directed by Terence Young and screenplay by Richard Maibaum (with additional contributions from Johanna Harwood), the film has James Bond becoming a target just as he also steps up his game to fight against the organization he discovered about in the previous film Dr. No as Sean Connery returns to play the role of Agent 007. Also starring Daniela Bianchi, Lotte Lenya, Pedro Armendariz, Robert Shaw, Desmond Llwelyn, Lois Maxwell, and Bernard Lee as M. From Russia with Love is a thrilling and exhilarating film from Terence Young.

Seeking revenge for what James Bond had done in Jamaica, SPECTRE hires former SMERSH colonel Rosa Klebb (Lotte Lenya) and Czechoslovakian chess master Kronsteen (Vladek Sheybal) to create a plan to steal a Soviet cryptographic device to intensify the Cold War. Klebb brings in assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw) to aid in the plan while she also has a beautiful Soviet embassy clerk from Istanbul in Tatiana Romanova (Daniel Bianchi) as a pawn to seduce Bond as Romanov is unaware of her role. Learning about Romanova wanting to defect with the cryptographic device, M sends Bond to Istanbul to meet her as he meets his contact in Turkish station head Ali Kerim Bey (Pedro Armendariz).

Bey reveals a long-standing tension between the Soviet and the Turks where the Bulgarians are involved to help the Soviet as they spy on the Soviet consulate where Bond gets a look at Romanova. Bond and Bey also learn that ruthless Bulgarian assassin Krilencu (Fred Haggerty) is involved as he would later attack Bond and Bey at rural gypsy settlement where Bond is unaware that Grant is there to keep him alive. After aiding Bey in ridding Krilencu, Bond finally meets Romanova where the two are unaware of SPECTRE’s involvement. After a rendezvous that Romanova was supposed to meet where Bond realizes something isn’t right as he got the floor plan to steal the cryptographic device.

After succeeding in getting the device with Romanova and Bey, the trio board a train where they stop a Russian agent as things seemed to go well as planned. Unfortunately, something happens as Bond realizes that something strange is happening as Grant boards the train pretending to be Bond’s contact. Eventually, Bond and Romanova realize what is really going on forcing Bond to do something to stop SPECTRE and their plans.

The film is essentially the story of James Bond trying to aid a Russian defector in bringing in a device that could help them in the Cold War only to be unaware in their role as pawns in a game by an organization that is trying to heat up the Cold War and target James Bond. The film is partially a revenge tale from the point of view of SPECTRE and their secretive leader in a man that is known as Number 1. Yet, it’s also an adventure film from Bond’s perspective as he’s trying to do his mission for the British while having his time to kick some ass and score with women all at the same time. Richard Maimbaum’s screenplay does play to the formula of how Bond conducts his adventures but it does take its time to play with it. Notably the opening scene to reveal Grant’s professionalism as an assassin as well as the next scene where SPECTRE plan their next move following the events of Dr. No.

One of the key differences in Maimbaum’s script is how Bond is willing to play the role of a pawn so he can figure out what is going on. While Romanova may not be aware of what she’s doing as she’s just a clerk that is willing to defect. She isn’t some damsel-in-distress as she is quite an interesting woman who is playing a part for Klebb but is unaware of the role she’s really playing. When her relationship with Bond starts to grow, she becomes more concerned of a life outside the Soviet Union and away from conflict only to be aware of the stakes that is happening around her and the cryptographic device she’s to hand over to the British.

Then there’s the villains as their motivation are very clear from the beginning as they are definitely aiming for revenge and power. Having Bond be the pawn of what they want and then kill him add to the element of suspense the story needed as they’re trying to pit Soviets/Bulgarians against Turkish agents just so they can get Bond to play with the Turks so he can steal the device and eventually get it from with the help of a very intelligent and powerful assassin who doesn’t say a word until the third act. Of course, the villains would practically underestimate Bond who isn’t some typical secret agent who has a lot love for the ladies and is willing to play the fool.

Terence Young’s direction is amazing for the way he plays out the suspense such as the opening prologue scene before the opening credits to display Grant’s skills as an assassin. With a lot of gorgeous compositions of the location in Istanbul with some amazing set pieces such as Bey’s home office and Soviet embassy. Young’s direction is always thrilling while he takes his time to let the action sequences play out where it does create a moment of excitement such as the battle scene in the gypsy settlement.

Since the film is an action-adventure spy thriller, Young is also aware that the story is balanced by Bond playing a sleuth to discover what is going on while being part of an element of suspense. One key scene that is a mastery in the air of suspense is where Bond finally meets Grant for who he really is as it’s a great scene of how to build up the suspense. It’s all about the battle of wits and Bond killing time so he can make his move. It’s a scene that is presented wit such simplicity and patience where it sets off a great payoff that would lead to more adventures for Bond as he faces SPECTRE. Overall, Young creates a truly spectacular and fun film that creates a standard of what James Bond film should be.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does excellent work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography to play up the beautiful locations of the Istanbul exteriors along with some amazing lighting set-ups for the scenes inside the church. Editor Peter R. Hunt does amazing work for the film‘s stylized editing that is filled with rhythmic cuts for the film‘s action sequences along with a transition wipe and other stylized cuts to help maintain a leisured rhythm. Production designer Syd Cain does brilliant work with the set pieces created such as the home base where Bond is briefed to the interior places in Istanbul and the Orient Express train.

Costume designer Jocelyn Rickards does nice work with the costumes such as dresses that Romanova wears to complement her sensual style and beauty. Sound recorders C. Le Mesurier and John W. Mitchell do terrific work with the sound such as the intimacy of the church along with the raucous atmosphere of the gypsy settlement. The film’s music by John Barry is incredible for the way it plays up to the suspense and drama while creating various uses to Monty Brown’s famed theme to help keep the flow going. The title song sung by Matt Monro is a truly exquisite ballad that plays in the film’s final credits to emphasize Bond’s love for Romanova.

The casting by Weston Drury Jr. is superb for the ensemble that is created as it features some memorable small roles from Eunice Gayson reprising her role as Bond’s semi-girlfriend Sylvia Trench, Fred Haggerty as Bulgarian assassin Krilencu, Aliza Gur and Martine Beswick as a couple of gypsy women who fight each other only to be a couple of women Bond sleeps with, Vladek Sheybal as the Czech chess grandmaster Kronsteen who tries to organize a fail-safe plan to get rid of Bond, and in the mysterious role of Number 1 aka Ernst Stavro Blofield, the voice of Eric Pohlmann and the body of Anthony Dawson who previously played Dr. No in the preceding film. Other notable roles of people who would be Bond regulars include Walter Gotell in an early appearance to the franchise as a SPECTRE henchman, Lois Maxwell as the flirtatious secretary Miss Moneypenny, and Desmond Llewlyn in his debut appearance as Bond’s gadgets man Q.

In his final film role, Pedro Armendariz is excellent as the helpful and witty Ali Kermin Bey who aids Bond in the mission while grounding him on what he should do. Bernard Lee is terrific as Bond’s superior M who briefs Bond on what he should do while being frustrated with Bond’s other activities. Lotte Lenya is great as the cunning villainous Colonel Rosa Klebb who wants to ensure Bond’s end while Robert Shaw is fantastic as the eerie yet very low-key killer Red Grant as there’s a cool silence about Shaw’s performance in the first two acts only to be even cooler when he speaks. Daniela Bianchi is wonderful as Tatiana Romanova who unknowingly becomes a pawn in SPECTRE’s schemes as she finds an ally in Bond where she aids him in her role as a defector as it’s a part that has charm and wit though Bianchi’s voice is dubbed by Barbara Jefford.

Finally, there’s Sean Connery as Agent 007 James Bond where Connery definitely shows more of his skills as a badass to play Bond while exuding the same kind of charm and professionalism that the role required. Connery also maintains Bond’s low-key sense of humor while the scene he has with Shaw shows Connery just playing it cool and not putting pressure on himself as he maintains that kind of masterful way to restrain himself as what Bond needed. It’s definitely Connery who just ups the ante in his role as 007.

From Russia with Love is a fantastic and entertaining film from Terence Young that features Sean Connery in an incredible performance as James Bond. The film is definitely among one of the great films of the James Bond film series thanks in part to the way it plays out its suspense and featuring great supporting characters who are quite complex in the way they interact with Bond. In the end, From Russia with Love is a phenomenal action-adventure film from Terence Young.

James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - Goldfinger - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Diamonds Are Forever - Live & Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights- Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale (2006 film) - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE - No Time to Die

Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again

Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls Are Forever - True Bond - Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

© thevoid99 2012