The film follows a former boxer who has returned from Pittsburgh to a small Irish village to purchase his old family cottage as he gets the ire of his neighbor who wanted the land as the tension worsens when the boxer falls for his neighbor’s sister. It is a film that plays into this man who has chosen to leave behind the world of boxing but also wanting to return home to his old family cottage in order to restore the family’s legacy while falling for this woman whose brother has immense hatred for. Frank S. Nugent’s screenplay, with un-credited contributions by John Ford, is largely straightforward as it is told mainly from the perspective of Father Lonergan (Ward Bond) who narrates the story as it opens with the arrival of Sean Thornton (John Wayne) who goes to the village of Inisfree with a lot of money in wanting to buy the cottage that his family used to live in when he was a child. Upon his arrival, Thornton gets a glimpse of a fiery redhead in Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O’Hara) whom he tries to court only to realize her older brother is Squire “Red” Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen) who is upset that Thornton purchased the cottage and land from the rich widow Sarah Tillane (Mildred Natwick) who accepted Thornton’s offer.
Though Red refuses to have his sister wanting to do with Thornton despite the town’s embracement of him due to his family history. Mary Kate does fall for Thornton as many of its locals including Father Lonergan, the matchmaker/bookmaker Michaeleen `Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald), the Protestant Reverend Cyril Playfair (Arthur Shields) and his wife Elizabeth (Eileen Crowe) decide to create a little lie that would get Red to allow his sister to marry Thornton. Yet, things eventually get complicated making things for Thornton and Mary Kate troubling with the former also carrying the guilt into why he ended his boxing career as he is unwilling to get physical with Red. Even as the latter has a dowry that she had worked for and wants as Thornton is unsure in how to get it without getting physical as he is afraid of what he might do.
John Ford’s direction is definitely full of richness in its imagery as many of its exterior locations were shot on location in the Ireland counties of Mayo and Galway with the interior locations shot at the Republic Studios backlot. Ford’s usage of the wide shots definitely add to the beauty of the locations with so much attention to detail of the hills and mountains in the background as well as the fields and grass in the foreground. It plays into the vastness of the village while Ford also employs a lot of close-ups and medium shots for the scenes at the cottage and at the pub where the characters go to. Even as it play into the drama such as the scene where Red meets Thornton for the first time at Tillane’s home where Ford definitely showcases the tension that looms throughout the film while also infusing bits of comedy when Flynn is asked to watch over Thornton and Mary Kate as their courtship begins.
Ford’s direction also plays into the difference between American and Irish customs as it is something Thornton has trouble with when it concerns the latter as well as his own confusion about Mary Kate’s dowry. It is a moment where Ford definitely shifts from the male perspective of things to Mary Kate’s own perspective of pride as she is someone who has to tend to her brother and his mates yet has worked hard to make something for herself. While Thornton has everything he can get her, the dowry isn’t something that Mary Kate needs as Thornton would eventually understand as Ford does create some unique shots as it plays into Thornton’s own fear about his past and what he’s afraid he might do. Yet, it all comes down to this climatic moment that is all about Thornton needing to prove how much he loves Mary Kate and what he must do for her. Overall, Ford crafts a riveting and evocative film about an Irish-born American ex-boxer trying to get the approval of his neighbor so he can marry that man’s sister.
Cinematographer Winton C. Hoch does brilliant work with the film’s Technicolor cinematography as it captures the lushness of the locations along with some low-key lighting for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Jack Murray does excellent work with the editing as it has some unique rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and action along with a few transitional dissolves. Art director Frank Hotaling, with set decorators John McCarthy Jr. and Charles S. Thompson, does amazing work with the look of the interiors of the cottage that Thornton used to live in as a child as well as the home of Danaher. Costume designer Adele Palmer does fantastic work with the costumes from the look of the dresses that Mary Kate wears as well as some of the fine suits and casual clothing that Thornton wears.
The special effects by Howard and Theodore Lydecker are terrific for its usage of a few of the film’s minimal effects such as some of the medium shots of the characters on a carriage with rear projection footage in the background. The sound work of Daniel J. Bloomberg, T.A. Carman, David H. Moriarty, W.O. Watson, and Howard Wilson is superb for capturing the sounds of the crowd during some big events including the film’s climax along with the sound of music that is played on location. The film’s music by Victor Young is incredible for its luscious score that mixes orchestral string arrangements with traditional Irish folk as it is a major highlight of the film that include traditional songs that play into the atmosphere of the film.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast as it feature some notable small roles from Jack MacGowran as Red’s assistant Ignatius Feeney, May Craig as a woman with a fish basket at the train station, Paddy O’Donnell as a railway porter, Eric Gorman as a train engine driver, Kevin Lawless as a train engineer fireman, Joseph O’Dea as a train guard, Sean McClory and Charles FitzSimons in their respective roles as the locals Owen Glynn and Hugh Forbes who are skeptical towards Thornton at first only to accept him due to his family heritage, and James Fitzsimons as a young pastor in Father Paul who would inform Father Lonergan about the events in the film’s climax. Arthur Shields and Eileen Crowe are superb in their respective roles as the Reverend Cyril and Elizabeth Playfair as a couple who help in creating a courtship for Thornton and Mary Kate with the former knowing Thornton under another name as a boxer. Francis Ford is terrific as an elderly villager in Dan Tobin who knows about the Thornton family as well as being supportive of him.
Mildred Natwick is fantastic as the widow Sarah Tillane as a rich woman who owned the land and cottage that used to be Thornton’s home as she accept Thornton’s offer against Red’s offer believing he will do more for the community. Ward Bond is excellent as Father Peter Lonergan as the film’s narrator who is among those who immediately accepts Thornton while also giving Mary Kate some guidance as he brings some humor including his quest to catch a large salmon. Barry Fitzgerald is brilliant as Michaeleen `Oge Flynn as a matchmaker/bookmaker who is the first to befriend Thornton as he is aware of Thornton’s family as he does what he can to guide Thornton about the Irish customs as well as courting Thornton to Mary Kate. Victor McLaglen is amazing as Squire “Red” Will Danaher as Mary Kate’s older brother who is upset at Thornton in buying the land and cottage that he hoped to get while also doing what he can to not approve the courtship between Thornton and his sister in an act of pride and arrogance.
Finally, there’s the duo of John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in tremendous leading performance in their respective roles as Sean Thornton and Mary Kate Danaher. O’Hara’s performance is full of radiance and energy as a woman who is independent and prefers to do things her way despite having to care for her brother while also trying to save up money for her own dowry. Wayne’s performance is surprisingly tender as well as witty as a man who just wants to return to his roots as well as wanting something simple as a way to hide from the guilt he is carrying from his time in Pittsburgh. Wayne and O’Hara together just have immense chemistry in the way they deal with each other but also try to be respectful towards another as they are a major highlight of the film.
The Quiet Man is a sensational film from John Ford that features great leading performances from John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. Along with its incredible ensemble supporting cast, gorgeous cinematography, beautiful locations, its exploration of pride and guilt, and Victor Young’s enchanting music score. It is a film that isn’t just this exhilarating and intoxicating romantic film but also an exploration of two people wanting to create a life for themselves despite the ire of a man who is full of pride because he couldn’t get what he wants. In the end, The Quiet Man is a phenomenal film from John Ford.
© thevoid99 2023
Based on the short story by Dorothy M. Johnson, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is the story of an attorney whose encounters with a notorious outlaw has him teaming up with a gunslinger to deal with him in order to protect the people at a small town in the West. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck, the film is an exploration of two men with different ideas of the world who team up to face off against someone who just wants to bring chaos into the world. Starring John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O’Brien, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Jeanette Nolan, Woody Strode, Strother Martin, and Lee Van Cleef. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a grand yet evocative film from John Ford.
The film is essentially a reflective story in which a senator recalls a time in his life when he was just an attorney arriving into a small town in the West where he tries to stand up against a notorious outlaw where he later teams up with a gunslinger and a few others in making a stand against him. Especially as he would later become a pillar of hope in a town that is still ravaged with fear prompting this attorney from the East to make a difference. The film’s screenplay begins with Ranse Stoddard (James Stewart) and his wife Hallie (Vera Miles) arriving to the small town of Shinbone as the local press wonder why he’s there. He then tells them the story of how he first came to the town 25 years earlier where he would meet Hallie and stand up to the outlaw known as Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) after trying to stop him from robbing a widow during a stagecoach robbery. After being healed by Hallie and a local rancher in Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), Stoddard would do whatever he can to help the town.
Stoddard is a man that is educated and isn’t willing to be violent as he is trying to make sure there’s some law and order in this small town he’s arrived in as he also wants to be there for the people whether it’s to defend them in a court of law or teach them how to read and write. He would live at the restaurant that Hallie works at while doing his law practice at the local newspaper run by its publisher Dutton Peabody (Edmond O’Brien) who would befriend Stoddard as they would team up for an election on statehood. While Doniphon appreciates what Stoddard is doing, he feels that Stoddard is also just making things troubling because of Valance who wants to maintain his own power by beating up anyone or kill someone. Doniphon is a no-nonsense man who can read and write but knows how lawless the West can be as he is the only man that can out-gun Valance.
John Ford’s direction is definitely rapturous in terms of some of the visuals he creates as well as the fact that much of the story is told in a reflective manner by Stoddard to a journalist. Shot on the studio backlots at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, the film is more intimate in terms of its location even though there are a few scenes set in the desert as much of it is shot at a soundstage as the fictional town of Shinbone. While there are some wide shots of some of those locations, Ford would emphasize more on close-ups and medium shots for much of the film as it relate to the intimacy in the story as well as capturing some of the conversations and moments with the characters. Notably in the scenes that show Stoddard doing all sorts of things whether in educating some of the locals, cleaning the dishes at the restaurant where he’s staying at, or looking at Peacock’s articles. While much of the film is dramatic with some suspense, Ford would infuse the film with bits of humor such as a scene where Doniphon would show Stoddard how to shoot a gun as it would reveal how tough Stoddard really is.
As for some of the action, there are moments where the violence is quite brutal such as the Stoddard’s first encounter with Valance where Valance would whip him such a visceral way. The scenes where Valance is around is always filled with dread as the man is quite unpredictable as he would just scare people with his presence or through his violent actions. There is a showdown that would occur between Stoddard and Valance but it’s a very unusual showdown early in its third act. Notably as it would be followed by its aftermath as it relates to not just what happened to Valance but also who shot him as it would create this myth that is very unsettling. Overall, Ford creates a mesmerizing yet intense film about a lawyer and a gunslinger standing up against a notorious outlaw.
Cinematographer William H. Clothier does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography from the sunny look of the daytime exteriors to some of the stylish usage of shadows and shades for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Otho Lovering does excellent work with the film’s editing as it has some stylish rhythmic cuts to play into the action and suspense as well as some straightforward cuts for the drama. Art directors Eddie Imazu and Hal Pereira, with set decorators Sam Comer and Darrell Silvera, do fantastic work with the look of the saloons, restaurants, and Doniphon’s ranch as well as the interiors of some of the buildings in the film.
Costume designer Edith Head does nice work with the costumes from the look of the hats and clothes the men wear to some of the dresses that Hallie wears. Sound recordists Charles Grenzbach and Philip Mitchell do terrific work with the sound as it play into raucous sound of the meetings as well as in some of the moments of suspense as it relates to the showdown between Stoddard and Valance. The film’s music by Cyril J. Mockridge and Alfred Newman is wonderful for its mixture of bombastic orchestra music with its large brass arrangements and string flourishes for some of the dramatic moments as the score also include some folk-based music of the times.
The film’s superb cast include some notable small roles from Denver Pyle and O.Z. Whitehead as the father-son duo of Amos and Herbert Carruthers, Willis Bouchey as a train conductor, Joseph Hoover as a journalist interviewing Stoddard in the film’s beginning, Jeanette Nolan and John Qualen as the Swedish immigrant couple in the Ericsons who work with Hallie at the restaurant, John Carradine as a speaker for a convention representing those in favor of territory rights, Ken Murray as the local doctor Doc Willoughby, Strother Martin and Lee Van Cleef as two of Valance’s henchman in their respective roles as Floyd and Reese, and Woody Strode as Doniphon’s ranch hand Pompey as an African-American that is very helpful as well as wanting to be educated by Stoddard. Andy Devine is terrific as the local marshal Link Appleyard as a man that has a hard time upholding the law as he’s afraid of Valance as he is kind of the film’s comic relief. Edmond O’Brien is excellent as Dutton Peabody as the local newspaper publisher who is full of gusto in the things he says while admittedly being a drunk but a man that can rile up Valance through his words.
Vera Miles is amazing as Hallie as a local woman who runs a restaurant as she is courted by Doniphon as she would fall for Stoddard whom she sees as a man that can help her as well as make her into something more. Lee Marvin is brilliant as Liberty Valance as a brutish outlaw who likes to wreak havoc on the people as he tries to assert his own power and whatever he can to play into his role in the West. James Stewart is incredible as Ranse Stoddard as an attorney who is trying to help the locals in the small town as he also stands up to Valance where he is forced to see what he has to do to deal with him. Finally, there’s John Wayne in a phenomenal performance as Tom Doniphon as it is a performance where Wayne display some charm as well as humility as a gunslinger that is the one person that can deal with Valance but also is aware of what Stoddard is trying to do for the town as he would take action that would prove to be catastrophic for both men.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a sensational film from John Ford that features great performances from John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, and Lee Marvin. Along with its dazzling visuals and a compelling take on heroism, it’s a film that explore what some will do to help people not be afraid from the presence of an outlaw but also into the myths of the West. In the end, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a tremendous film from John Ford.
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the short story by B.H. McCampbell, Rio Bravo is the story of a town sheriff who finds himself facing off against a local rancher as he seeks the help of a cripple, a drunk, and a young gunfighter to deal with the rancher and his men. Directed by Howard Hawks and screenplay by Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett, the film is about a sheriff protecting his town as he angers a local rancher for arresting the man’s brother. Starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, John Russell, and Ward Bond. Rio Bravo is a compelling yet enthralling film from Howard Hawks.
Set in a small town of Texas known as Rio Bravo, the film revolves a sheriff who has arrested the brother of a local rancher for murder as the brother wants him back leading to a battle of wits and wills between the sheriff and rancher. It’s a film that is about a man trying to uphold the law and do good for this little town as he has two deputies to help him despite the fact that they’re both flawed as one of them is a drunk struggling with being sober while the other is an old man with a bum leg. They’re later joined by a young gunfighter who observes from afar after his boss had been killed by one of the men working for the rancher as it’s revealed he’s paying men to do his dirty work. The film’s screenplay by Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett doesn’t just explore the game of wits between this sheriff and rancher but also the life of a town that is just trying to live their lives in peace but the power of the rancher just causes problems after a man is killed at a bar by the rancher’s brother who had already killed numerous people in the past.
The town sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) is a no-nonsense man that is willing to listen but he has his job to do as he wants no one causing trouble. Yet, Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) would be the one to cause trouble and humiliate Chance’s deputy Dude (Dean Martin) who hasn’t had a drink of liquor in two years as he’s struggling to maintain his sobriety as he accidentally knocks out Chance. After Joe is arrested for killing a man at the saloon and be arrested at the saloon where Burdette’s men are, the trouble begins where Chance tries to smooth things down and not cause trouble despite the target on his head from the men who work for Nathan Burdette (John Russell). Chance, with Dude and the old man with a bum leg in Stumpy (Walter Brennan) who watches over the jailed Joe, as they all figure out what to do. Adding to the complication that Chance is dealing with is the arrival of a mysterious woman in Feathers (Angie Dickinson) who is suspected of being a cheating gambler while a young gunslinger named Colorado (Ricky Nelson) arrives wanting to help after a friend of Chance in Pat Wheeler (Ward Bond) is shot by one of Burdette’s hired guns.
The script also showcase Dude’s struggles as he was once a skilled gunslinger but years of alcoholism has made him feel diminished yet Chance keeps him on knowing he still has something left when he’s motivated. The script also play into Chance’s relationship with Feathers who is quite like him in the fact that she doesn’t take shit from him or anyone as she is asked to leave but she prefers to stay as it causes this unlikely attraction between the two. When Colorado joins Chance in stopping Burdette’s men, he is someone that is quite smart for someone that is young as well as very skilled as he’s also know where his place is as he immediately gains Chance’s respect. Especially in the film’s climatic showdown that involves a game of chance and wit with guns and dynamite.
Howard Hawks’ direction is definitely entrancing due to the visuals he creates while also emphasizing in simple compositions and moments to create a mood for the film. Notably the opening sequence as it doesn’t feature any dialogue for nearly several minutes as it involves Joe Burdette humiliating Dude and creating trouble where he is captured by Chance. Shot on location near Tucson, Arizona, the film does play into a time in the West where it was starting to get less rowdy and more civilized but there’s still some trouble as it involves Burdette who is still trying to rule the town as he owns the local ranch and a saloon where his men are free to do with whatever they want. While Hawks would use some wide shots to capture the locations as well as viewpoints of the men looking at Burdette’s saloon from the jailhouse. Much of Hawks’ direction would emphasize more on a sense of intimacy in the usage of close-ups and medium shots.
The direction would have moments that are intense but also very restrained as Hawks is more interesting in building up the suspense such as a scene where Chance and Dude try to find Ward’s assassin as it’s all about the little details. There are also these moments such as a confrontation between Chance and some of Burdette’s men who try to stop Chance as they’re forced to deal with Colorado who would find a way to outwit Burdette’s men with Feathers’ help. While Hawks would take a simple approach to the drama and suspense, he would also infuse bits of humor in the film courtesy of Stumpy as well as a moment for a sing-a-long involving Dude, Colorado, and Stumpy as it help defuse some of the tension and suspense as it show these three men as just human beings trying to have some fun and show what the world could be away from the greed and violence. Even if it means having to do something drastic to stop Burdette from ruining all of that all because he wants to free his brother who is likely to kill again without remorse. Overall, Hawks creates a thrilling and gripping film about a sheriff and his deputies going up against a greedy yet intelligent cattle rancher.
Cinematographer Russell Harlan does brilliant work with the film’s gorgeous Technicolor film stock to showcase some of the beauty of the clothes and locations as well as for the scenes set at night. Editor Folmar Blangsted does excellent work with the editing as it is very straightforward as well as using some methodical cutting to play into the suspense. Art director Leo K. Kuter and set decorator Ralph S. Hurst do amazing work with the look of the saloons, jailhouse, and the local hotel that Chance stays frequently as well as the exterior of Burdette’s ranch.
Costume designer Marjorie Best does fantastic work with the look of the clothes from the chaps, hats, and shirts to play into the personality of the characters as well as the stylish clothes of Feathers. The sound work of Robert B. Lee is terrific for capturing some of the natural elements as well as creating heightened sound effects for some of the gunfire. The film’s music by Dimitri Tiomkin is superb with its usage of lush orchestral flourishes and bombast as well as creating a few songs with lyricist Paul Francis Webster plus a traditional Mexican instrumental and a song by Ricky Nelson.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Joseph Shimada as the local undertaker Burt, Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez as the hotel manager Carlos, Estelita Rodriguez as Carlos’ wife Consuelo, Claude Akins as Nathan’s murderous brother Joe, and Ward Bond in a terrific small role as Chance’s old friend Pat Wheeler who arrives in town for business only to get himself into trouble with Burdette’s gang. John Russell is superb as Nathan Burdette as rancher who wants his brother free no matter what as he’s willing to do whatever it takes as well as hire killers and maintain his own sense of riches and sense of power. Angie Dickinson is amazing as Feathers as a woman who has been accused of being a cheat in gambling as she just stopped in the town for a few days only to stay as she becomes intrigued by Chance as it’s just a lively performance from Dickinson.
Walter Brennan is excellent as Stumpy as an old man with a bum-leg who is the film’s comic relief as he feels underappreciated while doing much of the work in watching Joe Burdette as he’s just an absolute joy to watch. Ricky Nelson is brilliant as Colorado as a young gunslinger who was working for Wheeler as he would later help Chance in dealing with Burdette and his gang as he is quite restrained but also very mature for his age as it's one of Nelson’s finest performances. Dean Martin is remarkable as Dude as a skilled gunslinger struggling to maintain his sobriety as well as the effects of alcohol as a man who feels like his time his done while trying to restore whatever dignity he has left. Finally, there’s John Wayne in a phenomenal performance as John T. Chance as the local sheriff who is trying to maintain law and order in this small town as he’s a man that just wants to do his job but also knows he has to be smarter than most men as there’s a gravitas to Wayne’s performance as well as someone that can take a few hits and still get back up as it is one of Wayne’s finest performances in his illustrious career.
Rio Bravo is an outstanding film from Howard Hawks featuring a tremendous performance from John Wayne. Along with its great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, gripping story, and a fantastic music soundtrack. The film isn’t just one of the finest films of the western genre but it’s also a film that is very witty but also engrossing for the way it explores a man trying to do what is right and needing to be smarter than those around him. In the end, Rio Bravo is a magnificent film from Howard Hawks.
Howard Hawks Films: (The Road to Glory) - (Fig Leaves) - (Cradle Snatchers) - (Paid to Love) - (A Girl in Every Port (1928 film)) - (Fazil) - (The Air Circus) - (Trent’s Last Case (1929 film)) - (The Dawn Patrol (1930)) - (The Criminal Code) – Scarface - (The Crowd Roars (1932 film)) - (Tiger Shark) - (Today We Live) - (The Prizefighter and the Lady) - (Viva Villa!) - (Twentieth Century) - (Barbary Coast) - (Ceiling Zero) - (The Road to Glory) - (Come and Get It) - Bringing Up Baby - (Only Angels Have Wings) - (His Girl Friday) - (Sergeant York) - (Ball of Fire) - (Air Force) - (To Have and Have Not) - (The Big Sleep (1946 film)) - (The Outlaw) – Red River - (A Song is Born) - (I Was a Male War Bride) - (The Big Sky) - (Monkey Business) - (O Henry’s Full House) - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - (Land of the Pharaohs) - (Hatari!) - (Man’s Favorite Sport?) - (Red Line 7000) - (El Dorado) - (Rio Lobo)
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the story Blazing Guns on the Chisholm Trail by Borden Chase for the Saturday Evening Post, Red River is the story of a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas where a rancher finds himself sparring with his independent-minded adopted son. Directed by Howard Hawks and screenplay by Borden Chase and Charles Schnee, the film is a fictional account about the very first cattle drive along the Chisholm trail as it also explores the dynamic between two men on the cattle drive. Starring John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Walter Brennan, Joanne Dru, Coleen Gray, John Ireland, Harry Carey, Harry Carey Jr., Hank Worden, Noah Beery Jr., and Paul Fix. Red River is a mesmerizing and riveting film from Howard Hawks.
Set during the aftermath of the American Civil War where the country is going through an economic depression, the film revolves around a rancher who spent 14 years creating a ranch in Texas as he decides to take the cattle to Missouri and hope to make some money. Joining him is adopted son, his longtime trail hand, and several other men trekking more than a thousand miles yet things go wrong prompting some tension between father and son as the latter realizes that going to a small town in Kansas is the way to go as it also has a railroad. It’s a film that explores a cattle drive as well as two men finding themselves at odds over what to do as a series of small incidents would drive them further. Even as many of the men who signed up for the trail find themselves dealing with the journey and how rough it’s become as they begin to rebel.
The film’s screenplay by Borden Chase and Charles Schnee doesn’t just explore the dynamic between Thomas Dunson (John Wayne) and his adopted son Matthew Garth (Montgomery Clift) but also the former’s stubborn demeanor trying to get the cattle to Missouri thinking he will be well-paid there. The script opens with a prologue of sorts as it relates to how Dunson found the land and met Garth when he was a kid. It displays the drive and ambition that Dunson has where he is eager to make a name for himself following a moment of tragedy in an earlier cattle drive. When he spends years building the ranch with Garth and longtime friend Groot (Walter Brennan), he would succeed but becomes broke due to the aftermath of the Civil War where he makes the decision to do the cattle drive. When they’re joined by several men including a gunslinger named Cherry Valance (John Ireland), the journey from Texas to Missouri would be an arduous one.
Garth doesn’t try to argue or go against Dunson but eventually realizes that Dunson’s ideals start to get the better of him as even Groot start to question what is going on. The film’s second half isn’t just about a breakdown between Dunson and Garth but also what the latter would try to do after some men left the drive in protest. Even as some of the men would make a discovery of what they would find that would lead them to Kansas much to Dunson’s protest. For Dunson, it’s a moment where he’s humiliated as he would retaliate in such a way as Garth would anticipate it leading to a very chilling climax.
Howard Hawks’ direction is truly intoxicating in terms of the presentation he creates where he does maintain a feel of the American West where it plays into a world that is changing but also with a sense of hope. Shot in various locations around Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, California, and parts of Mexico, the film does play into this growing expansion of the West where Hawks would use a lot of wide shots for the scenery as well as in some medium shots to capture the intimacy of the group. With the aid of co-director Arthur Rosson in shooting some of the cattle drive and action sequences in the film, Hawks maintains that sense of being in the journey while knowing how rough it is as it would include a stampede scene and later a sequence involving Indians trying to go after a group of travelers. There is an element of thrill in those sequences while Hawks would also find ways to create scenes of dialogue and drama that is really key to the film in the course of the story.
Many of the scenes during the stops in the journey are very intimate where Hawks uses some close-ups and medium shots to play into the growing tension between Dunson and Garth. Even in moments where Dunson would do some very serious things to those who caused harm or tried to leave the drive as it would be some of the darkest moments in the film. Once the film goes into the third act where Garth would take control of the drive and move it towards Kansas. The eventual showdown between Dunson and Garth isn’t a traditional showdown where guns are drawn as it is more about ownership and ideals. Overall, Hawks creates a rapturous yet intense film about a cattle drive that becomes a troubling journey for a rancher and his adopted son.
Cinematographer Russell Harlan does amazing work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the look of the daytime exterior scenes as well as the look of the scenes set at night as it would also include some additional work from Allan Thompson in some of the special effects for the action sequences. Editor Christian Nyby does excellent work with the editing as it includes some stylish rhythmic cuts for some of the action scenes along with some straightforward cuts for the drama as well in some of the chilling moments in the film. Art director John Datu Arensma does fantastic work with the look of some of the buildings in the film as well as the town for the film‘s climax.
The sound work of Richard Deweese is superb for the way the cattle sounds during a stampede as well as the little moments in the film as it plays into the intimacy and suspense. The film’s music by Dimitri Tiomkin is wonderful for its orchestral-based score that is filled with lush string arrangements and some bombastic percussions where it plays into some the action in the latter as it would include a song written by Tiomkin that is in the vein of country-western music.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Slim Pickens as a cowboy late in the film, Shelly Winters as a dancehall girl in the wagon, Mickey Kuhn as the young Garth, William Self as a wounded wrangler from another drive that Dunson and Garth meet, Ivan Parry as a sugar-addicted wrangler named Kenneally, and Chief Yowlachie as an Indian wrangler named Two Jaw Quo. Other noteworthy roles as wrangler’s in Dunson’s cattle drive include Wally Wales, Hank Worden, and Paul Fix as a trio of men who become frustrated with Dunson’s rules while Harry Carey Jr. is terrific as a young wrangler eager to make it and bring money home to his family. Noah Beery Jr. is superb as the wrangler Buster McGee who would help Garth in rebelling against Dunson while making a key discovery in their destination.
Coleen Gray is wonderful as Fen as the love of Dunson’s life early in the film who wanted to join him on the land he had just discovered. Harry Carey Sr. is excellent as Mr. Melville in a trading company leader who would give Garth the offer of a lifetime as his small but brief appearance late in the film is fun to watch. Joanne Dru is amazing as Tess Millay as a woman Garth meets in the third act as he saves her from an Indian attack where she is this fascinating woman that is intrigued by Garth but also fascinated by who Dunson is. John Ireland is brilliant as Cherry Valance as a gunslinger who joins Dunson and Garth as he befriends the latter over their skills as he is also someone that knows more about what is out there.
Walter Brennan is incredible as Groot as a old trail hand who has been Dunson’s longtime friend as he is also the film’s conscience of sorts where he observes a lot that is happening as he becomes frustrated with Dunson’s stubbornness. Montgomery Clift is phenomenal as Matthew Garth as Dunson’s loyal stepson who does whatever he can to help his stepfather in driving the cattle to Missouri as he begins to realize what needs to be done as it’s more of an act of taking control instead of disrespecting the man who raised him. Finally, there’s John Wayne in a tremendous performance as Thomas Dunson as this man who would build and create a cattle ranch from very little as he does whatever he can to get the cattle to Missouri as it’s Wayne being a man that is quite un-likeable at times but is filled with a lot of determination no matter how foolish it is as it’s one of Wayne’s great performances.
Red River is a magnificent film from Howard Hawks that features great performances from John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. Featuring an amazing supporting cast, dazzling visuals, and a gripping story, the film isn’t just one of the finest westerns ever made but it’s also a unique study into the fallacy of ambition but also what some will do to salvage morale in an ever-changing world. In the end, Red River is an outstanding film from Howard Hawks.
Howard Hawks Films: (The Road to Glory) - (Fig Leaves) - (Cradle Snatchers) - (Paid to Love) - (A Girl in Every Port (1928 film)) - (Fazil) - (The Air Circus) - (Trent’s Last Case (1929 film)) - (The Dawn Patrol (1930)) - (The Criminal Code) - Scarface (1932 film) - (The Crowd Roars (1932 film)) - (Tiger Shark) - (Today We Live) - (The Prizefighter and the Lady) - (Viva Villa!) - (Twentieth Century) - (Barbary Coast) - (Ceiling Zero) - (The Road to Glory) - (Come and Get It) - Bringing Up Baby - (Only Angels Have Wings) - (His Girl Friday) - (Sergeant York) - (Ball of Fire) - (Air Force) - (To Have and Have Not) - (The Big Sleep (1946 film)) - (The Outlaw) - (A Song is Born) - (I Was a Male War Bride) - (The Big Sky) - (Monkey Business) - (O Henry’s Full House) - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - (Land of the Pharaohs) - Rio Bravo - (Hatari!) - (Man’s Favorite Sport?) - (Red Line 7000) - (El Dorado) - (Rio Lobo)
© thevoid99 2016
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
Based on the short story Mission with No Record for the Saturday Evening Post magazine by James Warner Bellah, Rio Grande is the story of a cavalry unit who are trying to control an Indian uprising near the Mexican border. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by James Kevin McGuinness, the film is the third and final film of a trilogy of films devoted to the cavalry as it would revolve around a cavalry officer torn between his duty and the family he‘s become estranged with. Starring John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Claude Jarman Jr., Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Chill Wills, Victor McLaglen, and Grant Withers. Rio Grande is a compelling yet exciting film from John Ford.
Set in 1879, the film revolves an officer who is trying to run a fort and protect his settlers from the Apache who are trying to create chaos near the Mexican border in Texas. Even as he finds himself dealing with the arrival of his estranged wife and their son who had just enlisted in the cavalry after failing at West Point where he struggles to be a soldier as well as a good man. It’s a film that plays into a man trying to keep everything together as he is aware that the Apache are nearby the border where he hopes to stop them yet is uneasy by issues he has in his past relating to his family. James Kevin McGuinness’ script is structured to play into Lt. Colonel Kirby Yorke (John Wayne) as he tries to balance between family and duty as the first act is him dealing with his son Jeff (Claude Jarman Jr.) being enlisted as he doesn’t give him any special treatment as well as the arrival of his estranged wife Kathleen (Maureen O’Hara) whom he’s still in love with.
The second act revolves around Lt. Colonel Yorke’s attempt to balance duty and family while going on a small mission to the Rio Grande to meet with Mexican officers as Kathleen gets some unneeded reminders of her old home in the form of Major Sgt. Quincannon (Victor McLaglen) who is a friend of Lt. Col. Yorke. There’s a subplot involving a recruit named Tyree (Ben Johnson) who is rumored to be a fugitive as he tries to hide from a marshal as he would help Jeff go through training. The film’s third act revolves around a mission about getting the settlers to a fort where a lot happens but it also shows what kind of man Lt. Col. Yorke does as well as how his son is willing to prove himself to his father.
John Ford’s direction is definitely evocative for its usage of the wide and medium shots to capture much of the film’s location set in Monument Valley in Utah for many of the scenes set in the deserts along with some locations set in the town of Moab, Utah and areas near the Colorado River. Many of it play into the expansion of the West but also the unrest that is looming where Lt. Col. Yorke has to try and keep things civilized. The direction also has Ford creating a lot of these gorgeous images with the mountains and such as beautiful backdrops while he would create some intimate moments in the scenes at the fort involving Lt. Col. Yorke and his wife with some medium shots but also some close-ups. There are also moments where there are musical performances including a scene where musicians play for Kathleen as well as a general visiting the fort as well as a few comedic moments provided by Major Sgt. Quincannon. The climatic raid in the third act is definitely thrilling not just for Ford’s usage of dolly and tracking shots to capture the chase but also in creating a sense of urgency into the action. There is some suspense as it relates to what is needed to do but also a sense of what is happening where Ford knows how to shoot the action and make it mean something. Overall, Ford creates a fascinating and gripping film about a cavalry officer’s attempt to find balance in his role as a soldier and as a man.
Cinematographer Bert Glennon does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from its usage of low-key lights and shadows for some of the film‘s nighttime interior/exterior scenes to the gorgeous look of the daytime exteriors to capture some of the film‘s locations. Editor Jack Murray does excellent work with the editing as a lot of it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into some of the action. Art director Frank Hotaling, with set decorators John McCarthy Jr. and Charles S. Thompson, does fantastic work with the look of the fort as well as the tents and wagons used in the film.
Costume designer Adele Palmer does nice work with the look of some of the uniforms as well as the dresses that Kathleen wears. The sound work of Earl Crain Sr. and Howard Wilson is superb for its naturalistic approach to the sound in the locations as well as in the music as well as some sound effects for the gunfire and arrows. The film’s music by Victor Young is wonderful for its orchestral score that can be serene for the dramatic moments to bombastic with its action scenes as the music also includes traditional songs performed by Sons of the Pioneers who appear in the film as regimental singers.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Karolyn Grimes as a young girl Major Sgt. Quincannon is fond of, Peter Ortiz and Steve Pendleton as a couple of captains aiding Lt. Col. Yorke, and Grant Withers as a marshal trying to find Tyree. J. Carrol Naish is terrific as General Philip Sheridan who makes a visit in the film’s second half as he would give Lt. Col. Yorke a major assignment while Chill Wills is fantastic as Dr. Wilkins who is the regiment’s surgeon that often provides some wise ideas. Victor McLaglen is excellent as Major Sgt. Quincannon as the film’s comic relief of sorts who likes to drink but also try to deal with what he did years ago that has gained him the ire of Kathleen Yorke.
Claude Jarman Jr. is superb as Lt. Col. Yorke’s son Jeff as a young recruit who tries to find his role in the military as well as trying to be himself without the need to impress his father whom he never saw for 15 years. Harry Carey Jr. is brilliant as Daniel “Sandy” Boone as a trooper who helps Jeff in learning the ropes while being a bit comical himself while Ben Johnson is amazing as the trooper Tyree as someone that is good with horses yet is hiding a secret as he is pursued by a marshal. Maureen O’Hara is great as Kathleen Yorke as Lt. Col. Yorke’s estranged wife who arrives to the fort to pull Jeff out only to find herself falling for her husband all over again but struggle with his duty as a soldier as it’s one of O’Hara’s finest performances. Finally, there’s John Wayne in a phenomenal performance as Lt. Colonel Kirby Yorke as this cavalry officer trying to do his job while becoming uneasy about having his son enlist as a cavalry trooper and becoming more uneasy with the presence of his wife where finds himself trying to balance being a soldier and be a good man as it’s Wayne in one of his defining roles.
Rio Grande is a remarkable film from John Ford that features amazing performances from John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. The film isn’t just a unique look into the world of the cavalry but also a look into a man trying to find balance in his role as a soldier and as a man. In the end, Rio Grande is a sublimely rich film from John Ford.
© thevoid99 2016
Based on the stories The Big Hunt and War Party for the Saturday Evening Post magazines by James Warner Bellah, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is the story of a cavalry officer trying to prevent a war with the Indians just days away from his impending retirement. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings, the film is the second part of Ford’s trilogy of films devoted to the cavalry where a man tries to deal with another war with the Indians as well as aging. Starring John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. and narration by Irving Pichel. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is a dazzling and exhilarating film from John Ford.
Set in 1876 in the desert just days after the Battle of Little Big Horn where General George A. Custer and more than 200 men were killed by Sioux and Cheyenne Indian tribes. The film revolves around a cavalry officer who is a week away from retirement as he has a final mission to do while getting his officers ready to lead. It’s a film that plays into a man dealing with these last days in service as he also has to watch out for a young woman joining the mission to go into this fort to aid another regiment in breaking up a squadron of Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes and send them back to their reservations. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just play with Captain Nathan Brittles (John Wayne) dealing with retirement but also wanting to have a final moment of glory in his final days of service. It is also about the mission in hand as Cpt. Brittle is reluctant to accompany his superior’s wife Abby Alshard (Mildred Natwick) and their niece Olivia Dandridge (Joanne Dru).
The script also have a few subplots as it relates to a couple of lieutenants vying for Olivia’s affections while it adds some punch to the story where Cpt. Brittle is trying to smooth things but also watch Olivia closely as if she was his daughter. While Cpt. Brittle is a man of duty, he also knows what to do and how to keep everyone from harm. The script also play into this world that is changing as tribes the cavalry are dealing with are young men that really have a disdain for the rule of the cavalry and the white man. It’s something Cpt. Brittle and a few of his officers understand yet they know they have to deal with it anyway they can as there is a key moment in the film’s second half that play into that world that Cpt. Brittle is facing. Even as it shows that he has to accept the way things are and that he might not be part of this new world.
John Ford’s direction is definitely intoxicating not just for the usage of wide shots to play into many of the film’s locations at Monument Valley in Utah but also in creating something that play into the grandness of the American West. The usage of the wide and medium shots for its depth of field as well as play into some of the scenery and the largeness of the cavalry regiment says a lot of what Ford wanted to do visually. There is also an intimacy in the direction with its medium shots as it plays into some of the relationships that are happening with Cpt. Brittle trying to make sense of everything as well as do whatever he can to do his duty and get everyone in check. There aren’t a lot of close-ups but Ford does know how to create something simple while also adding some humor as it relates to Cpt. Brittle’s friendship with Sgt. Quincannon (Victor McLaglen). The action sequences are thrilling in the way Ford would know how to film the action as well as create a lot of shots to get the scope of what is happening. Even as it play into the climax where Cpt. Brittle and his men would do something drastic to chase away the Indians. Overall, Ford creates a riveting yet witty film about a cavalry officer embarking on one last mission before his retirement.
Cinematographer Winton Hoch does brilliant work with the film‘s gorgeous cinematography with its usage of the Technicolor film stock to capture the beauty of the locations for many of the scenes set in the day to some usage of low-key lighting for scenes set at night as well as some of its interior scenes. Editor Jack Murray does excellent work with the editing as a lot of it is straightforward with some stylish usage of dissolves and rhythmic cuts for the action scenes. Art director James Basevi and set decorator Joseph Kish do fantastic work with the look of the fort that many of the character live in as well as a reservation that Cpt. Brittle goes to late in the film. The sound work of Clem Portman and Frank Webster is terrific for some of the naturalistic sounds that happen in the location as well as some sound effects for some of the action. The film’s music by Richard Hageman is superb for its bombastic score with its Indian-inspired percussions as well as the usage of bugles and broad string arrangements along with a traditional song that is the inspiration for the film’s title.
The film’s incredible cast feature some notable small roles from Noble Johnson as a famous warrior known as Red Shirt, Chief John Big Tree as an old Indian friend of Cpt. Brittle in Pony-That-Walks, Francis Ford as a barman, Chief White Eagle as a tribe leader in Chief Sky Eagle, Michael Dugan as Sgt. Hochenbauer, and Arthur Shields as the regiment’s surgeon Dr. O’Laughlin. George O’Brien is terrific in his role as Cpt. Brittle’s superior/friend Major Allshard as a man who tries to give Cpt. Brittle a fitting and final assignment while Mildred Natwick is wonderful as Allshard’s wife Abbey who goes to the mission to see some friends as she would eventually help out as a nurse tending to the wounded. Victor McLaglen is fantastic as Sgt. Quincannon as a longtime friend of Cpt. Brittle who had fought with him for years as he is also due to retire where he provides some comedic dialogue as well as be given a very funny sequence.
Harry Carey Jr. is excellent as 2nd Lt. Ross Pennell as Olivia’s boyfriend who finds himself sparing against his superior Lt. Cohill for her affections. Ben Johnson is brilliant as Sgt. Tyree who is Cpt. Brittle’s right-hand man who helps look into the areas that is happening as well as help lead the cavalry into battle. John Agar is terrific as Lt. Flint Cohill as a young lieutenant that is groomed to be Cpt. Brittle’s replacement as he tries to deal with his ahead as well as his affections for Olivia. Joanne Dru is amazing as Olivia Dandridge as Major Allshard’s niece who joins the mission to go to another fort as she deals with the chaos of what Cpt. Brittle has to do but also the affections of two lieutenants. Finally, there’s John Wayne in a remarkable performance as Captain Nathan Brittle as this cavalry officer dealing with his retirement as he tries to embark on a final mission where it is Wayne not only displaying a larger-than-life presence but also a humility and sentimentality to a man dealing with not being what he’s meant to do as it is one of Wayne’s great performances.
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is a phenomenal film from John Ford that features an incredible performance from John Wayne. Featuring a fascinating script, beautiful locations, and a strong supporting cast, the film is definitely one of the finest collaborations between Ford and Wayne in its exploration of the American West and the world of the cavalry. In the end, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is a sensational film from John Ford.
© thevoid99 2016
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
Directed by John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall and written by James R. Webb, How the West Was Won is a five-part story about the life of a family told through four generations in the development and migration of the American west. Narrated by Spencer Tracy, the film is a mixture of the epic films of mid-20th Century mixed in with the broad canvas of the western. Starring Carroll Baker, Walter Brennan, Lee J. Cobb, Andy Devine, Henry Fonda, Carolyn Jones, Karl Malden, Harry Morgan, Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Robert Preston, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, Eli Wallach, John Wayne, and Richard Widmark. How the West Was Won is a majestic yet sprawling film from John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall.
The film is a five-part series that tells the story about one family in the course of fifty years that would shape the American west through various periods in American history. All of which plays into the lives of a few people in the family known as the Prescotts where they travel on the Erie Canal to find a new home where two sisters would later take different paths in the second act. One goes to California to claim a piece of land she’s inherited with a gambler while the other settles into farm life with a trapper she fell for during her family’s journey in the river. The story then moves into the 1860s where the son of these women becomes part of the Civil War and later a cavalryman dealing with the changing times and the arrival of the railroad until he would meet his aunt for the very first time in the final part of the story.
It’s all part of James R. Webb’s extraordinary story about a family living in a period where the American west is discovered as they also endure the many changes in those fifty years as it’s told by Spencer Tracy as his narration only fill in moments about what has happening in America instead of the story about the Prescotts. All of which is separated in five parts with the first part being about the Prescotts at the Erie Canal and the treacherous journey they take where one of the daughters in Eve (Carroll Baker) falls for a trapper named Linus (James Stewart). The second part is about Eve’s sister Lilith (Debbie Reynolds) and her journey through the prairies where she and a gambler named Cleve (Gregory Peck) go to the west to get some land she’s inherited. The third part is about Eve’s son Zeb (George Peppard) and his encounter with the Civil War as he becomes a key player in the fourth and fifth part where he deals with the railroad where he meets an old friend of his father in Jethro Stuart (Henry Fonda).
It would play into this family’s encounter with history and how times are often changing in the West as they deal with the chaos of the Civil War, conflict with the Native Americans over the railroad, and also criminals and bandits over cattle and such. Notably as Zeb in the film’s third act realizes the horrors of war and the greed that comes into play involving the railroad as he definitely carries a sense of pride and honor that his father and uncle would carry in their lives. Even in the fifth and final part where he meets his aunt Lilith for the very first time while having to deal with a criminal named Charlie Gant (Eli Wallach) who has a grudge with Zeb.
The film’s direction is definitely vast in not just its composition but also in the way it wanted to tell a story about the development of the American west. Shot in the curved-three screen projector that was known as Cinerama, the film has this truly grand scale to capture not just the landscape of the American west but also the moments that shaped that world in the span of five decades. Under the vision of three filmmakers, with transitional scenes helmed by Richard Thorpe, the film does have this sense of unification in the filmmaking while each director does bring in their own ideas to the story to add that sense of epic storytelling. The Civil War segment is helmed by John Ford as it features not just some extravagant battle scenes but also some intimate moments where Zeb encounters the horror of war while meeting a Confederate drifter (Russ Tamblyn) as it’s a very telling piece to display Zeb’s sense of loss and his desire to find himself in an ever-changing world.
The railroad segment is helmed by George Marshall as it displays a lot of dramatic tension and some very intense scenes involving a buffalo stampede which would play to Zeb’s resolve over the conflict between the railroad company and a tribe of Native Americans. The rest of the film is helmed by Henry Hathaway who maintains the same sweeping vision like his other filmmakers as he also creates his own ideas that includes some intense moments involving the Prescotts in the rapids as well as other suspenseful moments such as Gant’s attempted train robbery. All of which plays to the grand spectacle of the west as the overall results is a very sensational yet engaging film about a family living in the changing times of the American west.
Cinematographers William H. Daniels, Milton Krasner, Charles Lang Jr., and Joseph LaSelle do fantastic work with the film‘s very colorful and vast cinematography to capture the vast beauty of the different landscapes in the American west along with some amazing shots set at night and the interiors to display some of the film‘s vibrant look. Editor Harold F. Kress does brilliant work with the editing in not just bringing some energy to some of the shootouts and battle scenes but also going for a methodical approach to some of the film‘s dramatic moments. Art directors George W. Davis, William Ferrari, and Addison Hehr, along with set decorators Henry Grace, Don Greenwood Jr., and Jack Mills, do excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the rafts in the first segment to the farms and buildings made during the film‘s duration and how it would evolve over time.
Costume designers Walter Plunkett and Ron Talsky do terrific work with the costumes from the showgirl costumes that Lilith wear in the second segment along with her dresses to some of the more low-key costumes most of the characters wear in their journey. The special visual effects work of A. Arnold Gillespe and Robert R. Hoag do nice work with the visual effects for the scenes set in the river rapids despite the fact that it sort of looks fake given the primitive technology that was used at the time. Sound editor Van Allen James does superb work with the sound to capture the extravagance of some of the gunfights and battles along with more intimate moments in some of the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Alec Newman is wonderful for its array of themes from broad and sweeping to more serene yet somber in their orchestral arrangements while the soundtrack also includes lots of traditional folk and country songs some of which are actually sung by Debbie Reynolds.
The film’s cast is phenomenal as it features some small but notable appearances from Lee Van Cleef as a river pirate, Harry Dean Stanton as a member of Gant’s gang, Raymond Massey in a brief scene as Abraham Lincoln, Harry Morgan as General Ulysses S. Grant, Russ Tamblyn as a Confederate deserter that Zeb meets, Carolyn Jones as Zeb’s wife Julie in the fifth segment, Thelma Ritter as Lilith’s traveling companion Agatha Clegg, and John Wayne in a small yet amazing performance as General William Tecumseh Sherman who gives a great monologue about not giving up the Civil War. Other noteworthy and memorable performances include Karl Malden and Agnes Moorehead as Lilith and Eve’s parents in the first segment, Walter Brennan and Brigid Balzen as a couple of river pirates, Robert Preston as a wagon master who tries to win Lilith’s heart, and Lee J. Cobb as a marshal who reluctantly helps Zeb to battle Gant.
Eli Wallach is excellent as the smarmy criminal Charlie Gant who is eager to cause trouble for Zeb Prescott while Richard Widmark is terrific as an immoral railroad baron who is more concerned with making money with the railroad no matter what the cost is. Henry Fonda is great in a small but memorable role as Linus’ old friend Jethro Stuart as a man who helps Zeb out over the conflict between the railroad and a Native American tribe as he would also help Zeb find his way in life. Gregory Peck is superb as the gambler Cleve Van Valen who is smitten by Lilith as he hopes to do whatever it takes to make her a proud woman. James Stewart is brilliant as the trapper Linus Rawlings who helps out the Prescotts in navigating the river while dealing with river pirates as he falls for Eve.
George Peppard is wonderful as Zeb as a man who has the same sense of pride and honor like his father Linus while dealing with the chaos in the changing times he encounters. Carroll Baker is amazing as Eve Prescott as a woman who falls for Linus as she deals with the dangers of the river. Finally, there’s Debbie Reynolds in a remarkable performance as Lilith Prescott as a woman who is very tough as well as talented as she is someone trying to define herself as a woman while finding a good man in Cleve as she later helps Zeb’s wife in the way Zeb is when it comes to action.
How the West Was Won is a sensational film from John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall. Thanks to its sprawling vision, engaging story about a family encountering historical moments in the course of five decades, and a brilliant ensemble cast. The film is definitely an epic-western that has to be seen in a big screen or a big TV to display its vast images. It’s also a film that explores the life of a family and how they manage to define themselves in the American west no matter how troubling it is. In the end, How the West Was Won is an incredible film from the trio of John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall.
© thevoid99 2013
