Released – November, 1950 

Directed By - John Ford

Starring – John Wayne (Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke), Maureen O’Hara (Kathleen Yorke), Ben Johnson (Trooper Tyree), Claude Jarman, Jr. (Trooper Jeff Yorke), Harry Carey, Jr. (Trooper Daniel Boone), Victor McLaglen (Sgt. Maj. Quincannon).

Description - The Civil War has ended, and the Union soldiers have turned their attention toward the Apache’s.  Lt.Col. Kirby Yorke commands an outpost on the Rio Grande where new recruits are trained.  One recruit is his son Jeff Yorke who Yorke has not seen in fifteen years.

Surrounded by the constant threat from the Apache,  Kathleen Yorke wants to take their son and leave.  However, their son chooses to stay and fight along with his father.  Lt. Col. Yorke has an unorthodox plan to find and defeat the Apache, but the plan may lead to his court-martial.

NOTABLE: Considered a classic western, and the final chapter of Director John Ford’s cavalry trilogy.

Personal Comment:  Along with ‘Fort Apache’ and ‘She Wore A Yellow Ribbon,’ this trilogy comprised three of the most enjoyable classic western’s ever made.  See them in the order they were produced.

John Wayne-Rio Grande

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Released – August, 1950 

Directed By - Delmer Daves

Starring – James Stewart (Tom Jeffords), Jeff Chandler (Cochise), Debra Paget (Morningstar), Basil Ruysdael (General Howard), Will Geer (Ben Slade).

Description – Ex-soldier and cavalry scout Tom Jeffords is responsible for mail delivery in the Arizona Territory.  After having his mail couriers attacked by the Apache, Tom rides alone to meet with their chief Cochise.  Impressed with his courage, Cochise and Tom become blood brothers.  This personal alliance helps with ending the ten-year long war with the Apache.

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for three Academy Award’s; Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jeff Chandler), Best Writing, Screenplay, and Best Cinematography, Color.

This was the first film to portray the Indian people with respect and understanding and not as uncivilized barbarians.

At the time of this filming, Debra Paget has just turned 16.

Geronimo is played by Native American actor Jay Silverheels who is most familiar as Tonto companion to the Lone Ranger.

Broken Arrow

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Released – June, 1950 

Directed By - Henry King

Starring – Gregory Peck (Jimmy Ringo), Helen Westcott (Peggy Walsh), Millard Mitchell (Marshal Mark Strett), Jean Parker (Molly), Karl Malden (Mac).

Description – Aging gunfighter Jimmy Ringo can’t seem to escape his own reputation.  Forced to kill a young gunman who draws on him, Jimmy is advised to leave town because the young gunman has three brothers who will surely be looking for revenge.

Jimmy leaves but decides to stop at a nearby town where his wife and young son, who he has not seen in years, live.  Once there, he is haunted by his reputation again.  His wife refused to see him, the town Marshall wants him to leave, the local would-be-gunslinger wants him to fight, and a man who says Jimmy killed his son wants vengence.  If things were not already bad enough, the three brothers looking for revenge have followed Jimmy to the town.

NOTABLE: Peck’s character was loosely based on real-life gunslinger Johnny Ringo who was a ruthless murderer.  John Ringo was a survivour of the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral.  In real life, John Ringo died by his own hand after visiting family in California.

The story for this film was originally purchased by Harry Cohn of Columbia Pictures for John Wayne.  However, as badly as Wayne wanted to play this role, he refused to work for Cohn due to Cohn’s treatment of Wayne twenty years earlier when Wayne was first starting out.

Included in Fox Western Classics

Personal Comment:  This is one of my favorite westerns and offers a strong character portrayal by Gregory Peck.

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Released – April, 1950 

Directed By - John Ford

Starring – Ben Johnson (Travis Blue), Joanne Dru (Denver), Harry Carey, Jr. (Sandy), Ward Bond (Elder Wiggs).

Description – Horse traders Travis Blue and Sandy are hired by a group of Mormons who hope to find a new colony in Utah. 

Along the way they cross the scorching Utah desert with no water, have their wagon train used as a hiding place by the Clegg boys a crazy band of outlaws who are on the run for robbing an express office and murdering the clerk, and encounter some not too friendly Navajo Indians.

An exciting western adventure.

NOTABLE: This was the first starring role for actor Ben Johnson who also did all of his own stunts.

This film was shot on location in less than one month, and was the inspiration for the television series ‘Wagon Train” starring Ward Bond who plays the Mormon leader in this film.

Personal Comment: I have always loved the Western genre and believe John Ford to have been a great, if not the greatest, western director who ever lived. This motion picture is an excellent example of the American western from the beautiful scenery to the strong performances of its cast.

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