3 Godfathers (1948).

Review #1778: 3 Godfathers.

Cast: 

John Wayne (Robert Marmaduke Hightower), Pedro Armendáriz (Pedro Encarnación Escalante y Rocafuerte), Harry Carey Jr. (William "The Abilene Kid" Kearney), Mildred Natwick (Dying Mother), Ward Bond (Sheriff Buck Sweet), Mae Marsh (Mrs. Sweet), Jane Darwell (Miss Florie), Guy Kibbee (Judge), Hank Worden (Deputy Curly), Dorothy Ford (Ruby Latham), Charles Halton (Oliver Latham), Jack Pennick (Luke), Fred Libby (Deputy), Ben Johnson (Posseman #1), Michael Dugan (Posseman #2), and Francis Ford (Drunken Old-Timer at Bar) Directed by John Ford (#398 - The Last Hurrah, #1324 - 3 Bad Men, #1349 - Stagecoach, #1372 - Fort Apache, #1392 - The Searchers, #1409 - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) 

Review: 

Well, if you need a Western with a Christmas bent, here you go? Of course, this also happens to be yet another John Ford and John Wayne collaboration, albeit one that is probably not as well-noted as the others (such as Fort Apache, released around the same time). The film is adapted from the 1913 novel The Three Godfathers, which was written by Peter B. Kyne. That novel had been adapted into a film five times: The Three Godfathers (1916), Marked Men (1919), Action (1921), Hell's Heroes (1930, directed by William Wyler), and Three Godfathers (1936); Ford had directed the 1919 and 1921 films, while Harry Carey Sr had starred in the first two adaptations (I'm sure you are all familiar with the next adaptation of the book in Tokyo Godfathers (2003)). As such, when Ford decided to do another version of this tale, he dedicated it to Carey (who had died in 1947), with the opening title card describing him as the "Bright Star of the early western sky..."). At any rate, this was the fifth starring role for Wayne in a John Ford film, coming off the heels of Fort Apache (1948) that would be followed by She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and a handful of others, although this might be the lightest of the Westerns they did together. This was the third and final collaboration of Ford and Armendariz (who decided to take on roles besides Mexican cinema in the mid 1940s), while Harry Carey Jr is given an "introduction" despite having done a handful of appearances in film prior to this one, which would be part of a solid run in character roles. The film had three screenwriters in Laurence Stallings, Frank S. Nugent, and Robert Nathan.

You have to understand that the tale is basically a re-telling of the religious tale of the Three Wise Men, so it shouldn't be surprising that there were varying levels of sentimentality in those feature films I just mentioned. The result is a movie that turns out to be just fine, one that will give a fair smile to one's face without turning it into a gloppy mess. For the most part, anyway (106 minutes), since it is sort of a family film that has a bit more chuckles than action (case in point about the adaptation differences, earlier versions featured a bloody gunfight). Well, that and plenty of sand (for Death Valley...doubling as Arizona, anyway), which means that this results in a nice-looking feature that you would expect from Ford. Wayne does fine with what is required from the role in stiff chiseling, one that isn't meant to toe too much into the sentimentality pool that is mostly believable in the long run. Armendariz and Carey Jr make worthy supporting presences in terms of snappy charm that make a useful triangle of pseudo-wise men in a makeshift family feature. Bond is the other key presence, doing exactly what is needed in light casual charm. The sacrifice at the end can only work if one believes it. In two of the previous adaptations (i.e. the 1930/1936 versions), attempts to find suitable water were a key part. Here, it is a bit more tied down, syrupy and curious at the same time. Well, since this is one of the John Wayne features where he isn't engaged in a duel at the end, that shouldn't be too surprising. As long as one stomachs where it goes, all should work out. As a whole, it is a light and charming Western that serves itself well in adapting familiar material with a useful spin and a solid trio that make for a curious Ford selection that follows the holiday tradition well enough without becoming stuck in comparisons. Instead, one takes its message of hope and cheer and runs with it.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Fort Apache.

Review #1372: Fort Apache.

Cast: 
John Wayne (Capt. Kirby York), Henry Fonda (Lt. Col. Owen Thursday), Ward Bond (Sgt. Major Michael O'Rourke), Shirley Temple (Miss Philadelphia Thursday), John Agar (Lt. Michael Shannon "Mickey" O'Rourke), Dick Foran (Sgt. Quincannon), Pedro Armendariz (Sgt. Beaufort), Miguel Inclan (Cochise), Victor McLaglen (Sgt. Festus Mulcahy), Guy Kibbee (Capt. Wilkens), Anna Lee (Emily Collingwood), George O'Brien (Capt. Sam Collingwood), Jack Pennick (Sgt. Daniel Schattuck), Irene Rich (Mary O'Rourke), and Grant Withers (Silas Meacham) Directed by John Ford (#398 - The Last Hurrah and #1324 - 3 Bad Men, and #1349 - Stagecoach)

Review: 
"Anybody can direct a picture once they know the fundamentals. Directing is not a mystery, it's not an art. The main thing about directing is: photograph the people's eyes."

Legends can be an interesting thing to think about when relating to film, depending on who has the vision to make it come alive more so than if one just went to a museum or read a book. As such, it should prove no surprise that this was based on a prior work, in this case a 1947 short story "Massacre", written by James Warner Bellah in The Saturday Evening Post, which was adapted to film by Frank Nugent. It had utilized two historical battles involving Native Americans in their fight against the US Army in the 19th century with the Fetterman Fight and The Battle of Little Big Horn, particularly the leader of the latter battle, George Armstrong Custer, whose certainly has had a debatable reputation that has certainly had varied opinions over his leadership decisions in the battle that led to his death, with the efforts of his widow campaigning on his behalf helping to mold Custer into a legend for a great deal of the 20th century. This is a film that has its own view on Native American alongside a parallel of Custer in its film, which certainly does seem a bit different from the old-fashioned fare from Westerns of its time (compare this film to Unconquered, for example). It is the first film of what is referred to as director-producer Ford's "cavalry trilogy", with each of the films (the others being She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande) featuring Wayne as the main star along with adapting short stories from Bellah in each of the films. It should prove no surprise to see Wayne and Fonda in a Western, since they both stood out in their decades-long careers for their work in them, with the former making roughly one-to-three films a year for this decade; Fonda had slowed his versatile career due to serving in World War II, and he decided to return to the stage, not appearing again in a feature role for the next seven years. This happened to be the fifth-to-last role for Temple along with the first for Agar (an Army Air Corps man who served in World War II), with the two having married three years earlier. One particular person who found themselves a break was Ben Johnson, the champion rodeo cowboy-turned stuntman that found himself with an acting contract because of his help with stopping a runaway wagon from a potential deadly accident.

One will find themselves impressed with the way that Ford handles this capable tale of the nature of leadership and heroism with solid foundation to make fine entertainment. This is a film that Fonda and Wayne share with equal strength of solid acting that match like bighorned sheep on the grass. On one side is the tactically stubborn but capable humane performance from Fonda and on the other is the practical reliability of Wayne in the face of anyone. Bond makes for a fine presence, engaging with rugged rough charm that made him a character actor worth having throughout the years. Temple and Agar are okay, with fair chemistry. Foran and the others make for capable camaraderie through the moments they have on screen in making this regiment as interesting as it needs to be when setting up its conflict - whether within or with its possible enemy. The battles certainly are well-executed, even when one knows the inevitability provided by its inspiration, particularly with its lasting point about legends and glory in perspective of the one who writes it, whether that seems right or not. One is left in awe of the towering Monument Valley when seeing it in the film, particularly with the use of infrared film stock, which was utilized in outdoor sequences to enhance the scenery. There were a few quibbles with the script with stuff one might not expect. Concerns involved a manure pile scene, a shot of dead troopers, keeping contact with the Humane Society when dealing with animals, and an order to not show a toilet on screen (I kid you not). In any case, this is a relatively interesting film, one with a solid cast and ambitions beyond the usual Western of conflict that make it a worthwhile Ford film for its era.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: From Russia with Love.

Review #278: From Russia with Love.

Cast
Sean Connery (James Bond), Daniela Bianchi (Tatiana Romanova), Pedro Armendáriz (Ali Kerim Bey), Lotte Lenya (Rosa Klebb), Robert Shaw (Red Grant), Bernard Lee (M), Walter Gotell (Morzeny), and Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny) Directed by Terence Young (#150 - Dr. No)

Review
Dr. No was a big success, and so the studio would get a green-light for another Bond film, which was released 1 year after with Connery playing the role once again. How is it? It's good, I can tell you that. Whereas Dr. No suffered due to it being a bit slow with a villain of not exact threat, this is an improvement over it. I find this more defined as a film. It knows what it wants and Connery has more of the same charisma that helps this film out. At times it does indeed seem slow, but I find it still intrigues you into keep watching even in the dullest moments. The rest of the cast, including Bianchi and Shaw, are good. The action is relatively decent. In the end, out of the Bond films I've reviewed here (Dr. No, Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day, along with a parody - Casino Royale), this is the best so far of the films. So far being the emphasis here.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.