Actually it's John Ford and Merian C. Cooper's (a very interesting individual) RIO GRANDE but whichever it has become one of my favorite John Wayne movies.

It was actually kind of a "throw away" movie. Ford apparently agreed to make it only in order to secure funding for "The Quiet Man" but the movie turned out to be quite good and was one of a trio of John Ford-John Wayne cavalry movies of the period. The other two were "Fort Apache" and "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"

It's the story of a tough cavalry commander, who's estranged son shows up as a recruit to his command, followed very shortly by the estranged wife (Maureen O'Hara in her first movie with Wayne). They are estranged for one small problem, Wayne and his Sgt Major (played very well by Victor McLagLen) burned her plantation as part of Sheridan's Shenandoah Campaign (Sheridan played by the excellent character actor J. Carroll Niash).

Wayne's current fight is with the Apache Indians and the movie's name refers to the geographic boundary which limits the cavalry but is crossed with impunity by the Indians.

The supporting cast is extremely talented and includes three actors playing some risk-taking recruits (two up and coming cowboy actors and one young promising star who was successful later in life, just not as an actor). Their scenes together are a large part of what makes this movie so great.

Music plays a role in this movie, but like many westerns which feature firearms which usually found a bit later in actual history, some of the songs came many years later. In an early scene showing the arrival of the new recruits they are singing "You're in the Army Now" which dates to about 1917.

Another such song, sung very well by a future member of the Gunsmoke cast and the Sons of the Pioneers is "Down by the Glenside (the Bold Fenian Men). This song actually dates to around 1916. It comes at the end of a formal dinner with Wayne, his officers, his wife, and General Sheridan. If you look closely, Wayne's character is wearing the Civil War Medal of Honor.

Everytime I watch this movie I seem to catch another scene which adds some depth of story-telling and character development. I just about know this movie by heart but I still like to sit down with a cup of coffee and go watch this story unfold.

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Frosty
S&WCA # 2816

Yep Ken Curtis was quite a singer. Ben Johnson was great as he usually was; man could he ride a horse.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

"Wayne's current fight is with the Apache Indians and the movie's name refers to the geographic boundary which limits the cavalry but is crossed with impunity by the Indians."

That part of the movie actually happened - or something much like it. The old Indian fighter Col. Ranald Mackenzie led his raiders across the Rio Grande into Mexico after marauding Indians. In 1873 Mackenzie was assigned to Fort Clark TX to put an end to the plunder of Texas livestock by Indian raiders operating from Mexico. On May 18, in an extralegal raid, he burned a Kickapoo village near Remolino, Coahuila, and returned with forty captives. The raids stopped. I think there is a lesson from that.

I have a second home at Fort Clark east of Del Rio (decommissioned after WWII), and from where Mackenzie launched the Remolino raid. Many old Indian fighters served at Fort Clark, along with later military luminaries such as George Patton and Jonathan Wainwright. Their homes on Fort Clark still exist and are occupied by private owners.

I agree, a often overlooked classic. The chemistry between Wayne and O'hara is so good in all their movies.

I really enjoy the John Ford movies, like this one, with Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr. in them. Also, I think Ken Curtis was Ford's son-in-law. I could be wrong.

I always thought they were singing the Bohemian men until I looked it up.

My favorite of the ""Cavalry trilogy"" then it's Fort Apache followed by: The Horse Soldiers. I KNOW THS aint one of the trilogy--since its She Wore a Yellow Ribbon-which is good, but not great. Anyway, ive got a couple nice original promo stills for this movie.
This is a copy of one of em:

This one is kinda akin to the other one:

Oh and I have this-a-one as well:


I always did enjoy J. Carroll Naish (General Sheridan) in anything he was in-one of the best character actors--ever.

I think at the beginning of this movie-there was a tribute to Harry Carey Sr. who had just recently died--or either it was featured in: Three Godfathers......

The tribute said "Harry Carey Sr. Bright star in the early western sky."

Johnson was a world rodeo champion before getting his feet wet in making movies. I saw him in Bandera eating at the Old Spanish Trail restaurant--back in the mid 80s. His table was full of the famed-but nobody bothered them treating them like normal strangers.

Hate to put you on the spot-
But-
I just have to ask-
Who was with Ben Johnson out at Bandera?
The last time I lived in SA I lived off Bandera Road.
For you non -Texas types, oft times the TX roads are named for the town they are headed to.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Or the ranch. Or roads between ranches. Many streets in San Antonio are named for ranches that existed in those areas before the city built out so far.

"Harry Carey," junior or senior, gotta love that name!

It was "Three Godfathers".

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Frosty
S&WCA # 2816

This is one of those movies that has it all. The men, the horses, the guns, the music and the lady. It was originally black and white but has been colorized. The Sons of the Pioneers have continued as a singing group with obvious personnel changes throughout the years and still perform in Branson, Missouri. Their sound achieved in that movie is excellent! And yes, Ben Johnson could ride a horse.

From what I remember--they were: George Strait--who lives in San Antonio--Dean Smith--another rodeo star turned actor=--he lived in Bandera and I actually witnessed his funeral procession not knowing he'd died, Willie NNelson and I forget whom else.

Ringo - wow!
You should have pulled up a chair, shuffled the cards, and announced-
Gentlemen - The Game is Five Card Stud.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

To quote Sergeant Tyree: "I don't Chew, and I don't play cards."

That calls for a song!

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Frosty
S&WCA # 2816

That's because they had a long ongoing affair!

Another Ben Johnson outstanding role/acting was in Shane.
Regards, Ray

They did, but prior to O'Hara his main squeeze was Marlene Dietrich. He also enjoyed Hispanic ladies - he married three of them.

Scott Eyman, in his terrific book, "JOHN WAYNE The Life And Legend" includes a quote from Wayne to his daughter Aissa on the set of "The Undefeated". (Keep in mind that Wayne never said any negative about Hudson's sexual orientation and in fact was very friendly towards him.)

"Look at that face (Rock Hudson)...What a waste of a face on a queer. You know what I could have done with that face?"

Well, I guess that Mr. Morrison did well enough with the face that God gave him

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Frosty
S&WCA # 2816

He sure was

ken curtis sure was Ford's son in law. went on to make other Ford movies with John Wayne like The Searchers.

Gotta agree, great movie, great trilogy but I have always wished Wayne had insisted on a little better historic accuracy in his films. He almost always used a Colt Peacemaker and a '92 Winchester. Rio Lobo-comes home from the Civil War carrying a '73 Colt, The Commancheros- 1840's era Texas Ranger still with a Peacemaker and his Winchester. The list goes on, but I guess because its him you just watch and enjoy.

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Support your Police, & NRA

It's the same in far too many westerns. Maybe it's because people without a historical perspective expect to see these firearms.

It's probably similar to the way veterans look at military movies and pick out all of the uniform discrepancies.

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Frosty
S&WCA # 2816

He was also a very nice man. He was appearing at the rodeo in my home town, and my stepbrother was a huge fan of Gunsmoke. He (my stepbrother) was severely handicapped, and at that time quite ill, so he was not able to go to the rodeo. Somehow Mr. Curtis found out about it, and he came to my parents' house and visited my stepbrother. My stepbrother died not long after, but it gave him the best memory for the rest of his short life. I have had nothing but respect for Mr. Curtis since then.

Like many here, I was raised on westerns and loved Wayne. However, later in life, a friend of mine introduced me to his wife, who was 100% Cherokee, and her take on John Wayne was interesting to say the least.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!