Product: Fort Apache (Color Enhanced) [VHS] (1948)
Rating: 5.0
One of the Duke's best westerns
John Ford and John Wayne teamed up to do many films during their days in Hollywood and this western adventure is among the best horse operas ever made. Set in picturesque Monument Valley, a favorite Ford outdoor setting, the movie tells of life in an army outpost in Arizona and the unease of officers and enlisted men under the command of a disgruntled, by-the-book lieutenant colonel. Henry Fonda is excellent as the martinent who alienates his men and clashes with Wayne's Captain York throughout the film, their differences exploding during a peace parley with the Apaches which ends in a rousing cavalry-Indian engagement near the end of the movie. Ford's regulars, led by Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen and Hank Worden are among the cast members, and Shirley Temple and John Agar provide the romantic angle in the proceedings. The black and white cinematography by Archie Stout is striking and Richard Hageman's wistful score are among the film's top notch production values.