Product: Fort Apache (Color Enhanced) [VHS] (1948)
Rating: 4.0
John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy
John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy is a series of three movies, "Fort Apache" BW (1948), "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" Color (1949) and "Rio Grande" BW (1950) in which we get an insight into the life and manners of the United States Cavalry during the Indian Wars. Each is an independent movie and made be viewed in any order."Fort Apache" is the story of a martinet Lt. Col., Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda). Bitter and angry at being shunted aside by the War Department he is determined regain his lost prestige by browbeating so called "Digger Indians" (the Apaches of the 1870-74). Posted to Ft Apache, he and his daughter, Philadelphia (Shirley Temple) come up against a well settled army post which has its own established and sensible way of doing things under the leadership of senior troop commander Capt. Kirby York (John Wayne). Brushing aside well seasoned advice, Thursday seeks immediately to remake the command in his personal image while attempting to severely punish the Indians.What makes this film interesting is not the story line but the underlying view of army life and customs of a frontier post. The movie fully explores the ridged caste system that existed between officer and NCO, the social hierarchy even among women, and the bigoted racism against the Indians and the Irish soldiers who made up the core of the professional NCO class. Traditions and customs abound in this movie and duty, tradition and honor to the cavalry are all that matter. Even the music has its tradition, for when the dance is terminated by Lt. Col. Thursday we hear the playing of "Good Night Ladies" which was traditional closing song for military dances.One historical note of interest is Shirley Temple's character Philadelphia and her romantic interest in a young lieutenant, Michael O'Rourke (John Agar). This theme will be visited again in the movie "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" where Olivia Dandridge (Joanne Dru) seeks to choose between two young lieutenants, Ross Pennell (Harry Carey Jr.) and Flint Cohill (John Agar). What is notable about these encounters is the age of the girls. Philadelphia we are told is 16 (Shirley Temple was actually 20 at the time) while Olivia Dandridge appears much older (Joanne Dru was 27 at the time). In truth, the journals and the diaries of the times tell us that a single young woman of 16 or more, on the frontier, would have been considered "Left on the Shelf / An Old Maid", but the social mores of the mid 20th century and politically correct Hollywood would have not permitted us knowing their true age, which probably would have been about 14-15, but such a portrayal on screen would be unthinkable. With these things in mind, watch for these underlying currents of duty, tradition, and honor running through the movie. "Ft. Apache" gives us a nice inside look army life and manners.For those movie history buffs you will be interested to know that this is a pivotal point for director John Ford. Till this point his principal leading man was generally Henry Fonda and is so in this movie. But from this point on John Wayne, playing a secondary role here, will be the rising star and replaces Fonda as Ford's principal leading man.Readers of this review are invited to comment below or by email as listed in my profile.