Reviews

In my opinion this is the best western ever made. John Ford broke the mold when he made this movie. Just the cinematography in this movie will take your breath away. The movie was shot in Monument Valley and in color. Ford made the actors wear bright colors against Monument Valley's back drop. And to me this brought out a much deeper and brighter color to the movie. Look at some of the bright color shirts Wayne and Hunter wore in the movie. Not to mention the Indian dress Look (Beulah Archuletta) wore. This film should have easily won cinematography, but was passed over.

The story itself is as dark as the Valley's night sky. Wayne plays Ethan Edwards a confederate Civil War hero who comes back home four years after the war. Ethan is in love with his brothers wife after fathering a child with her played by Natalie Wood. Of course the movie has Natalie playing his niece. John Ford would only stick his neck out so far with the 1956 censers. But Ford left the door open and it's plan to see Debbie played by Natalie Wood and her real life sister Lana Wood was his daughter. This is why Ethan was so hell bent on killing her as soon as he found her. He hated Indians and couldn't stand the thought of his only daughter becoming one. Jeff Hunter plays the half Indian nephew Martin Pawley who travels with Ethan on their five year journey. After a short while Martin figurers out Ethan's plans to kill Debbie when they find her.

This movie has so many great takes. When John Wayne rides up on the hill overlooking his brother burning ranch. He takes his rifle and slings it's cover off in one motion. The scene where Wayne is walking out the door at the army camp and looks back at one of the white captive girls. The hatred in that stare is enough to chill you to the bones.

It's taken many years for a western with as much quality and meaning such as Lonesome Dove or Unforgiven to hit the big screen. If you have never seen this movie it is an absolute must see.

A little bit on the corny side, but still and over all good movie. John Wayne is pretty straight forward in this movie. He plays Air Force Col. Jim Shannon who get a surprise landing at his base by none other Janet Leigh. Who is a Lt, in the Russian Air Force. She pretends to want to defect and woos John Wayne. It's all just a Russian plot to get information to take back to the mother land. Big John falls for it hook line and sinker, only to find out after they are married she is just a spy. But who wouldn't fall for Janet Leigh? John Wayne in turn goes back to Russia with her to feed them useless information. Leigh then really falls in love with the Duke. Then they have to make a daring escape back to the good old USA.

Janet Leigh is just beautiful in this movie. There is a scene where she changes out of her flight suite that will keep you glued to the screen. Just watching her on the screen makes this movie worth watching.