Hondo (1953) User Reviews

Al Bundy Was Right!

[ferbs54 · 8/10 · 24 September 2012]

In the 5/1/88 episode of "Married With Children," the one entitled "All in the Family," paterfamilias schlemiel Al Bundy tries--unsuccessfully, of course--to catch his favorite movie, the 1953 John Wayne vehicle "Hondo," during an ill-timed invasion of his wife's relations. Undeterred, six years later, Bundy, in the 5/8/94 episode "Assault and Batteries," again tries to catch his favorite flick, and with just as little luck. And back when, any Wayne fan could easily sympathize with the hapless sadsack. "Hondo," along with such Wayne films as "Island in the Sky" and "The High and the Mighty," was extremely difficult to see for many years: never shown on television, rarely screened in revival theatres and largely unavailable for home viewing. What Al wouldn't have given for today's current DVD from Paramount, featuring a stunning print and over an hour's worth of fascinating extras! Today, it is a simple matter to view "Hondo" at any time, and appreciate it for the highly impressive Western that it is.

In the film--based on the early Louis L'Amour short story "The Gift of Cochise"--Wayne plays a part-Apache cavalry scout named Hondo Lane. When we first encounter him, in the year 1870, the footsore Hondo stumbles onto the New Mexico homestead of Mrs. Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page, the renowned NYC stage actress, here in her very first film) and her young son Johnny (appealingly played by child actor Lee Aaker). Hondo purchases a horse from Mrs. Lowe, is given a place to sleep after being provided with food and water, and, after learning that Mr. Lowe is something of a disreputable, absentee husband, helps the plain-looking mother with her chores. Trouble looms, however, when, after returning to his cavalry unit, Hondo has a run-in with a lowlife scumball whom he is forced to kill...and who turns out to be none other than Mr. Lowe! Already half in love with the woman whose husband he has just shot down, Hondo returns to the Lowe homestead with a double mission: to tell the mother and son the news of what has just transpired, and to protect the pair from an uprising of (justifiably) angry Apaches, who have recently gone on a murderous warpath....

Truth to tell, "Hondo" strikes this viewer as an unusual choice for Al Bundy's favorite John Wayne film, what with its emphasis on romance and courtship (indeed, for the first 25 minutes of the picture, Hondo and Mrs. Lowe do nothing but talk and grow close to each other), as well as father/son ties (then again, young Johnny is a lot more cute and loving than Bud Bundy could ever hope to be; perhaps Al saw in Johnny the son that he never had?). Still, the film is understandably captivating for any viewer, and boasts any number of sterling attributes. For one thing, it is a film of great visual beauty; the desert terrain outside Ciudad Camargo (Chihuahua State, Mexico), where the movie was largely shot, is often breathtaking, and just about every outdoor scene seems to be adorned by stunning cloud formations. The film also boasts several wonderful sequences, including Hondo fleeing from the Apaches on horseback, Hondo engaging in a knife fight with an Apache on top of a mesa, and, most memorably, Hondo "teaching" Johnny how to swim. This was Wayne's first Western in three years, since 1950's "Rio Grande," and fans would have to wait another three years to see him in another (arguably, Wayne's best: 1956's "The Searchers"), but he is simply terrific here as Hondo, the self-reliant loner whose creed--"I let people do what they want to do"--is one that we would all do well to emulate. Page has an interesting chemistry with him, and it is wonderful to see the homely mother blossom and grow prettier as the film proceeds, as she and Hondo fall very much in love. Page deservedly garnered an Oscar nomination (her first of eight) for her work here, ultimately losing the Best Supporting Actress statuette for that year to Donna Reed, for her fine work in "From Here to Eternity." Kudos must also be given to Australian actor Michael Pate, who would go on, 14 years later, to reprise his role as the Apache chief Vittoro in the short-lived ABC TV program "Hondo," starring Ralph Taeger (I know, I know...who?) in the title role, as well as young Aaker for his winning performance. Likewise, the great character actors Ward Bond, Leo Gordon and James Arness (two years pre-"Gunsmoke") all manage to make the most of their small but crucial roles.

"Hondo" also features fine work behind the camera. With solid direction by John Farrow (husband of Maureen O'Sullivan and father of Mia, and who would go on to work with Wayne in 1955's "The Sea Chase"), in addition to uncredited direction by the legendary John Ford of the climactic battle sequence; a winning script from Wayne's favorite screenwriter, James Edward Grant; and a lovely theme song and pounding incidental music from Emil Newman and Hugo W. Friedhofer, the picture really is a fortuitous merging of great talents. Though shot in 3-D, the film is not overly reliant on in-your-face stunts to keep the viewer entertained; indeed, other than a few knife thrusts into the camera, there are few such tricks to speak of, and the film looks and works just fine in 2-D (apparently, "Hondo" was only shown in 3-D during the first week of its initial run, anyway!). The bottom line is that while "Hondo" may not be the Wayne masterpiece that "Stagecoach," "Red River" and "The Searchers" are, it yet remains a very solid, artfully made and highly entertaining picture. As it turns out, Al Bundy had good reason to rush home and turn on his television set....

Memorable John Wayne Western.

[jpdoherty · 6/10 · 25 September 2012]

Made in 1953 Warner Bros. HONDO is a good entertaining western. A Wayne/Fellows production it was originally filmed in the short lived process of 3D but here is thankfully without many of the gimmicks associated with that format. Nicely directed by John Farrow the picture has become well established over the years as one of John Wayne's better westerns.From a novel by Louis L'Amour it had a fine screenplay devised by James Edward Grant and was glowingly photographed in Warnercolor by Robert Burks and Archie Stout.

John Wayne is Hondo Lane a dispatch rider for the U.S. cavalry in 1874 who, after having his horse shot from under him by Indians stumbles across an isolated ranch occupied by a deserted woman (Geraldine Page) and her young son (Lee Aaker). At first the woman is suspicious of the stranger but she soon realizes he means no harm and later develops deep feelings for him. She gives him a horse (which he had broken) so he can get back to the fort where he learns that because of the Apache unrest the army is about to ride out and evacuate families from the outlying ranches and take to the field against the fearsome Apache leader Vittorio (Michael Pate). Hondo must now return to the ranch and help bring the woman and the boy to safety. But on his journey he tangles with and is forced to kill a would-be assassin (Leo Gordan) who he discovers is the woman's errant husband. Then in a brilliant chase sequence he is run down and captured by the Apaches but Vittorio, who is fond of the boy, releases him back to the ranch. The picture ends in a spectacular fashion with a full scale desert battle between the cavalry and the Apache horde.

Performances are splendid. Wayne is especially good as is Geraldine Page. Page, a New York stage actress in her first film is very impressive and her early scenes with Wayne are engaging and pleasing. However I have a couple of quibbles about the production of HONDO. Firstly, Wayne's stunt double is a very slight and much smaller man than the actor. His height and size is jarringly obvious in a few scenes such as the horse breaking sequence and the stunning chase scene. Then the second half of the movie - which is reputed to have been directed by John Ford - somehow doesn't really jell very well with the first half at all. It almost becomes a different movie - eschewing the fine dramatic power and character development inherent in the beginning and it even relegates the woman and the boy to mere bit players. The blame for this must be laid at Ford's door. It's like he never saw the first half and just proceeded to do his own thing. His section of the film is simply a cavalry versus Indian actioneer. But then perhaps Ford wasn't totally at fault since he had no involvement in the project from the outset and probably only did the thing as a favor to Wayne. Nevertheless there is still much to enjoy in HONDO which has arresting cinematography, excellent performances, a wonderfully written first half and a vibrant score by Emil Newman and Hugo Friedhofer.

The Duke is in top form

[jamesrupert2014 · 8/10 · 13 December 2018]

Quintessential John Wayne western, the Duke plays tough but principled cavalry scout Hondo Lane who ends up sparking the widow (Geraldine Page) of a blackguard whom he was forced to shoot. In the meantime, the Apache are on the warpath, the horse soldiers are being led by a callow Westpointer (Tom Irish), and Vittoro (Michael Pate), the renegade Indian war-chief, has taken a shine to the widow's young son. Fortunately, all of these problems can be solved by honesty, common sense, good horsemanship, and/or a Winchester. Wayne is as good as always playing his usual larger-than-life hero and Page, refreshingly lacking the 'starlet' good looks usually found in supporting female characters, is excellent as the abandoned pioneer mother. The rest of the cast are fine, Australian actor Michael Pate plays Vittoro (presumably a proxy for the actual Apache chief Victorio (1825-1880)) and Wayne's buddies Ward Bond and James Arness are along for the ride as a couple of colourful cavalry scouts. The film is a bit more nuanced than the usual oater and the Apache, while still implacable foes who take scalps and torture prisoners, are presented as a rightfully aggrieved party, having been lied to and betrayed by the 'whiteman'. The desert cinematography is excellent and although originally presented in 3D, there are few of the gimmicky 'coming at you' shots that were common in early 3D films (I recently watched a 'flat' version but still have my 3D 'Hondo glasses' from a previous viewing). The climactic battle, allegedly directed by John Ford, is excellent but the film ends on a sombre 'end of an era' note, a theme that was becoming more common in the genre. All in all, Hondo is an impressive oater starring one of the genre's greats at the top of his game - well worth watching.

An Early "A" Western

[Lechuguilla · 28 July 2008]

Most Westerns from the 1940s and earlier were what could be described as "B" Westerns, or Saturday afternoon matinée type films whose audience was mostly kids. Characters and stories were based largely on clichés and cultural stereotypes. Beginning in the late 1940s, a new kind of "adult" Western film emerged, one that we could label as "A" Western. In these films, the characters and stories were more complex; they had more thematic depth; and they tended to be a bit more realistic in their portrayal of the 19th century American frontier. "Hondo" is notable because it is an early cinematic "A" Western.

The film's title derives from the main character, Hondo Lane (John Wayne), a tough gunfighter and scout with a sense of ethics, a loner who does not like liars. One day, he happens onto the homestead of a lonely White woman, Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page). She and her young son Johnny (Lee Aaker) live peacefully on Apache lands.

A central plot point in the story is a broken treaty, which causes conflict between the Apaches, headed by Vittorio (Michael Pate), and the U.S. Cavalry. Vittorio has no real quarrel with Mrs. Lowe, however. Indeed, he keeps returning to her homestead, concerned that she and especially Johnny, who appears to be without a father, will not be able to survive in such a harsh land.

Based on a real-life Apache warrior, the Vittorio character conveys a more humanistic portrayal of Indians than what a viewer would see in "B" Westerns. And the multi-faceted Hondo, part White and part Apache, intervenes to help Mrs. Lowe, as she is caught between her desire to remain on Apache land, and the insistence of the Cavalry that she and her son flee the "hostile" Apaches.

The story has a very realistic look and feel, a result of attention to detail in costumes, production design, and outdoor locations. Originally shot in 3-D, mostly to convey a sense of spatial depth, there are very few 3-D gimmicks. Color cinematography is credible, and uses a good mix of close-ups and wide-angle long shots. Colors might be a tad overdone, with too many bright hues, but that's the way many outdoor films were shot in the 1950s. For many scenes in "Hondo", the camera is tilted slightly upward toward the sky, to give a sweeping, majestic look to the landscape.

Casting is fine, except for the odd choice of Geraldine Page who was at that time known mostly as a New York stage actress. Her performance here is fine, but is nowhere near the stellar level in later films. John Wayne is suitably cast, and does a nice job. Ward Bond, Michael Pate, and Lee Aaker all give credible performances in support roles.

Although there are more grandiose "A" grade cinematic Westerns, "Hondo" is a fine example of a story that is slightly more low-key, with an emphasis on complex characters. And the film's visuals are picturesque. I recommend this film for anyone interested in high quality Westerns.

Under the Blue Mexican Skies!

[bsmith5552 · 7/10 · 15 October 2005]

"Hondo" was originally filmed in the then popular 3-D process which explains the emphasis on foreground shots and a few "comin' at ya" 3-D process shots. By the time the film was released at the end of 1953, the 3-D craze was over and it was on to CinemaScope.

The film has been unavailable for viewing for about 15 years. For its DVD release it has been beautifully restored to its original brilliance. The colors are rich and vibrant including the many Mexican blue sky shots.

The story has a tired and horseless army scout Hondo Lane (John Wayne) coming upon an isolated ranch where he meets Mrs. Lowe (Geraldine Fitzgerald) and her young son Johnny (Lee Aaker). They have apparently been deserted by the husband and father, the brutish Ed Lowe (Leo Gordon).

Hondo befriends the pair and stays around helping with the long neglected chores. Naturally an attraction develops between him and Mrs. Lowe. Finally Hondo leaves for the army post. Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Lowe and Johnny are visited by a warring Apache chief, Vittorio (Michael Pate) and his warriors. Vittorio is impressed with the bravery of young Johnny and makes him a blood brother.

Meanwhile back at the post, Hondo meets up with his old pal Buffalo Baker (Ward Bond). In the saloon they are confronted by Lowe and a brawl ensues. When Hondo leaves to return the horse he borrowed from Mrs. Lowe, he is followed by Lowe and his partner (Frank McGrath). Hondo and the two are ambushed by the Apaches. Following the confrontation, Hondo is forced to kill Lowe in self-defence.

As Hondo rides toward the Lowe ranch, he is captured by Vittorio and his warriors. When Vittorio discovers Lowe's picture of young Johnny on Hondo he spares his life. Vittorio's sadistic chief Silva (Rodolfo Acosta) objects and Hondo is forced into a knife fight with the Indian.

Hondo eventually arrives at the ranch where he continues to romance Mrs. Lowe. Vittorio believing that Hondo is Mrs. Lowe's husband, respects his bravery.

Later Buffalo and another scout Lennie (James Arness) arrive with a cavalry troop sent out to bring any settlers into the army post for their safety. We learn that Vittorio has been killed and that the Apaches are now being led by Silva. Without Vittorio's protection, Hondo and the Lowes are forced to leave with the troops. Along the way they are attacked by the Apache and..................

This was one of John Wayne's better westerns however one can't help but compare certain aspects of the story with that of "Shane" released the same year. Geraldine Page received an academy award nomination as best supporting actress for this her first starring role. Long time Wayne crony Bond delivers a colorful performance as the grizzled scout Buffalo. Lee Aaker is probably best remembered for his role as "Rusty" in the TV show "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin".

James Arness who was under contract to Wayne at the time would achieve lasting fame as Marshal Matt Dillon in TV's long running "Gunsmoke". Leo Gordon who was typecast as a villain went on to write several screenplays for Roger Corman in the 60s. Wayne's pal Paul Fix appears briefly as Major Sherry.

John Ford directed the final battle sequence when Director John Farrow had to leave to fulfill other contractual obligations.

The DVD release has an excellent commentary by Leonard Maltin (who also serves as host for the variopus segments), film historian Frank Thompson and Lee Aaker. There is a behind the scenes featurette and tributes to Ward Bond and Wayne screenwriter James Edward Grant are also included.

Great action.

John Wayne as cavalry scout and protecting a defenseless widow and her son against Apaches

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 13 August 2011]

This exciting Western was released in three dimensional (3-D with some gimmickry) in the 50's, a highly topical exhibition mean , nowadays being successfully going back and including polarized glasses. It was the time when introduced Cinemascope and 3-D to compete with TV and attract people to movie theaters . It deals with Hondo Lane (John Wayne) , a scout for the US cavalry, he meets Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page)and falls in love with her , in this typical and entertaining western of the the 50's . The drumbeats of the Apaches sound a grim warning to a woman living in an isolated farm with her son . Hondo Lane becomes stubborn guard Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page in her first movie character) alarmed about the pending Indian uprising and then he turns into a figure father to her son named Johnny. The homesteader Angie, decided to await the return of his gruff husband, refuses to leave his property in spite of the imminent danger from a nearby Indian tribes. The woman living in the wilderness presumes she is safe because the Apaches (led by Michael Pate and Rodolfo Acosta) , under their leader Vittorio, have always left them alone. Later Lane has a run-in with Angie's reprobate husband (Leo Gordon) and is forced to murder in self-defense, not knowing who he is. Vittorio (Michael Pate) captures Lane and to save his life, Angie tells the Apache chief that Lane is her husband, unaware that Lane has murdered her real husband. In order to protect her from a forced marriage with one of the Apache, Lane reluctantly goes along with the lie and both of them fend off the violent Indians .

This classic western contains thrills , action , fights , brawls , impressive battles and spectacular scenarios . Wayne interpretation is the major plus , he's frankly sensational and awesome. This picture, being filmed in 3-D scenery and that it more attractive and impressive look for the legendary John Wayne whom was a novelty the shooting in this system. Interesting screenplay by James Edward Grant , Western's usual writer , though results to be a variation on ¨Shane¨. The film is a well-made Western with a fine result, a colorful photograph and an enjoyable love story . Furthermore , it shows a human view of the Indians and their relations to the American west settlers. This apparently unknown western was nominated for two Academy Awards, a nomination prize for the magnificent acting by Geraldine Page (her first nomination in her long career), and another for Louis L'Amour, well-known writer of novels set on the wild west. Glamorous and glimmer cinematography in superb Technicolor by Robert Burks (Hitchcock's ordinary) and Archie Stout . Lively and sensible musical score by Hugo Friedhofer . The motion picture is compellingly directed by John Farrow (Big clock , Wake Island , Copper cannon ,Captain Jones , among others) . The film was restored by the John Wayne Society for re-release in 1995 and todays is considered as the Duke at his best . Followed by a short-lived TV series . Rating : Above average .Worthwhile watching and a John Wayne's favourite .

Good John Wayne Western.

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 7 October 2013]

John Farrow directs this western story that stars John Wayne as Hondo Lane, a dispatch rider for the cavalry who encounters a woman named Angie Lowe(played by Geraldine Page) and her son, whom he feels compelled to protect, since they are surrounded by Apache forces. Angie claims that, while her husband is away, they have a truce with the Apache chief, so don't feel threatened. Later on, Hondo is forced to kill a man in self defense who turns out to be Angie's husband! Before he can tell her, he is captured by the Apaches, but rescued by Angie, who informs the chief that Hondo is her missing husband. This of course puts Hondo in a quandary...

Exciting and beautifully photographed film has a good cast and story, which is not as much of a soap opera as my summary may indicate! (Though those elements are present.)

50th anniversary of a western classic

[NewEnglandPat · 8/10 · 25 November 2003]

This exciting and colorful 3D film was released 50 years ago this week and remains an enjoyable action adventure today. With its distinctive peppermint-striped titles, the movie is one of John Wayne's best westerns and he happens upon a young woman at her isolated ranch and warns her of the threat of Indian uprisings. There is tension between the dispatch rider and the woman at first but she also knows that her son enjoys the man's presence on their ranch. Ward Bond and James Arness are the best-known cast members, and Geraldine Page, in her first movie, received an Academy Award nomination for her work in this film. The battle scenes are exciting, a series of hit-and-run cavalry-Indian fighting under bright blue skies and thick, fluffy clouds. The sound effects during the battles, of bullets and arrows hitting home are realistic and superb. The movie was filmed in Camargo, Mexico, an arid desert country studded with isolated, cone-shaped mesas. The music score by Hugo Friedhofer is among his best work.

A man oughta do what he thinks is right.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 24 August 2011]

Leonard Maltin proudly does the intro for the DVD special edition of Hondo, his regard for the film is obvious. Maltin, who also provides a commentary track for the film, muses on the importance of Hondo in light of the 50s tonal shift in the Western genre. A time when the Western cast off its one dimensional approach of cowboy/cavalry heroes slaughtering the enemy (Indians) purely as an entertainment medium. But is Hondo any good? And is it also worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Delmer Daves'-Broken Arrow (Maltin again) which ushered in the 50s with a bold and poignant crack of the whip? The answer to both questions possibly depends on how much you enjoy John Wayne movies in the first place. Here The Duke, playing a half bred Indian it should be noted, is wonderfully framed amongst the Camargo, Chihuahua (Mexico) location. The plot (starting off like Shane, released the same year) follows an interesting course, requiring Hondo to ultimately protect those he has fell in for, while simultaneously understanding his enemy since his blood contains the very same. Also of interest is that Hondo has very much become a solitary man of the wilderness, so when his emotions lean towards love and fatherly instincts, it makes for a nice bit of in character confliction. Something that Wayne delivers with much conviction.

Geraldine Page was Oscar nominated for her role as Angie, and rightly so as well. Strong-willed and waiting out of loyalty for her thuggish husband Ed (Leo Gordon) to return to the family home. Angie herself is conflicted by her regard for the Apache and the stirrings brought about by Hondo's considerable masculine presence. Especially when a revelation later in the piece calls for her to decide her life course. All of which gives Page the license to feed off Wayne's presence, to which it provides great interplay that makes the film a potent and intriguing character piece. Stock players such as Ward Bond and James Arness aren't given much to do, and due to the film having originally being shot in 3D, the thrusts at the screen by various weapons are more quirky than impacting. But still, backed up by a fine score from Hugo Friedhofer and containing a rousing battle laden finale (apparently filmed by John Ford as director John Farrow had been called elsewhere), Hondo is a cinematic treat for like minded individuals. It's not as important as Maltin and many others would have us believe, but that doesn't stop it being an essential watch for fans of Wayne, Page and particularly those into Westerns in general. 7/10

Geraldine Page makes her screen debut in Hondo and she is marvelous.

[countryway_48864 · 8/10 · 10 August 2001]

Someone in an earlier comment said that John Wayne is, "always bad." I take great umbrage in that statement. He was always good and often marvelous and sometimes Magnificent.

His Hondo is a very different character from Ethan Edwards or Thomas Dunson. Here, he is a younger Wil Anderson or a more somber Quirt Evans.

I like Hondo. It's not a great film like Red River or The Searchers, but it does explore the lonely existence of a woman living in the back of beyond. It also explores the way in which a semi-tamed man becomes a father substitute and good husband, something Ethan Edwards would never become.

Geraldine Page shines like a new penny in this, her first film. She won an Academy Award nomination for her role in Hondo, and she deserved it.

Hondo is a man who is hardened by experience but still capable of understanding, compassion and love. He also works HARD. It's fun to see John Wayne with nails in his mouth, shoeing a horse!

Very good, tightly done Western.

[gazzo-2 · 7/10 · 17 October 2005]

I liked this quite a lot. I had never seen it until I got the DVD yesterday, and it had a few surprises. One was it's not even an hour and a half. Usually you expect these Duke things to be a couple hours. Two--it's quite similar to 'Shane' which came out the same year. Short-ish film, smallish cast, familiar plotting--did it work? Yes it did. I enjoyed the unconventional casting of Page, not a glamor queen and the movie is better off for it. Wayne was typical, on his game for the most, with some pretty good dialogue thrown in. I always enjoy seeing the 'Ford Stock Company' of Ward Bond, Leo Gordon, Paul Fix, Acosta, etc Arness included. They were good together and it helps the movie out.

Oddly sympathetic portrayal of the Apaches, esp Michael Pate. This was good, riding the coat-tails of 'Cochise' from a few years before am sure, but so what? It works.

Nicely shot, not too many gratuitous 3-D moments, typical John Ford style climax w/ the indians surrounding the wagons etc at the end, same great stunt work etc you know the drill.

I don't see how you can go wrong w/ this if you like Wayne's usual trademark Westerns, this one is a cut above in fact.

*** outta ****

Solid characterization with visual elegance!

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 8/10 · 31 July 1999]

"Hondo" opens on some of the aspects of George Stevens' "Shane," with the arrival of a lone figure, a U.S. cavalry dispatch rider, Hondo Lane (John Wayne) and his dog (Sam) to an isolated ranch in Apache Territory...

Lane is received by a young courageous frontier woman Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) and her 6-years old son Johnny (Lee Aaker). Angie tries to convince Hondo that she is not alone, that she lives with a husband, and that she is not worried about apache uprisings, because there is a peace treaty, and the apaches will not "bother" her at all...

During his 24 hours stay, Lane knows that Annie is an abandoned woman, and after kissing her, he learned much more...

Lane leaves the place, but after finding out that the Indians are killing and destroying all around the land, decides to return for the young woman and her boy...

Under the lead of a stylistic director, "Hondo" may be very likely the finest Wayne psychological Western not directed by John Ford... With long tracking shots and interesting camera angles, "Hondo" is far better in the way of capturing the abrasive solitary man manifested in "Red River." There is nothing really surprising about Wayne's part, but I think it does stress something that's a real Wayne attribute, and that is his honesty and straight forwardness…

With a kind of short, curly, blonde hair, Geraldine Page is excellent in her Oscar-Nominated debut, specially in the scene of her confession to Lane about her late husband: 'He was a liar, a thief, a coward and a drunker... He only married me to get the ranch.'

Shot on a hot, dusty, foreign location (Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico) in color and in 3-D, John Farrow's "Hondo" is one of the early pleasant looking Western that I saw with my father a long, long time ago...

Classic Wayne

[doug-balch · 6/10 · 2 July 2010]

This is Wayne at his best...short of Ethan Edwards, that is.

Here's what I liked:

• Duke at the top of his game. His cowboy outfits are really cool and he looks great against the desert landscape. Of course, he's playing the ultra-cool stereotype Western role of "super scout raised by the Indians". Nobody did it better.

• Historically accurate Victorio character is excellent. Nice reference to the very real General Crook.

• Little boy character works well. If this kid had got the part, "Shane" might even be watchable (just teasing).

• Solid supporting cast. Geraldine Page and Ward Bond turn in good performances.

• No real plot holes, nice themes surrounding honor and the trade off between personal independence and family.

Here's what kept it from being better:

• Wayne's 45 years old here and looks older. He was already too old to be playing romantic leads. Too bad he didn't get these kinds of quality roles when he was younger. John Ford's fault for keeping him on the shelf until 1939.

• Geraldine Page is OK in this, but I was expecting much, much more from the actress who gave the best performance I have ever seen by a female in "The Sweet Bird of Youth" ten years later. Don't miss it. You sure won't recognize her if you only know her from "Hondo".

• There's no real heavy. Victorio is the logical choice, but he is portrayed so positively that he cedes that role to his henchman, Silva, who is poorly developed. Silva's co-heavy is Ed Lowe, Angie's bounder husband, who is even more poorly characterized.

This movie needed a few less fishing scenes with the little boy and more with Ed Lowe, proving what a low down dog he is.

• Just like in "Fort Apache", they fail to depict the Apache scouts who fought side by side with the calvary against the other Apache renegades. "Geronomio, An American Legend" remains the gold standard in historically accurate portrayal of the Apaches Wars. This isn't bad though.

Interesting Setup Fizzles In Execution

[zkonedog · 5/10 · 26 February 2017]

For the first 20-30 minutes, "Hondo" seems like it just might transcend the "typical Duke western" label. Some SPOILERS AHEAD: The title character (played by Wayne) wanders out of the dusty plains and into a homestead run by Angie (Geraldine Page) and son Johnny (Lee Aaker). After helping Angie with some work, Hondo quickly discovers that her husband has deserted her. Riding back to the U.S. Calvary regiment that he sometimes scouts for, Hondo gets into a barroom fistfight with a local scoundrel...a scoundrel who turns out to be Angie's "lost" husband!

At this point in the film, I thought it had real potential to be a great western tale. A lot of interesting pieces were established that could have been built upon. Unfortunately, from that point onward it becomes stock cowboys vs. Indians fare. Director John Farrow tries to weave a subplot about the white men and the Indians co-existing with each other, but everything we see/feel on screen says otherwise.

At the end of the film, after a group of Cavalry men have fought off a warring band of Indians, Hondo makes the following quote: "It is the end of a way of life. A good way." This after an entire movie of killing more Indians than anyone else on screen. Now, I realize that movies (and especially westerns like this one) were made for different reasons and even different audiences than today and should be partially judged as such. However, in today's Hollywood, that type of empty moralizing is inexcusable. History, then, is not kind to a film like "Hondo".

Overall, "Hondo" is a decidedly average (or maybe even a bit below) western. I give it three stars because the Duke gives a good performance and the setup did hold my interest for a time. In the wide view, though, I think the only reason this movie gets as much "press" as it does is because it became quite rare before coming out on DVD. When history has its say, it doesn't really stand out in any way.

John Doe Wayne Is Hondo Lane

[stryker-5 · 30 November 1999]

The Duke was 44 years old when he made "Hondo", the film in which he, as a producer, hit on the formula which he would successfully employ for the entire second half of his long career. Like many good ideas, the formula is very simple. A strong human-interest story is played out against a backdrop of majestic scenery, and includes plenty of beat-'em-up and shoot-'em-up sequences, with the masculine values of the western genre very much to the fore - independence of spirit, standing up for what is right, self-reliance and loyalty to friends.

Hondo Lane is a free man. Indian blood runs in his veins, and he loves to roam the western wilderness which he shares with a few settlers and the Mescalero Apaches. Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) lives the life of a lonely homesteader, bringing up her little boy Johnny on her own in an isolated log cabin. When Hondo swaggers onto her spread, seeming like an emanation of the desert itself, the sexual sparks begin to fly.

Vittorio, the chief of the Mescaleros, is an upright and proud man, a great leader who has finally lost patience with the treacherous white man. He and his braves have donned the war paint and are prowling the region, baying for blood. In the coming clash, Hondo will have to decide where his loyalties lie.

Processed in Warners' own 'Warnercolor', the film has an attractive tempera look. It was originally shot in 3-D format, which explains the sudden knife-thrusts towards the camera and the front-on spear lunges. There is some fine horsemanship on display in this movie, with small, elegant horses being ridden in a well-forward saddle style. Hondo's descent of the butte to escape his indian pursuers is particularly good.

When Hondo walks out of the wilderness, his horse having died several days previously, how come he is clean-shaven? In the knife-fight with Silva (Rodolfo Acosta), the continuity is poor, some shots having been filmed in bright sunlight, others under an overcast sky. However, though they are worth pointing out, these small snags do not mar an enjoyable film.

The sexual manoeuvring between Hondo and Angie is measured to perfection. Their propriety is impeccable, but there can be no doubting the intensity of their mutual desire or its earthiness ("I can smell you when I'm downwind of you"). Angie puts on her lilac dress for no conceivable reason other than mating display.

When Hondo talks of his dead squaw, the script soars. The half-indian's deeply poetic feel for the beautiful Apache language merges with his romantic reverie, forming a lament for both his lost love and the doomed indian way of life. This passage is symbolic of the whole film, which is largely about the interpenetration of indian and anglo-saxon cultures. Vittorio adopts the blonde Johnny (Lee Aaker) as a blood relation, and returns frequently to the Lowes' place to watch over the boy. Hondo, of course, bestrides the two civilisations, both of which are his birthright. On the broader canvas, the film is an elegy to the Mescaleros who share this land with the white settlers, but who are now in terminal decline.

Hondo is the living embodiment of Manifest Destiny. Because he is stronger and abler (and dare one say, whiter) than the Apaches, he will supersede them. And the passing of the Mescalero civilisation does not bother him unduly. "End of a way of life," he observes, having just slaughtered several dozen indians. "Too bad. It was a good way." And without another thought, he cheerfully gets on with conquering the West.

Middle-Ranking Middle=Period Wayne Western

[JamesHitchcock · 6/10 · 26 August 2012]

"Hondo" is one of a number of Westerns from the late forties and early fifties to deal with the Apache Wars of the late nineteenth century. Other examples include John Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy" (all of which also starred John Wayne), "Broken Arrow", "Only the Valiant" and "Apache". It is not a "Cavalry Western" like Ford's trilogy; the main character Hondo Lane, who is himself part Apache, is not a uniformed soldier but a scout and dispatch rider for the Army. This was the first film to be produced by Wayne, who also takes the leading role. On his insistence it was made in 3D, one of a number of such films to be made during the brief 3D craze of 1952-54, although this is not always obvious when one sees it in 2D; there are only a few scenes of knives, arrows, etc, coming direct towards the viewer.

There are two main strands to the plot. The first concerns the war between the Apaches and the US Army, culminating in that grand old Western cliché, the shootout as the Indians attack a wagon train. (This scene was apparently directed by Ford after shooting overran and the film's credited director John Farrow had to leave the set because he was contracted to start work on another picture). The way in which the Indians are portrayed here is less positive than in something like "Apache", but considerably more so than in "Only the Valiant". They are shown as being capable of great cruelty, but also of great nobility, and it is made clear that they have genuine grievances in that it is the whites who have broken the treaty. The Apache chief Vittorio is a particularly impressive figure. The film ends with Hondo predicting the defeat of the Indians by the numerically superior American soldiers and regretting the end of the Apache "way of life".

The second main plot strand concerns a growing romance between Hondo and a woman named Angie Lowe, the wife of a homesteader. From a modern viewpoint at least, this aspect of the film is not the happiest one. In the fifties the idea of a romantic friendship, even a non-sexual one, between a married woman and a man who is not her husband would have been controversial, and here the film-makers try to dampen any possible controversy by generating as much sympathy for Angie and Hondo as possible. Angie's husband Ed is made a thoroughgoing villain- abusive, violent, unfaithful, a drinker, womaniser and gambler. Eventually Ed draws a gun on Hondo, even though Hondo has just saved his life from an Indian attack, and Hondo is forced to kill him in self-defence, without knowing who he is. The subsequent revelation that Hondo was responsible for her husband's death proves no obstacle to Angie's growing love for him, something I found psychologically implausible.

The choice of Geraldine Page as the female lead was perhaps a strange one. Page was a well-known stage actress who had never previously had a leading role in a movie, and she was an exponent of the "Method" style of acting, at this period often regarded as excessively introspective for a rugged genre like the Western. (Later, a number of noted Method actors such as Marlon Brando and Paul Newman were to give fine performances in Westerns). Someone must have liked her performance here, as she was nominated for a "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar, but despite this achievement it was to be another eight years before she made her next film. Other good contributions come from Wayne's real-life friend Ward Bond as Hondo's friend Buffalo Baker and from Michael Pate as the courageous and dignified Chief Vittorio. (The Australian-born Pate was not himself a Native American, but in the fifties Hollywood was less sensitive about this sort of ethnic cross-casting than it is today; the Jewish New Yorker Jeff Chandler played Indians several times in his career).

Wayne here combines the roles of tough action hero and romantic lover, although as in other films where he was provided with a love interest (such as "The Quiet Man") his scenes with Page are characterised more by a sort of gruff tenderness than by ardent passion. The film has some similarities with a later Wayne film, the Civil War drama "The Horse Soldiers", which also combined a decent action-based plot with a less successful romantic subplot.

I would not rate "Hondo" quite as highly as "The Horse Soldiers", where the romance proves less of a distraction from the main story, and certainly not as highly as some of the great Westerns, like "Fort Apache" or "The Searchers" from what I regard as his "middle period", the forties and fifties. (As with a number of other actors and directors with lengthy careers, I tend to divide Wayne's career into three periods, early, middle and late). It is, however, a highly watchable film which retains many points of interest even today. 6/10

"I know a lot of pretty people I wouldn't trust with a busted nickel-plated watch."

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 3 May 2014]

Army scout Hondo Lane (John Wayne) and his trusty dog Sam protect a woman (Geraldine Page) and her son from Apaches. Good western but not without flaws. Duke is excellent in a particularly talky role. This is one of those types of parts you expect the hero to be the strong, silent type. But Wayne's Hondo is quite talkative. That isn't to say he's not a man of action, because he is. He just talks a lot in between the action. Film debut of Geraldine Page and she was nominated for an Academy Award. I gotta say, I wasn't a big fan of her performance. There's something stiff and unnatural about it. Ward Bond is fun as Wayne's crusty army buddy. Michael Pate is good as the Apache chief Vittorio. It's not one of my favorite Wayne westerns but it's still worth trying out.

HONDO (John Farrow, 1953) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 13 May 2006]

In a bid to fight the TV menace, Hollywood sought to invent as many crowd-pulling gimmicks as possible and 3-D was one of them, albeit perhaps the most short-lived and gimmicky of all; on the other hand, concerned film stars started to seek more control over their films and this resulted in several actors setting up their own production companies. John Wayne named his Batjac and, as it turned out, he had to step in as leading man in several of his own projects. The role of HONDO was intended for Glenn Ford but he declined after his unhappy experience with director John Farrow on PLUNDER OF THE SUN (1953), another Batjac venture.

While HONDO was itself shot in the 3-D process, wisely it is used only sparingly and, as a whole, the film must certainly rank with the best Batjac put out, an intimate yet stirring portrayal of Frontier life under a cloud of brewing Apache conflict. John Wayne creates a memorably laconic character, although in retrospect, he and Geraldine Page make a most unlikely romantic pairing but the latter, who was then only known for her stage work and whose first true appearance in film this was, acquitted herself extremely well in the role of the lonely but determined homesteader woman living alone on her farm with her young kid (Lee Aaker) on Apache territory and, indeed, most surprisingly for a film of its type, walked away with a Best Supporting Actress nod at that year's Academy Awards! The film also gives notable roles to Ward Bond (as a boorish Cavalry scout), Michael Pate (as the respectful Indian Chief who takes a liking to Page's son) and James Arness as a less reliable Cavalry scout.

John Farrow handles James Edward Grant's rather talky script - whose central relationship between Wayne-Page-Aaker brings forth the inevitable SHANE comparisons which, interestingly, was released earlier that year - quite admirably and, although John Ford himself had a hand in it as a second unit director, there is a terrific battle sequence which concludes the film. HONDO was also famed pulp writer Louis L' Amour's first real brush with the cinema and many adventure/Western films would subsequently be based on his work, most notably perhaps EAST OF SUMATRA (Budd Boetticher, 1953), STRANGER ON HORSEBACK (Jacques Tourneur, 1955), HELLER IN PINK TIGHTS (George Cukor, 1960) and SHALAKO (Edward Dmytryk, 1968).

"No Wonder The Apaches Call Him Enverrado, It Means Bad Tempered"

[bkoganbing · 10/10 · 29 January 2007]

It don't get much better for western fans than a Louis L'Amour story brought to the screen by John Wayne. I'm sure when this novel came out, the Duke saw it and said this one's for me as it was his Wayne-Fellows Production company that bought it and produced it.

John Wayne must have been some sight on the big screen when Hondo came out in 3-D as originally filmed. That entrance of him walking up to Geraldine Page's small ranch must have put his large frame practically in the laps of the theater audience.

Wayne plays Hondo Lane an army scout who is part Indian himself. His horse died and he's on foot when he arrives at Page's ranch where her husband is gone and she's left with young son Lee Aaker. There's an immediate attraction between the two of them, the sexual tension fairly crackles, Page hasn't had any male companionship for a while. A bond also forms between Lee Aaker and the Duke.

For one of John Wayne's major films, Hondo has a remarkably short running time as compared to some of the epic westerns he did for John Ford. In fact Ford was slated for this film, but dropped out and John Farrow took his place. In the less than 90 minute running time for Hondo, it deals with Page's no good husband Leo Gordon and the trouble the Apaches are giving the local settlers.

Playing the head of the Apaches, Chief Vittorio, is Australian actor Michael Pate. He plays the role with dignity and strength, much like Jeff Chandler as Cochise in Broken Arrow. Indians were now being seen as three dimensional human beings on the screen, Pate's characterization certainly helped that trend along. In contrast to Pate is Rudolfo Acosta as Silva whose hate for the white man crackles on the strength. His hand to hand duel with Wayne is one of the high points of all John Wayne westerns.

Michael Pate was the only one from the original cast who made it to the short lived Hondo television series. Hondo remains the only one of two John Wayne films that got made into a television series, the other being The Cowboys. Wayne's Batjac productions did the Hondo television series with Ralph Taeger as Hondo Lane. It lasted for two seasons but got canceled when TV went through one of its periodic anti-violence kicks.

The cast included a whole bunch of John Wayne regulars like Ward Bond, James Arness, Paul Fix in addition to others mentioned. No wonder Geraldine Page fresh from the Actor's Studio in New York felt an outsider in this bunch. Reportedly she didn't get along with Wayne on the set. But I'm sure her antagonism must have softened when in her motion picture debut she got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Hondo is one of John Wayne's classic roles it should not be missed by any who call themselves fans of the Eternal Duke.

Outstanding John Wayne Film

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 4 February 2005]

This 1953 starring John Wayne as (Hono Lane),"She Wore A Yebbon",'49, is truly a great classic about Native Americans and how the early settlers and various Indian tribes struggled to live together and also tried to destroy each other. There is great battle scenes with Indians circling around the pioneer wagons and Hono Lane using tricky battle skills in order to protect the men and woman. There is romance between Hono and Geraldine Page,(Angie Lowe),"The Three Sisters,"'66, who admits she is not an attractive woman and has a young son which Hono grows fond of while showing him how to fish and hunt. Ward Bond,(Buffalo Baker)," Johnny Guitar",'54, gives a great supporting role as Hondo's old friend. James Arness,(Lennie),"Them",'54 makes a brief appearance and seems to dislike Hondo for some killing he had done in the past. There is a sweet dog in the picture who follows Hondo every where he goes, which shows the kind of person Hondo really is in life. A very well produced picture and a great Wayne Classic.

Classic John Wayne – And if You DON'T Like Him, DON'T Watch the Movie

[Bob-45 · 10/10 · 3 August 2004]

Almost 9 years ago, I reviewed "Hondo" here; and, at the time, I did not think it was a "great" western. However, maybe I have "grown up" since then; because is truly one of not only John Wayne's best performances, it is also also one of the all time best westerns.

I could spend hours analyzing the symbolism in the Oscar-nominated script or the beautiful interaction between John Wayne and Geraldine Page, but that is a subject for film and acting classes and would also require spoilers. I will admit to offering one hint as to the turning point in "Hondo Lane's" life. If occurs immediately after Wayne is returned by the Apaches to the Lowe ranch.

John Wayne IS Hondo Lane, a half-breed dispatch rider for the US Cavalry. Wayne is first seen walking onto a ranch owned by Mrs. Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page, in an Oscar-nominated performance). Wayne's first appearance has all the moxie of his star-making performance in 'Stagecoach'. While not a man of few words, Hondo's are all carefully measured and to the point. He is concerned about Mrs. Lowe and her son. Moreover, Hondo is attracted to Angie, even though she is a married woman.

A lot has been said here and elsewhere about Wayne's acting ability. All I can say is, 'If you DON'T like Wayne, DON'T watch his movies.' I don't go out of the way to see movies with actors I don't like; and, when I do, and the actor surprises me in a good way, I say so. It seems many people see Wayne films JUST to belittle Wayne's performance. Don't you have anything BETTER to do? Wayne's performance here is as carefully measured as his words. Like most great actors, Wayne let's his face and eyes do most of the work. However, here Wayne has a dandy scene in which he first reveals his attraction to Angie. His 'I could find you in the dark, Mrs. Lowe; and I'm only PART Indian' monologue is one of the most passionate and erotic pieces of work I've seen in films from any period. That Wayne actually found Geraldine Page repulsive is even greater testimony to Wayne's acting here. 'Hondo' ranks as one of Wayne's great performances. Page is equally skillfull. Special note should be given to Michael Pate as Apache chief. His scenes are alternately menacing and touching, no small for ANY actor.

In my previous review of the movie, I criticized the ending, saying that "Hondo Lane" seems to "get lost in the crowd." That is actually the point of the movie. Watch it; and, hopefully you will understand what I mean. If not, I hope it does not take you as long as I to "get it."

I give "Hondo" a "10".

Solid, almost-forgotten Wayne oater

[westerner357 · 6/10 · 3 December 2005]

HONDO wasn't even released on VHS until 1995 when it was out of circulation for almost 30 years. Now Paramount home video has seen fit to release it on DVD, and it's about time since it has a lot of great macho dialog from Wayne, along with that classic scene of Wayne coming in from the desert, carrying his saddle with 'dog' by his side. That seems to be one of his most famous movie poses of all time.

The film itself is a little rough during the opening and closing titles, yet by and large, looks pretty clean considering it's age and the big, clumsy 3-D camera they used to film this thing with.

One of the first Louis L'Amour novels to hit the screen, this one involves Army scout Hondo Lane protects woman (Geraldine Page) and her son (Lee Aaker) from marauding Apaches led by Vittorio (Michael Pate) who wants her to marry one of his braves and become his squaw. In the meantime, Hondo has to kill her husband (Leo Gordon) because he tried to backshoot Hondo near a watering hole. It pains Hondo to have to tell the woman and her son this, but she doesn't care a whole lot because she didn't think much of her husband, anyway.

Hondo also has to contend with kill-happy sidekick to Vittorio, Silva (Rodolfo Acosta) and they have a pretty good knife duel until Vittorio stops it, thinking Hondo is the woman's real husband and not the guy Hondo had to kill earlier. Silva also leads the Apache attack at the end where there's that climatic battle with the wagons circled with Hondo leading the Army and settlers in fending off the attack. You know the rest.

DVD extras include a trip to the vaults with Michael Wayne and interviews with surviving actors Michael Pate and Lee Aaker. Not sure why Geraldine Page received an Oscar nomination for this one since she seems more an extra here than someone who's on screen a lot of the time. She wouldn't make another movie again for almost 10 years.

It's not my favorite Wayne western since that's reserved for the John Ford/Wayne pictures, but this one holds it's own.

6½ out of 10

Excellent low-key Western

[funkyfry · 8/10 · 2 March 2007]

A beautifully photographed, sparse, and philosophical Western that in my opinion ranks among the very best films made by John Wayne. Director John Farrow gives us a subtly different kind of Wayne than the hero from so many John Ford films -- this Wayne is rough and tough, but he has a singular ethical idea as far as "letting people do what they want". For instance in the scene where he warns the boy not to play with the dog, and after the dog bites the boy he emphasizes to the mother "he made his own choice." This is coupled by a not-so-subtle contemplation on the nature and value of honestly. The basic moral question being -- when is a lie justified, and when is a man just telling the truth to satisfy his own pride? The early parts of the story shadow the great "Shane" -- Wayne's hero Hondo comes out of the desert looking like a dead man, he finds a (seemingly) happy pioneer family in their homestead and enters into various experiences attempting to teach the young boy (Rayford Barnes) how to be a man, something his lousy father (Leo Gordon) never bothered to do. The film's main relationship develops between Hondo and Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page), the woman who was abandoned and left in Indian country by her drunkard husband. After Wayne is forced to shoot the husband, he fears to tell Lowe the truth because of the love affair blossoming between them. In perhaps the film's pivotal scene, she accepts his confession with surprising frankness, but then prohibits him from telling the boy the truth. Her statements at that point imply the film's thesis on truth -- it's best to tell the truth in most circumstances, but at other times we can be fooled by our pride into thinking that we MUST tell the truth when in fact the truth can do more harm than a lie.

The photography in this film is truly excellent, and I really love how Farrow manages to give each scene a kind of unique quality, partly by tying certain scenes around central visual images (the river, the joining of fingers by bloodbrothers, etc.). The film is made more memorable by the fact that the director didn't "throw anything away" -- each scene has its own interior meaning separate from its relationship to the entire film, and these scenes revolve around the human relationships in the story. The scene with Page and Wayne early on where she almost kills him is a great example of economic and effective direction IMHO. Likewise the scene where the Indians are shot at by the boy and end up making him the chief's bloodbrother. Each person in these scenes, including the chief (Michael Pate) come off very strongly and distinctly.

The performances are very good, with Wayne showing his maturity and self-knowledge at every turn. Page is wonderful at suggesting both the naivete and courage of her character. Gordon is suitably nasty, Ward Bond appears in his usual "tough buddy" part and gives it the usual amount of integrity, Pate gives us a relatively lucid and real picture of an Apache warrior who is trying to balance his sense of honor and his anger towards the white conquerors. James Arness also contributes good character work as a man who works with Hondo but tries to blackmail him with the knowledge of the true nature of Ed Lowe's death.

All in all, I would say this is a top notch Western, easily comparable to the best work of Ford, Hawks, Boetticher, and Mann.

Atmospheric and Unusually Honest Western; a Minor Classic or More

[silverscreen888 · 7/10 · 24 August 2005]

"Hondo" is a very-well-liked and much-admired western. I appreciate its qualities for many reasons--its script, its direction and its presentation. But I must also argue that it is being admired most for all the wrong reasons. For instance, some reviewers have found a pattern for future John Wayne western roles in the central character, Hondo Lane. But the figure is taciturn, half-Indian, and like Nahan Battles or his role in "The Horse Soldier", this is a variation on his future role as a stalwart but violence-prone ethicist. Also, Geraldine Page as the frontier woman in the film has been lauded for her work, but as an actor I find it is not as cinematic as are her later roles. Also the story line, much-praised, seems a bit stretched-out or thin in a few laces; what is laudable about the narrative, I suggest, is the realism of the characters' psychology and actions as people ans as westerners. The film was adapted from a short story by Louis L'Amour. Its setting is the desert; it was filmed in Mexico, although its locale is Arizona, near the lands ruled by the Mescalero Apaches. Mrs. Lowell is unhappily married, and her husband has been missing. He is a gambler, cheat and an adulterer. Hondo and Mrs. Lowell are attracted to one another; the very gradual beginning of their relationship from this attraction is one of the main strands of the narrative; thanks to director John Farrow, the gradual build of tensions is very well handled. Hondo has been married, briefly and happily, to an Indian woman. He is "earthy'; he uses his sense of smell and compliments her on her scent; they are able to talk easily and with mutual restraint at the same time. And her young son likes having Hondo on the place as much as he enjoys teaching the boy. He is a gunfighter, but a man of ethics. Their relationship is complicated by a mutual kiss, his need to pose as her man before the curious Apaches, the Indians' interest in her brave son, and the fact that he has to kill her husband, in self-defense. The other major strand in the tale, apart from the very-well-handled interest of Chief Vittorio (Michael Pate) and some of his hotheads in her, the boy and Hondo, is an Indian uprising. As a half- Indian himself, Hondo must decide where his loyalties belong. Vittorio makes a blood brother of Mrs. Lowell's son; yet there is always tension when the Apaches interact with the leads. This was also a three-d offering originally, so the film has gimmicked shots of missiles hurled and the screen and so forth. John Wayne also has a knife fight with Rodolfo Acosta, as Silva, the inimical Apache sub-chief. This is a film of telling moments, such as Mrs. Lowell's donning of a colorful dress for Hondo's benefit, words spoken in Apache, Vittorio's interest in his new neighbors, and comments about the Indians' way and its all-but-inevitable suppression. There are scenes of Indians circling pioneer wagons, intimate suggestion-filled scenes between male and female, surprises, and Ward Bond as Buffalo Baker, an old friend of Hondo's. Some disapprove of Hondo (James Arness), but that is because he lives by the gun. There is a fine dog that follows Hondo, his scenes teaching the boy, and much more in this atmospheric and very realistic film. Most of the film script by James Edward Grant, except the final battle with the Indians, faithfully followed a strong narrative in the original prose treatment. The cinematography for the film was provided by Robert Burks and Archie Stout with art direction by Alfred Ybarra. The very good music was composed by Hugo Friedhofer. The film's scenes are I find of a single style without anyone imposing any style onto the landscape, colors, sky and lighting that give the film its authentic feel. I have lived in Arizona-Sonora's desert, and this is a very nostalgic film for me, much-better-realized than many others set in the same conditions and geography. The cast in addition to Wayne who is very good and the interesting and intelligent Page, included Australian Michael Pate and Rodolfo Acosta, Ward Bond, James Arness, Lee Aaaker as Mrs. Lowell's son, Tom Irish, Leo Gordon, Paul Fix, Rayford Barnes and Frank McGrath. This is a very good movie experience for most, I suggest, occasionally leisurely but quite memorable and unusually honest as a western, thanks to L'Amour's researches and knowledge of the country. Highly recommended.

Only because Al Bundy !

[rasLivity · 5/10 · 4 May 2020]

I watched it only because Al Bundy! But sadly this time i have to admit, that I do not agree with Al. Okey, i have never been a fan of western movies and actually this was not so damn bad. But this will never be my favorite movie.