“You seem easily impressed by numbers, Captain.”
With the release of Fort Apache, John Ford’s masterpiece (he had quite a lot of those mind you) with legends Henry Fonda and John Wayne finally makes its DVD debut.
Lt. Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) and his daughter Philadelphia (Shirley Temple – all grown up) are headed to Fort Apache in Arizona, where he is to assume command. We get the idea for the stagecoach ride conversation that Thursday considers the post beneath him. On the stop in the nearby town of Hassayampa, Philadelphia spies Lt. Michael O’Rourke (John Agar), returning fresh from West Point, washing the prairie dust off and is smitten with him. Several of the men are there to pick up O’Rourke, including Sgt. Schattuck (Jack Pennick – there he is again), Sgt. Beaufort (Pedro Armendariz), and Sgt. Mulcahy (Victor McLaglen).
Thursday is unexpected since the telegraph lines are down and Michael volunteers his transportation to get Thursday to the fort. The surprised Thursday finds a dance going on. They’re told it’s to celebrate the birthday of General George Washington by Capt. York (John Wayne). Michael has a reunion with his father, Sgt. Major Michael O’Rourke (Ward Bond). Thursday commences to shake up the relatively lax Fort Apache and wants to run things by the book. Thursday is relieving Capt. Collingwood (George O’Brien) and now he and his wife (Anna Lee) now wait around for his West Post teaching application to be accepted.
Later York “orders” young O’Rourke to take Philadelphia riding and they encounter a burnt out wagon and two dead soldiers. Some renegade Apaches are on the warpath because of the poor treatment on the reservation. Cochise (Miquel Inclan) had left the reservation some time before, breaking his agreement, because of the poor treatment and taken his people to Mexico. Thursday has dreams of fame for returning Cochise but York is the only white man that Cochise will trust. He sends York into Mexico to accomplish this goal, which he does. Col. Thursday has other plans for when Cochise returns to American soil.
Thursday's legacy
The Calvary Trilogy (thought it was not conceived as a trilogy) is made up of three John Ford movies, Fort Apache (1948), She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949), and Rio Grande (1950). The trilogy is now complete with the release of Fort Apache onto DVD. Fort Apache is an excellent film, one of Ford’s finest.
Ford patterns his arrogant Col. Thursday on George Armstrong Custer (and we all know how that story ended). He’s a by the book follower of orders and his arrogant, foolish decision ends up costing him dearly. The Fort seems like a much nicer place before Thursday arrives. Take the tale of the two dances. Before Thursday arrives it appears a fun frolicking affair, after his arrival it takes on a formal marching dance. Fonda plays him wonderfully, and you’ll love to hate him.
I do have to give Thursday some kudos for returning to face the final onslaught of what his arrogance and quest for glory has wrought. John Wayne also gives an excellent performance as the trusted, level-headed Captain York. Some people accuse Ford of whitewashing the truth, giving it the ole “rally round the flag boys.” However, he shows you the entire truth and how the “great man” Thursday was an arrogant fool and ends up killing many with his foolish decision.
Fort Apache is presented in fullscreen as it was originally shown. Special features include a 14 minute featurette called “Monument Valley: John Ford Country.” It takes a look at one of Ford’s favorite shooting locations (would we know about without Ford?) and how it came to be that thanks to Harry Goulding.
It has interviews with Ford historian Michael F. Blake, biographer Scott Eyman, biographer/author Joseph McBride, and Monument Valley resident Benny Cly. The film’s theatrical trailer is also included.
The marching dance
A fine film is finally on DVD and in a very good looking print. Both Fonda and Wayne give excellent performances. Ford even throws in some “Irish color” for fine effect and members of his stock company also make appearances.
Fort Apache is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information. The film is also part of the John Wayne/John Ford Film Collection now available on DVD at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
Your Talkback on this Story