Rent Fort Apache (1948)

Key Classic American Film - Fort Apache review by GI

One of the greatest of American films and the first in what has since become known as director John Ford's 'Cavalry Trilogy', although the later two films are narratively unconnected although there are similar themes at play. Anyone unfamiliar with this film may be surprised that it's not a film that sits that comfortably in the western genre despite its setting and story. It reads as more of an American historical drama and is quite light on action considering it's concerned with the Indian wars of the 1870s. Ford was more interested in depicting the ordinary, often mundane life in a remote army outpost with its class divisions, role of women, dances and military procedures. Into this mix he adds character relationships particularly between the men and adds his trademark doses of roustabout comedy, drunkenness and Irish heritage along with traditional songs. The story also culminates in Ford's well known vision of legend built around more unsavoury truths and here the story is loosely influenced in particular by the myth of Custer and the Battle of The Little Big Horn. Henry Fonda, who takes second billing but is the main character, is Colonel Thursday, the embittered commander of the titular fort, a posting he deems beneath him. He's a martinet (although at one point he specifically denies this) and is soon in conflict with the more experienced of his officers in particular Captain York (John Wayne). The Apache's are causing trouble in the area but whilst this is the focus of the military men the narrative also spends much of its time with the wives and women relations of the soldiers epitomised by Thursday's daughter played by Shirley Temple. There's a delightful romance story developed between her character and a young officer (John Agar) who is also the son of the Fort's Sergeant-Major (Ward Bond) much to the consternation of the Colonel. Ultimately Thursday leads a foolhardy mission against the Apache resulting in the massacre of his men (interestingly Wayne's character is pushed out of the action in order to survive and promote the false heroism story that follows). The film can be read in a variety of ways not least in Thursday's motives for leading his command on a suicidal charge against advice. Could it be he sacrifices his men for posthumous glory or is he just incompetent? There are conversations earlier suggesting he had been, during the civil war, a highly regarded soldier albeit one who relished such glory. These aspects are what makes this and many of Ford's films such masterpieces. His storytelling abilities and the poetic use of camera (often static) and his taking an uncanny advantage of everything that happened on set especially weather marks him as the genius he is now rightly considered. Fort Apache is a landmark film and one that cinephiles should explore in depth, a masterpiece of the art form.

Classic Western. - Fort Apache review by Steve

Henry Fonda's portrayal of a narcissistic and mediocre cavalry officer is the film's main asset. If a new leader announces himself with 'I am not a martinet but...' you know where this is heading. Fort Apache is a remote camp intended to simply keep Native Americans on the reservation but the new boss' vanity escalates this task into the bloody massacre of his own men.

The other impressive factor is its interpretation of the 'Indian' wars, which isn't flattering towards the settlers. The Apaches are portrayed as sophisticated guerrilla warriors, wronged by political expediency. John Ford deserves credit for revising the representation of Native Americans usual in Hollywood westerns, and indeed in his own films.

Sadly, the themes and Fonda's great performance are set adrift in a vast epic of sentimental whimsy: the constant, idiotic quest for whisky supplies; the comedy punch-ups; the singing group harmonising Irish ballads; the comical drilling of inept new recruits. The actual story constantly wanders off into long diversions of knockabout tomfoolery.

Ford's company of character actors is well capable of carrying off this horseplay. The photography and the familiar locations are fine. John Wayne has a badly written support role as the experienced veteran. There is the standard western theme of what too much power does to the few that exercise it. But the comic relief ultimately overwhelms the film.