She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 1949

     This is the second film in a Cavalry trilogy.  The other films are Fort Apache of 1948 and Rio Grande of 1950.  The Indians wipe out George Armstrong Custer and the Seventh Calvary at the Battle of Little Big Horn.  Everyone else involved with the Calvary are worried about the Indians.  Capt. Nathan Brittles is ordered out on patrol but he must take along Abby Allshard.  She is the wife of the Fort’s commanding officer.  Her niece Olivia Dandridge will also be evacuated with Abby for their safety.  Brittles is only a few days away from retirement.  Olivia is interested in Lt. Flint Cohill and 2^nd Lt. Ross Pennell.  This is causing conflict between the two men.  Olivia wears a yellow ribbon in her hair.  This is a sign that she has a beau in the Cavalry but she refuses to say if it is Flint or Ross?

     The title is from a popular US Military song used to keep marching cadence.  A lot of the imagery was based on the paintings and sculptures of Frederic Remington.  I thought the scenes in the Indian camp with Chief Pony That Walks were very unrealistic.  Everything and everyone is very clean and neat?  They can’t really be considered savages?  There is a mistake when the covered wagon is going down a steep hill?  There is a cable that you can see attached to the back to keep the wagon from overtaking the horses.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

104 min, Western directed by John Ford with John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, George O’Brien, Arthur Shields, Michael Dugan, Chief John Big Tree, Fred Graham.

Note:  Imdb 7.4 out of 10, 95% critic 81% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, TCM Leonard Maltin review 3.5* out of 4* user rating 3.5* out of 5*, Empire Online 5* out of 5*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Monument Valley, Kanab, Moab, Mexican Hat, Utah; Kayenta, Red Mesa, Teec Nos Pos, Mexican Water, Arizona; Culver City, California.  John Wayne was 41 during filming and he received good reviews for his convincing portrayal of the 60 year-old Capt. Brittles.  Wayne thought his first Oscar nomination should be for this film and not Sands of Iwo Jima of 1949.  Cinematographer Winton C. Hoch filed a protest with the union about overtime during the scenes of lightning and thunder over the Calvary.  It was these shots that won him an Oscar.  One of the horses is a big sorrel stallion named Steel.  He was known for being quiet but flashy.  Ben Johnson rides him in this film but John Wayne rides him in Tall in the Saddle of 1944 and the Conqueror of 1956.  Gregory Peck in Yellow Sky of 1948 and Randolph Scott in the Tall T of 1957 also ride this horse.  Steel made the riders look good even if they weren't good!!  Clarence “Fat” Jones owned him and he ran a successful horse-renting stable in Hollywood.  Fat insisted that all the horses be rented from his stable if Steel was used in the production and Steel also had a horse double named Bingo.  Steel can't get all the scenes and he can't be allowed to get tired!!