Wordiezett So much average

Micitype Pretty Good

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

dougdoepke No wonder director Ford considered the movie "crap". That may be a little too strong, but the results are definitely sub-par for the legendary filmmaker. If The Searchers (1956) dealt with whites kidnapped by Indians, the plot here is a reversal: Whites raised as Comanches are ransomed back into the white world, and in the process of reintegration, settler bigotry is exposed. That's a good thoughtful premise but the screenplay can't seem to provide a focus on anything. As a result, the story meanders from event to event in generally unfocused fashion. For whatever reason, writer Nugent can't seem to organize the elements into a coherent, effective narrative.Then there's the miscasting, especially Widmark as a 45-year old West Point lieutenant, who's supposed to romance a 26-year old Shirley Jones, who looks and acts like she just stepped out of a malt shop. And shouldn't forget poor 55-year old Andy Devine, a very un-cavalrylike cavalry sergeant. Somehow, his grossly over-weight figure is just not that funny. On the other hand, Stewart's not miscast, but this may be the only movie where his usual low-key style gives way to some serious over-acting, which unfortunately overshadows his low-key co-star Widmark. His character is, however, surprisingly dark and combative, an interesting feature.At the same time, for a western, there's little action, mostly just palaver and clumsy stabs at humor. However, the lynching scene is well staged and a real grabber. Anyway, it's pretty clear that director Ford's heart wasn't really in the production for whatever reason. Unfortunately, the end result is one of the least of his many fine Westerns.

jhkp Two Rode Together has some big names attached to it. John Ford; screenwriter Frank S. Nugent; James Stewart and Richard Widmark. But it doesn't live up to its potential.Widmark is fine but Stewart's performance is hard to figure out. Was he just not in a very good mood? I have to give him credit for taking risks as an actor, playing someone the audience is not likely to warm to. But it's hard to watch someone being peevish for two hours.This is one of Ford's lesser films. Like Stewart, he's one of my favorites. But this movie borders on being a mess. It covers similar ground to The Searchers, but comes up short in comparison.There's a great scene on a river bank, between Stewart and Widmark. It's often shown in documentaries about Ford. The scene (with no cuts) simply involves the two actors and their incredible timing. It's just about perfect. If only the rest of the film were as good.It's interesting to see Ford try a new Western location. The lovely Brackettville, Texas, area is pretty and green, with twisting trees and far-off blue mountain ranges. But it's not a very compelling location (like Ford's favorites, Monument Valley and Kanab, Utah). It doesn't do a lot for the film, dramatically.

davidjanuzbrown Is this best of Stewart, Widmark or Ford? No it is not. But this is still an excellent film, and there are two big reasons. First, is the character of Elena de la Madriaga (Linda Cristal). She is a person who has a tremendous amount of honor, decency and faith. As First Lt. Jim Gary (Widmark) pointed out when there were people asking "Why she did not kill herself?" and he said "Her faith." Quite often you see Mexicans (Portrayed as peasants and other people basically inferior), and in this case, Elena is not (Despite being Stone Calf's (Woody Strode) woman, she never forgot who she was and where she came from). In addition, you have an interesting performance by Shirley Jones (Marty Purcell). I really think of the scene (Spoilers)where her brother (Who was kidnapped by the Comanchee) kills a woman, and remembered the music box and said "Mine" before he was hung, and the horror on her face, when he was hung. The other reason to watch is Stewart. Although this is NOT his best film (He makes anything that is NOT "No Time For Comedy" or a musical worth watching). People who reviewed this film are obviously not big Stewart films, because they would have known his character( Marshal Guthrie McCabe (Also known as "Old Gus)) is not the only time he played a less than honorable character. "The Far Country" (Jeff Webster) & "The Naked Spur" (Glyn McLyntock) are two that come to mind where he is not an outright bad guy, but not too nice either. If anyone sees the "Naked Spur" they will remember a bounty scene involving Janet Leigh, they will not soon forget. What you see is a man who in the beginning, plays on the desperation of others (Trying to get loved ones back from the Indians at any price), and who changes to such a degree that Jim says to his former employer Belle Aragon (Annelle Hayes), that "Old Gus finally found something he wants more than money." (Elena). The only reasons I did not give this film a 10/10 are Andy Devine's character (Sgt. Darius P. Posey) who was absolutely cringe worthy when he knocked people in the river with his stomach, and the outcome of the relationship between Jim and Marty. Although they will be married, Jim will not sacrifice the Army for Marty (Keep in mind, she blamed herself for her brother's kidnapping in the first place, then saw him hanged, so she needed a major change of scenery), like Gus did for Elena. So I give it 9/10.

Turtle Heart As a child I loved these old John Ford Films. Many years later, because of all the new releases to DVD and Blue Ray, we get to revisit some of these great classics. Watching this film, now, I found I could not finish it. Quannah Parker, a Commanche American Indian is so revered by his people. He was a really important figure, considered one of the great American Indian leaders of his time. In this film he is reduced to being a scalp-hunting, white child-rapist terrorist. I realize now that this vehement and terrible hatred of the American Indian is the central theme of John Ford's many films which touch this subject. I am an American Indian. Looking at this film is really painful because it fantasizes about a history that never happened. Of course, a good fiction adventure needs its enemy to work in Hollywood. That is the problem. Where can we go to find an enemy worthy of the adventures of our hero? I believe this fim should come with a warning label about its depiction of violent racism against the American Indian. This was really such a dark time for this minority in film. Maybe many in the Middle East have this same feeling when watching how Arabian people are depicted in film in this age. Seeing Quannah Parker portrayed in this way, by this horrible actor, is really tragic and emotionally painful to any reasonable American Indian. Clearly, at some point the life and character of John Ford needs to be examined more closely. There is a disturbingly violent hatred of the American Indian in these films.