A very strong cast and a great director elevate what initially seems a a slice-of-life account of life in a frontier fort. There's some comedy, some romance, while the rigid Lt. Col. Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) takes command of the fort, which he considers a demotion, and disregards the advice of men with more experience on the terrain, like Capt. Kirby York (John Wayne). He demands, and obtains, obedience, not debate.
The cinematography is excellent, as you would expect in a John Ford western, and it's a pity it's not shot in widescreen so that we may enjoy the landscapes of Monument Valley even more.
However, it's in the final part of the movie when it becomes impressive. It's one of the first westerns to depict the Indians, the Apaches in this case, with respect, showing the wrongs done to them and their dignity. At the same time, it doesn't strip the U. S. soldiers of dignity, showing how good men have to operate as well as they can within the constraints of rank and social class.
Even the Colonel Thursday, stupid, stubborn and unable to treat the Indians with honor, behaves with personal dignity in the end. Is that enough to erase his flaws? No, but it makes for a more powerful story.
The cinematography is excellent, as you would expect in a John Ford western, and it's a pity it's not shot in widescreen so that we may enjoy the landscapes of Monument Valley even more.
However, it's in the final part of the movie when it becomes impressive. It's one of the first westerns to depict the Indians, the Apaches in this case, with respect, showing the wrongs done to them and their dignity. At the same time, it doesn't strip the U. S. soldiers of dignity, showing how good men have to operate as well as they can within the constraints of rank and social class.
Even the Colonel Thursday, stupid, stubborn and unable to treat the Indians with honor, behaves with personal dignity in the end. Is that enough to erase his flaws? No, but it makes for a more powerful story.