3 Godfathers (1948)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Laurence Stallings (screenplay) and
Frank S. Nugent (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 December 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Tagline:

John Ford's Legend of the Southwest!

Plot:

Three outlaws on the run discover a dying woman and her baby. They swear to bring the infant to safety across the desert...

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Baby | Moral Transformation | Death Of Title Character | Prison

Cast

John Wayne	...	Robert Marmaduke Hightower
Pedro Armendáriz	...	Pedro 'Pete' Roca Fuerte (as Pedro Armendariz)
Harry Carey Jr.	...	William Kearney ('The Abilene Kid')
Ward Bond	...	Perley 'Buck' Sweet
Mae Marsh	...	Mrs. Perley Sweet
Mildred Natwick	...	The Mother
Jane Darwell	...	Miss Florie
Guy Kibbee	...	Judge
Dorothy Ford	...	Ruby Latham
Ben Johnson	...	Posse man #1
Charles Halton	...	Oliver Latham
Hank Worden	...	Deputy Curly
Jack Pennick	...	Luke (the conductor)
Fred Libby	...	Deputy
Michael Dugan	...	Posse man #2
Don Summers	...	Posse man #3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gertrude Astor	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
Ruth Clifford	...	Woman in bar (uncredited)
Jack Curtis	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Francis Ford	...	Drunken oldtimer at bar (uncredited)
Richard Hageman	...	Saloon pianist (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	...	Guard at Mojave Tanks (uncredited)
Eva Novak	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Bartender #2 (uncredited)
Amelia Yelda	...	Robert William Pedro Hightower (the Baby) (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits
Laurence Stallings		(screenplay) and
Frank S. Nugent		(screenplay)
Peter B. Kyne		(story)

Produced by
Merian C. Cooper	....	producer (uncredited)
John Ford	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Richard Hageman

Cinematography by
Winton C. Hoch		(director of photography) (as Winton Hoch)

Film Editing by
Jack Murray

Art Direction by
James Basevi

Set Decoration by
Joseph Kish		(as Joe Kish)

Makeup Department
Don L. Cash	....	makeup artist (as Don Cash)
Anna Malin	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Lowell J. Farrell	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward O'Fearna	....	assistant director
Wingate Smith	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jack Colconda	....	properties (as Jack Golconda)

Sound Department
Joseph I. Kane	....	sound
Patrick Kelley	....	sound effects
Frank Moran	....	sound

Special Effects by
Jack Caffee	....	special effects

Stunts
Michael Dugan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bryan 'Slim' Hightower	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ben Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank McGrath	....	stunt double: Pedro Armendariz (uncredited)
Jack Montgomery	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles P. Boyle	....	photography: second unit (as Charles Boyle)
Edward Fitzgerald	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Harvey Gould	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Tommy Griffin	....	grip (uncredited)
Alexander Kahle	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
D.R.O. Hatswell	....	costume researcher
Michael Meyers	....	wardrobe: men
Ann Peck	....	wardrobe: women

Music Department
Lucien Cailliet	....	conductor
Lucien Cailliet	....	music arranger

Other crew
Merian C. Cooper	....	presenter
Lowell J. Farrell	....	assistant to director (as Lowell Farrell)
John Ford	....	presenter
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Morgan Padelford	....	associate technicolor color director
Sid Davis	....	stand-in: John Wayne (uncredited)
Stan Jones	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Pat Kelly	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Meta Stern	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Argosy Pictures (as Argosy Pictures Corporation)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Gold Western (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Wonder Multimídia (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Three Godfathers (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 (f) (original rating) | West Germany:o.Al. (re-rating) | Germany:6 | USA:Approved (certificate #13312) | Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1995)

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Argosy Pictures

Trivia:

This is a remake of John Ford's silent film The Three Godfathers (1916), which starred Ford's long-time friend Harry Carey. When Carey died in 1947, Ford decided to remake the story in Technicolor and dedicate the film to his memory. Carey's son, Harry Carey Jr., plays one of the three, "The Abilene Kid".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Power lines are visible overhead behind Ruby Latham when the stagecoach is stopped in Welcome, Arizona.

Quotes:

[as Buck and the deputies are chasing the three outlaws, Buck shoots the outlaws' water bag. He then stops chasing them]
Deputy: Gosh, Marshal, you missed 'em.
Perley 'Buck' Sweet: They ain't payin' me to kill folks. Them Texas boys are gonna be mighty thirsty before they get to water.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Flash: Be My Baby (#1.13)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Bringing in the Sheaves

A Religious Western.

Three wise thieves on the run from the law come across a stranded woman about to give birth in the middle of the dessert. Full of Religious symbols and campy moments, especially the ending. But the images are strong and John Wayne gives another outstanding performance.