3 Godfathers (1948)

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:

Outlaw Gang | Moral Transformation | Dead Mother | Death In Childbirth | Baby

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

Editorial Department
Morgan Padelford	....	associate color director: Technicolor

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	....	color advisor: Technicolor
Sid Davis	....	stand-in: John Wayne (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)
• Gold Western (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 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:

Germany:6 | USA:Approved (certificate #13312) | Argentina:Atp | West Germany:o.Al. (re-rating) | West Germany:12 (f) (original rating) | 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:

For the scene where Deputy Curly (Hank Worden) has trouble pulling a mule about a train, director John Ford rigged the reins to pull backwards whenever Worden pulled forward.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the chase scenes after the bank robbery, the shadows change location repeatedly, indicating the scenes were shot at different times of the day.

Quotes:

Posse Member #1: A lot of boys stick up stagecoaches and banks and one thing and another. But a man who would dynamite a water hole in this kind of country is downright criminal.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

Soundtrack:

Silent Night

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.