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Fort Apache
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Fort Apache (1948) More at IMDbPro »

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Fort Apache (1948) -- In John Ford's sombre exploration mythologising of American heroes, he slowly reveals the character of Owen Thursday...

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   4,998 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 12% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
John Ford
Writers:
Frank S. Nugent (screenplay)
James Warner Bellah (story)
Contact:
View company contact information for Fort Apache on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 March 1948 (USA) more
Genre:
Western more
Plot:
In John Ford's sombre exploration mythologising of American heroes, he slowly reveals the character of Owen Thursday... more | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
The Apache Trilogy part I more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

John Wayne ... Capt. Kirby York

Henry Fonda ... Lt. Col. Owen Thursday

Shirley Temple ... Philadelphia Thursday
Pedro Armendáriz ... Sgt. Beaufort (as Pedro Armendariz)
Ward Bond ... Sgt. Maj. Michael O'Rourke
George O'Brien ... Capt. Sam Collingwood
Victor McLaglen ... Sgt. Festus Mulcahy
Anna Lee ... Mrs. Emily Collingwood
Irene Rich ... Mrs. Mary O'Rourke
Dick Foran ... Sgt. Quincannon
Guy Kibbee ... Capt. Dr. Wilkens
Grant Withers ... Silas Meacham
Jack Pennick ... Sgt. Daniel Schattuck
Ray Hyke ... Lt. Gates (Adjutant)
Movita ... Guadalupe (Col. Thursday's cook)
Miguel Inclán ... Cochise (as Miguel Inclan)
Mary Gordon ... Ma (barmaid)
Philip Kieffer ... Cavalryman (as Philip Keiffer)

Mae Marsh ... Mrs. Gates

Hank Worden ... Southern recruit
John Agar ... 2nd Lt. Michael Shannon O'Rourke
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cliff Clark ... Stage driver (uncredited)
Frank Ferguson ... Newspaperman (uncredited)
Francis Ford ... Fen (stage guard) (uncredited)
William Forrest ... Reporter (uncredited)
Fred Graham ... Cavalryman (uncredited)
Frank McGrath ... Cpl. Derice (bugler) (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson ... NCO at dance (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook ... Tom O'Feeney (courier) (uncredited)
Archie Twitchell ... Reporter (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Ford 
 
Writing credits
Frank S. Nugent (screenplay)

James Warner Bellah (story "Massacre")

Produced by
Merian C. Cooper .... executive producer (uncredited)
John Ford .... executive producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Richard Hageman 
 
Cinematography by
Archie Stout 
William H. Clothier (uncredited)
 
Film Editing by
Jack Murray 
 
Art Direction by
James Basevi 
 
Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Bernard McEveety .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lowell J. Farrell .... assistant director (as Lowell Farrell)
Cliff Lyons .... second unit director (uncredited)
Frank Parmenter .... second assistant director (uncredited)
Jack Pennick .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Jack Colconda .... properties (as Jack Galconda)
Joseph Kish .... set dresser
 
Sound Department
Joseph I. Kane .... sound
Frank Webster .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Dave Koehler .... special effects
 
Stunts
Frank Baker .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Carson .... stunts (uncredited)
John Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... stunts (uncredited)
John Hudkins .... stunts (uncredited)
Ben Johnson .... stunts (uncredited)
Walt La Rue .... stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons .... stunts (uncredited)
Frank McGrath .... stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins .... stunts (uncredited)
Bob Rose .... stunts (uncredited)
Danny Sands .... stunts (uncredited)
Barlow Simpson .... stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams .... stunts (uncredited)
Henry Wills .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
D.R.O. Hatswell .... costume researcher
Michael Meyers .... wardrobe: men's
Ann Peck .... wardrobe: ladies'
 
Music Department
Lucien Cailliet .... conductor
Lucien Cailliet .... music arranger
 
Other crew
Katherine Cliffton .... research editor
Merian C. Cooper .... presenter
John Ford .... presenter
Philip Kieffer .... technical advisor (as Major Philip Kieffer USA Rtd.)
Katharine Spaatz .... technical advisor
Kenny Williams .... dance sequences
Sid Davis .... stand-in: John Wayne (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
War Party
more
Runtime:
125 min | West Germany:84 min (cut version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Australia:G | Iceland:L | West Germany:6 (nf) | UK:U | USA:Approved (certificate #12819) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:S | Spain:T | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) (2002)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In 1953, RKO theatrically reissued this film on a double bill with another western, Blood on the Moon (1948) starring Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes and Robert Preston, with the tag line "Two Rip-Roaring Action Hits!" more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: Throughout the movie a 35-star U.S. flag is carried (5 rows of 7 stars), which was actually used July 4, 1863-July 3, 1865. more
Quotes:
Captain Yorke: A charge! Mounted in fours!
RSM Michael O'Rourke: Why the madman!
Captain Yorke: And I'm to stay with the wagon train... and take O'Rourke with me.
RSM Michael O'Rourke: You'll find Lt. O'Rourke with his troop, sir. And thank you.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in El recomendado (1985) more
Soundtrack:
O Dem Golden Slippers more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
12 out of 20 people found the following comment useful:-
The Apache Trilogy part I, 28 November 2004
9/10
Author: bartman_9 from Belgium

Lieutenant Colonel Thursday (Henry Fonda) is, for unclear reasons, promoted away to the far away outpost of Fort Apache. When a tribe of Indians rise up against the poor conditions in their reservation, Thursday sees it as an opportunity to re-establish his reputation.

Such is the story, but Ford doesn't force it on us. For the first hour or so, nothing much happens in this movie, we just witness the rituals and routines of a cavalry outpost, a close knit community of men and women on the edge of the frontier. Ford and his actors are amazing in capturing the warmth and humanity of their characters, even when they're painted in thick brush-strokes. Slowly but surely we get to know - and care for - everybody in the troop, so that, when the story starts to take over, we can empathize with everybody, even the proud, stubborn and bigoted Thursday, who becomes a true tragic hero, led and ultimately destroyed by his own misjudgments.

This is a western that plays out like a Greek tragedy - and a great one at that.

****

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Collingwood and Thursday knikatnite
A stunningly beautiful 20 year old Shirley Temple ! KingFritzLang
Emily Collingwood horace-mcconnell
Colonel/General Thursday curlew-2
Lt. Col. Thursday Was A Pr**k calfan
Was there a real Ft Apache? laxlon
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