Fort Apache (1948)

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

James Warner Bellah (story)
Frank S. Nugent (writer)

Release Date:

9 March 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

In John Ford's sombre exploration mythologising of American heroes, he slowly reveals the character of Owen Thursday...

Plot Keywords:

Fanaticism | Slaughter | Cult Western | Secret | Military Life

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

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)
Art Gilmore	...	Trailer Narrator (voice) (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)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James Warner Bellah		story "Massacre"
Frank S. Nugent		writer

Produced by
Merian C. Cooper	....	executive producer
John Ford	....	executive producer

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	....	property master (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
Ann Peck	....	wardrobe: ladies

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

Other crew
Katherine Clifton	....	research editor
Philip Kieffer	....	technical advisor (as Major Philip Kieffer)
Katherine Spaatz	....	technical advisor
Kenny Williams	....	dance sequence
Sid Davis	....	stand-in: John Wayne (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Argosy Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1953) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Astor-Filmi (1949) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Castle Video (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Future Film (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Turner Home Video (video)

Also Known As:

War Party

Runtime:

125 min | West Germany:84 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | West Germany:6 (nf) | Iceland:L | Finland:S | Spain:T | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) (2002)

Filming Locations:

Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, USA

Company:

Argosy Pictures

Trivia:

Henry Fonda's last film before he was graylisted for his left-wing political activism.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Cpt Yorke with Stg Beaufort first sets out to see Cochise, he simply heads off on his horse, taking no water or supplies (there are no packs on the two horses). This journey must be at least day each way as the whole of the US Cavalry has failed to find Cochise.

Quotes:

[Beaufort is addressing a group of new recruits]
Sgt. Johnny Beaufort: Gentlemen, this is a horse. You will observe it has no saddle. The reason it has no saddle is because it'll be easier for you to stay on without the saddle. Now, before we progress... did any of you gentlemen have the honor of serving with the Southern arms during the late War Between The States?
Recruit: Yes, sir. I had the pride, sir, of serving with Bedford Forrest.
Sgt. Johnny Beaufort: I am proud to shake your hand.
Recruit: Thank you, sir.
Sgt. Johnny Beaufort: I hope you have the pleasure of buying me a drink on your next payday.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Making of 'The Quiet Man' (1992) (V)

The Apache Trilogy part I

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.

****