FORT APACHE
US, 1948, 127 minutes, Black and white.
Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Shirley Temple, Pedro Amendariz, Ward Bond, Irene Rich, George O' Brien, John Agar, Victor Mc Laglen, Anna Lee, Dick Foran, Guy Kibbee.
Directed by John Ford.
Fort Apache is one of John Ford's more celebrated westerns. It embodies Ford's favourite themes - the history of the United States, rhe 19th century, the American West, the cavalry, the Indians. It also features Ford's regular troupe of stars led by John Wayne and Henry Fonda (in a very interesting performance, playing against type). Shirley Temple also appears (she had appeared for Ford in Wee Willie Winkie in 1937 with Victor Mc Laglen). Her husband at the time, John Agar, is introduced. He was also to appeal in Ford films.
The film is an interesting presentation of life in an Arizona outpost - day by day, formalities, ethos of the military. The film also has a great deal to say about the American legends of the 19th century - and then undermines them by portraying the reality behind the image. It is reminiscent of Ford's theme in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Print the Legend.
Fort Apache was the first in a trilogy of films about the West and the cavalry. Succeeding films were She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande.
1. The work and vision of John Ford? The beginning of a film trilogy about the army in the West? the military, the Indians? government? Codes?
2. Ford's picture of the West, Arizona? The responsibility of the United States?
3. The visual impact of the West: the desert, the mountains, the plains? The life in a fort outpost? The Indians? Battles? The audience immersed in the West? Black and white photography, beauty and harshness? The leisure and pace of the editing? The interspersing of 19th century music, songs, military songs?
4. The American heritage and the West, its codes? The pioneering and opening up of the West? The role of government? Treaties? Colonial attitudes towards the Indians? The breaking of treaties with savages? The facts of the west? Reasons, motivations? The film's stances? The contrast between Thursday and York? The ending with the indication - Print the Legend?
5. The film's parallel with General Custer and Little Big Horn? Thursday and the Custer parallel? The fights with the Indians? The treaties? American history and the glorification of the military heroes? Keeping the heroes in the books? Yet the 20th century picturing of the reality?
6. Life on the fort? celebrations? Their formality? Parades, dress? the officers? The blend of strictness and relaxation?
7. The stances of York - the American spirit, flexible, a man of his word, fair? The officers and their camaraderie, loyalty, price? The Irish heritage? attitudes towards war? Thursday and his ambitions, the martinet attitude, the West Point tradition? His pigheadedness? The undermining of his heroics - yet the heroics being falsely remembered?
8. Henry Fonda and his presence and style as Thursday? His love for his daughter, the human touch? The trip to the West, his resentment at going to Fort Apache, its distance and isolation, his expectations, people not meeting him? Strict, letter of the law - dress etc.? George Washington's birthday and the celebration? The clash with Collingwood and his memories? His attitude towards O'Rourke and Philadelphia? His despising of Cochise and the Indians? His not wanting to give his word or keep it? His decision to attack Cochise, the hasty dialogue with the Indian Chief, the decision to attack and its foolhardy strategy, his being knocked from his horse, his heroics in going to his death, the final portrait and the reporters spreading the story of his heroic charge? The film's critique of Thursday?
9. The contrast with John Wayne as York - lower-key, good work, relationships with the men, style, skill at scouting, the encounters with Cochise, standing up for values, his word? His helping Thursday? Taking command, discussions with the reporters, the final tribute to the military?
10. The old brigade - Ford's veteran stars and their style, the Irish touch, the brogue humour, camaraderie, the beating of young Michael, the dances etc.? The heroism of their, deaths?
11. Michael and the new brigade, his training the men - yet his apology? Attraction towards Philadelphia, the comic encounters and his embarrassment, taking her riding, the discovery of the massacre, falling in love, his being saved by Thursday?
12. Collingwood and the clash from, the Civil War, drinking, the outpost, his being transferred, his death?
13. The portrait of the women in the outposts - Mrs O'Rourke as mother, Mrs Collingwood and her love for her husband, care for Philadelphia, not giving the letter of transferral to her husband, Philadelphia and her girlishness, growing up, marrying, her child, keeping on the tradition? The photographing of the group of women - at an angle, the sky? Strong women, supportive, with grief? The feminine presence in the American tradition in the West?
14. The Indians and their rights, the picture of Cochise, the dialogue with York, the insult by Thursday? Fighting? The skill in repelling the attack in the valley (and the echoes of the Charge of the Light Brigade)? The massacre as they rode through killing the small group in the circle? Cochise's finally laying down of arms?
15. A tribute to the West - with criticism?
