ClassyWas
Excellent, smart action film.
Odelecol
Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
2freensel
I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.
sroberts-27040
This film is the first and to my mind the best of John Ford's cavalry trilogy. It is the Custer story in all but name, with Henry Fonda as Colonel Owen Thursday in the Custer role, and John Wayne's Captain York presumably representing Captain Benteen, one of Custer's subordinates at the Little Big Horn, who despised Custer and openly clashed with him several times. This film is notable for its detailed portrayal of life on an army outpost, the like of which I cannot recall seeing to this extent in any other film. The Apaches are treated with sympathy in the film. Captain York respects them, and tries to get Colonel Thursday to, but Colonel Thursday is more interested in winning glory by defeating them. During the film, Colonel Thursday and Captain York clash several times, but at the end, with Thursday's attack on the Apaches a disaster, Captain York tries to rescue him and take him to safety. It is here that Colonel Thursday redeems himself to some extent by insisting on returning to the remains of his command to die with them. All in all, a great film.
elvircorhodzic
FORT APACHE is a film about realistic and beautiful desert landscapes, the Indians, the American cavalry, dust, stubbornness, passion, revenge, ignorance and romance in trace. Those who love to watch this movie as part of the history and traditions will definitely enjoy. I'm quite keen sets. A little less'm thrilled aspects of US - Native American wars. The story is moderate and there are no extremes. It's good. "White man" in relation to the Apache is moved in a negative way, but it does not cause the film a lot of damage. Where a man can take a passion for the rule and ignorance of war circumstances or customs!? This is an exciting western or subgenre war drama that mainly describes the life of a stubborn and uncompromising Colonel. The battle at the end of the film is the culmination of misunderstanding of human relations.It is interesting to see how a grumpy person can bring tension and despair at the seemingly harmonious environment. It is expected totally just the opposite personality. In this case it is the captain. In this respect is based all psychology of the film.Director Ford again afford viewers some striking scenes. From the training of new recruits to battle or rather massacre. Simply hell in the desert through which they penetrate the horse's hooves, gunfire and war cries.Acting is so ... solid.Henry Fonda as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday is quite good as the moody, stubborn, fierce, and I would add ignorant colonel. Gallantry is what Henry Fonda in this character brought to the very end. John Wayne as Capt. Kirby York as usual dominant. Although this film is not in the foreground until the very end. The captain was honest and brave character.A chilling, scenery is really impressive and I'm happy for mild feelings of sympathy with the Apaches.
TheMegaCritic2000 .
This movie is one of Ford's best. Featuring an all-star cast, a great storyline and some wonderful cinematography, it's a home run.Wayne and Fonda are superb, butting heads with each other. Wayne, as the enlightened and honourable Captain York and Fonda as the mulish, stickler Lt. Colonel Thursday, whose desire to dominate the Native Americans leads him to behave without honour or respect.The supporting cast features the wonderful Victor Mclaren, Ward Bond and Pedro Armandariz as the hardbitten NCOs. Shirley Temple provides the romantic interest. Miguel Inclan plays a great Cocis.All in all, they combine to create a wonderful western. One which still looks good to this day.
Jackson Booth-Millard
Directed by John Ford (Stagecoach The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, The Searchers, The Man Shot Liberty Valance), I found this film listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I hoped it would be worthy of this and the five stars critics gave it. Basically set after the American Civil War, highly respected veteran Captain Kirby York (John Wayne) is replacing the commander at Fort Apache, an isolated U.S. cavalry post. The soldiers however are surprised and disappointed that regiment command is given to Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda), a West Point graduate who lacks experience with the Indians and is incompetent, arrogant and egocentric. Thursday is a widower, accompanying him is his daughter Philadelphia (Shirley Temple), she becomes attracted to Second Lieutenant Michael Shannon O'Rourke (John Agar), son of Sergeant Major Michael O'Rourke (Ward Bond), but Thursday will not allow his daughter to see someone he does not consider a gentleman. There is unrest among the Indians, led by Chief Cochise (Miguel Inclan), and corruption from from Indian agent Silas Meacham (Grant Withers), Thursday is unable to deal with this, due to his interpretation of regulations and his arrogance, so the Indians rebel, and York is eventually relieved and replaced by Captain Sam Collingwood (George O'Brien). Young O'Rourke is spared from battle by York on Thursday's orders, the entire command are nearly wiped out, but a few soldiers escape back to the ridge where Captain York is positioned, Thursday also survives, but dies soon after returning, York and the rest of the detachment are spared by Cochise because he knows York is an honourable man. Lieutenant- Colonel Kirby York becomes commander after this, O'Rourke becomes Lieutenant and marries Philadelphia, a reporter asks about the painting "Thursday's Charge", York who is commanding a new campaign against the Apaches, and believing Thursday was a poor tactician and led a suicidal charge, says the painting is accurate and the soldiers will never be forgotten as long as the regiment lives. Also starring From Russia with Love's Pedro Armendáriz as Sergeant Beaufort, George O'Brien as Captain Sam Collingwood, Victor McLaglen as Sergeant Festus Mulcahy and Anna Lee as Mrs. Emily Collingwood. Wayne as usual gives a great noble performance, Fonda is cast against type but also does well, and supporting cast members Temple and Armendáriz are good also, I will admit I did not pay the fullest attention to all the chatty scenes, but I was hooked by the action with cowboys against Indians, guns banging all over the place and the great use of sweeping desert and mountain landscapes, it is overall a worthwhile western. Very good!
