ScoobyWell Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Mischa Redfern I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 12 July 1940 by Republic Pictures Corp. New York opening at the Criterion: 18 August 1940. U.S. release: 12 July 1940. U.K. release through British Lion: 11 November 1940. No Australian theatrical release. 9 reels. 79 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Dust Bowl farmers move themselves and their North Dakota township 1,500 miles to Oregon.VIEWER'S GUIDE: Downbeat but inspiring. Suitable for all.COMMENT: John Alton's atmospheric cinematography is the major asset of this odd Americana drama. Although he has close to a characteristic role (a stubborn leader, a man of action and strong principles, yet comradely and romantic), John Wayne is not exactly going to please most of his fans, who are sure to find the setting bizarre. At the time of the film's release, Republic capitalized on Fox's The Grapes of Wrath, but few present-day viewers will make this connection. Another problem is that in order not to be accused of a direct steal from Steinbeck, this film's writers have clouded the central story with a major sub-plot about a refugee doctor, his beautiful daughter and (virtually right at the finish) a former suitor who turns out to be a Nazi. One feels that the story would have come across with more impact had some of these plot strands been eliminated and the Wayne character filled in and backgrounded instead. In fact, the focus of the film is firmly on Coburn for the first half, with Wayne playing a subsidiary role.The location scenes still impress. The dust-storm episodes are unforgettable - even when Alton's striking images are undermined by obvious studio cut-ins. Coburn handles the central role with his usual cunning authority, Sigrid Gurie is charming enough, while Spencer Charters makes the most of one of his biggest roles as Wayne's sidekick and town fixture. Bardette plays a minor villain with grumpy finesse, Russell Simpson over-acts the minister. The rest of the players, including thankfully Sonny Bupp (who I must admit is quite adequate here) have no more than cameos.OTHER VIEWS: Strikingly photographed by John Alton in a tone that is appropriately bleak and gray, Three Faces West is a bit of an entertainment no-no. The script's two stories are imperfectly welded, with audience focus and character motivation changing abruptly. Director Vorhaus is not much help. He's a great fan of close-ups, but does precious little to help the story's pace and drama. What paltry action there is, he seems anxious to get over with as quickly as possible, so that he can get back to more humdrum scenes with foregone-conclusions and lots of beating-about-the-bush dialogue.

smatysia I did not think that this was a very good movie. It bored me. It was largely a propaganda film, with John Wayne spouting clichés and inspirational fluff, presumably to uplift the morale of the nation as war rages in Europe and Asia. It also carried an anti-Nazi propaganda portion, (which is fine by me) but I sort of thought that Hollywood was OK with Germany in 1940, since they were allied with the Soviet Union at that time. Wayne, of course was a noted conservative and anti-communist, but I'm not sure how much power he wielded at the studio in 1940. The whole film just came across as preachy and fake. I don't really recommend it to anyone, not even John Wayne fans.

mahon2005 I feel this movie doesn't get what it deserves. Was an excellent story line. Good acting. Its got everything. Farmers work hard to make it work while being hard hit by the drought and dust storms. Two refugees, a medical doctor and his 20?-year-old daughter arrive in the USA from Nazi-annexed Austria. They eventually are convinced...??? Its got it all. Much more happens and is very exciting. In a small North Dakota farm town. Love it. John Wayne is the man in this movie. This film is not well known and hasn't got the attention as his other films but to me it is one of his best and maybe his best Drama film in the 40's. Get this one you wont be disappointed.

XweAponX This film mirrors what is happening in the United States at this time of August 2009. It is almost as if the filmmaker had seen this present-day situation and created a film prophesying the events.Doctor Charles Coburn and daughter Sigrid Gurie are refugess from Nazi Germany and are asked by farmer John Wayne to come to a North Dakota dustbowl town as the community doctor.Initially daughter Leni (Gurie) despises the dust and even their host John Phillips (Wayne) - But father Dr Braun (Coburn) sees that the community needs help, and as they stay, their attitudes change and they begin to love the community which has adopted them.But they are forced to move as the dustbowl conditions get worse, and are promised land in Oregon by the Government. The only trouble, getting a community of over 200 men women and children safe to Oregon.In the meantime, Leni had fallen in love with Wayne, but when she finds out that her former fiancé who was thought dead is in San Fransisco, out of loyalty she decides she must go see him, so Dr Braun and Leni go off to San Fransisco to see him: But when they get there they find out that the Nazi party had sent him there as a spy, so they return to the caravan going to Oregon.During the trip, one loudmouthed Limbaugh type - A man whose son Dr Braun had saved an appendix burting- starts barking loudly about California instead, and influences a number of the men to go to California with him- Reneging on their agreement to go to Oregon -and his rabble rousing even gets Wayne to give up and drive off.Finally it is a confrontation between Wayne and this man, and it is all about accomplishing what they had set off to originally do.The whole film speaks of honor and trust in a leader, and as it turns out Wayne is that reluctant leader, and when the people finally get to Oregon they see that he was right all the time.It is very rare to find a John Wayne film like this, but in the end, John Wayne stood for the principles that this film expounds on.