Fort Apache: "No debate, sir; no questions." — 2 weeks ago
John Ford is just such a good director, it’s a surprise when he does a misstep. And this one is not a misstep. It’s another excellent movie from Ford, about the military in the Old West, and the crucial differences between military protocol and military effectiveness. As usual, Ford juggles excellent photography and good performances (although Shirley Temple is a little wooden, apparently she didn’t mature in acting ability as she matured in age). Although it’s great to see members of Ford’s regular ensemble in supporting roles, it’s Wayne and Fonda’s picture, though, as the two men constantly butt heads about how best to deal with the different situations that arise. It’s to Ford and Fonda’s credits that they don’t make Col. Thursday a one-dimensional hardass, showing that although he is a stickler for protocol, that’s not ALWAYS a bad thing. An excellent Western, although I think this one’s more for establish fans of the genre than a movie that would draw new people in.









