Fort Apache (1948)

Product Summary Publisher: Turner Home Entertainment Format: DVD UPC: 00053939751024 Buy.com Sku: 202459922 Item#: V2CS3K Category Keywords: Adventure  Family Interaction  Indians  Recommended  Theatrical Release  Rating: NR   John Ford's Masterpiece of the Frontier!     Features: DVD, Pan and Scan (TV Format), Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, English, French, Spanish, Subtitled   The soldiers at Fort Apache may disagree with the tactics of their glory-seeking new commander. But to a man, they're duty-bound to obey - even when it means almost certain disaster. John Wayne, Henry Fonda and many familiar supporting players from master director John Ford's "stock company" saddle up for the first film in the director's famed cavalry trilogy (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande are the others). Roughhouse camaraderie, sentimental vignettes of frontier life, massive action sequences staged in Monument Valley - all are part of Fort Apache. So is Ford's exploration of the West's darker side. Themes of justice, heroism and honor that Ford would revisit in later Westerns are given rein in this moving, thought-provoking film that, even as it salutes a legend, gives reasons to question it.   "...expansive scenery, explosive action and intensely flawed characters..."  Crazy for Cinema "...demonstrates that westerns weren't always one-sided and jingoistic."  David Bezanson, FilmCritic.com "Fonda is effectively cast...telling characterizations."  Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide   Editor's Note The first film of John Ford's celebrated Cavalry Trilogy, FORT APACHE mirrors the effects of the director's wartime experience on his attitude toward military command. Lt. Col. Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda), a West Point-trained Civil War veteran, is sent to command the remote Arizona outpost of Fort Apache. An arrogant, by-the-book officer, he's annoyed at having drawn such an ignominious assignment. Despite the warnings of veteran Indian-fighter Capt. Kirby York (John Wayne), he dismisses the notion that a group of savages could possibly be of concern to one possessing his military prowess. After Thursday's daughter, Philadelphia (Shirley Temple), and young Lt. Michael O'Rourke (Ward Bond) find the bodies of some mutilated soldiers, it's discovered that Indian agent Silas Meacham (Grant Withers) has been stirring the Apaches up by selling them liquor illegally. York persuades Thursday to withhold all action until he can arrange peace talks with Cochise (Miguel Inclan), but when the Indian chief shows up for the palaver he finds that the blindly willful army commander has called out the entire regiment for an attack on the Apache force. A tragic, absorbingly complex study of the problems of command, FORT APACHE benefits enormously from Fonda's superb performance and the exhaustive research of screenwriter Frank S. Nugent into Apache culture and the army outposts of the era. Plot Summary After a distinguished military career in the east, a rigid and domineering colonel is assigned to the remote western cavalry post of Fort Apache. Viewing this assignment as a demotion, he resists the advice of his more experienced captains and learns the hard way that if he doesn't listen, his ignorance of the territory will lead to tragedy.   Features Audio: English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono Featurette: "Monument Valley: John Ford Country" Interactive Menus Original Theatrical Trailer Scene Selection Subtitles: English, French, Spanish   Technical Info Release Information Studio: Turner Home Entertainment Release Date: 6/6/2006 Running Time: 128 minutes Original Release Date: 1948 Catalog ID: T7510 UPC: 00053939751024 Number of Discs: 1 Audio & Video Original Language: English Available Audio Tracks: English Video: B&W Aspect Ratio Pan and Scan (TV Format)  1.33:1 [4:3]   Cast & Crew Henry Fonda John Wayne Pedro Armendariz Shirley Temple Archie Stout - Cinematographer Frank S. Nugent - Screenplay Jack Murray - Editor James Warner Bellah - Story By John Ford - Executive Producer John Ford - Director Merian C. Cooper - Executive Producer Richard Hageman - Original Music By William H. Clothier - Cinematographer    Product Image

Director John Ford, and his long-time star, John Wayne create a classic that eventually spun two additional calvary films the following two years, which are referred to The Calvary Trilogy. With the backdrop of Monument Valley, the film play tells the story of a strict calvary commander, Henry Fonda taking over Fort Apache with his "by the book mentality." This conflicts with Southwest and Apache fighting savvy of John Wayne and the rest of the officers at Fort Apache. Whatever their differences, John Wayne grows to respect his new superior, despite Henry's reckless relationship with the Apache tribe that leads to the film's final and exciting conflict. This classic has all the elements of a great John Ford creation...historic figures, personal conflicts, great characterizations, superior scenery and memorable performances by many of his reoccurring cast members. Fort Apache is truly a must have for anyone's movie collection
 
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