Hondo

This exciting Western was released in three dimensional (3-D with some gimmickry) in the 50's, a highly topical exhibition mean , nowadays being successfully going back and including polarized glasses. It was the time when introduced Cinemascope and 3-D to compete with TV and attract people to movie theaters . It deals with Hondo Lane (John Wayne) , a scout for the US cavalry, he meets Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page)and falls in love with her , in this typical and entertaining western of the the 50's . The drumbeats of the Apaches sound a grim warning to a woman living in an isolated farm with her son . Hondo Lane becomes stubborn guard Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page in her first movie character) alarmed about the pending Indian uprising and then he turns into a figure father to her son named Johnny. The homesteader Angie, decided to await the return of his gruff husband, refuses to leave his property in spite of the imminent danger from a nearby Indian tribes. The woman living in the wilderness presumes she is safe because the Apaches (led by Michael Pate and Rodolfo Acosta) , under their leader Vittorio, have always left them alone. Later Lane has a run-in with Angie's reprobate husband (Leo Gordon) and is forced to murder in self-defense, not knowing who he is. Vittorio (Michael Pate) captures Lane and to save his life, Angie tells the Apache chief that Lane is her husband, unaware that Lane has murdered her real husband. In order to protect her from a forced marriage with one of the Apache, Lane reluctantly goes along with the lie and both of them fend off the violent Indians .

This classic western contains thrills , action , fights , brawls , impressive battles and spectacular scenarios . Wayne interpretation is the major plus , he's frankly sensational and awesome. This picture, being filmed in 3-D scenery and that it more attractive and impressive look for the legendary John Wayne whom was a novelty the shooting in this system. Interesting screenplay by James Edward Grant , Western's usual writer , though results to be a variation on ¨Shane¨. The film is a well-made Western with a fine result, a colorful photograph and an enjoyable love story . Furthermore , it shows a human view of the Indians and their relations to the American west settlers. This apparently unknown western was nominated for two Academy Awards, a nomination prize for the magnificent acting by Geraldine Page (her first nomination in her long career), and another for Louis L'Amour, well-known writer of novels set on the wild west. Glamorous and glimmer cinematography in superb Technicolor by Robert Burks (Hitchcock's ordinary) and Archie Stout . Lively and sensible musical score by Hugo Friedhofer . The motion picture is compellingly directed by John Farrow (Big clock , Wake Island , Copper cannon ,Captain Jones , among others) . The film was restored by the John Wayne Society for re-release in 1995 and todays is considered as the Duke at his best . Followed by a short-lived TV series . Rating : Above average .Worthwhile watching and a John Wayne's favourite .

John Farrow directs this western story that stars John Wayne as Hondo Lane, a dispatch rider for the cavalry who encounters a woman named Angie Lowe(played by Geraldine Page) and her son, whom he feels compelled to protect, since they are surrounded by Apache forces. Angie claims that, while her husband is away, they have a truce with the Apache chief, so don't feel threatened. Later on, Hondo is forced to kill a man in self defense who turns out to be Angie's husband! Before he can tell her, he is captured by the Apaches, but rescued by Angie, who informs the chief that Hondo is her missing husband. This of course puts Hondo in a quandary...

Exciting and beautifully photographed film has a good cast and story, which is not as much of a soap opera as my summary may indicate! (Though those elements are present.)

This exciting and colorful 3D film was released 50 years ago this week and remains an enjoyable action adventure today. With its distinctive peppermint-striped titles, the movie is one of John Wayne's best westerns and he happens upon a young woman at her isolated ranch and warns her of the threat of Indian uprisings. There is tension between the dispatch rider and the woman at first but she also knows that her son enjoys the man's presence on their ranch. Ward Bond and James Arness are the best-known cast members, and Geraldine Page, in her first movie, received an Academy Award nomination for her work in this film. The battle scenes are exciting, a series of hit-and-run cavalry-Indian fighting under bright blue skies and thick, fluffy clouds. The sound effects during the battles, of bullets and arrows hitting home are realistic and superb. The movie was filmed in Camargo, Mexico, an arid desert country studded with isolated, cone-shaped mesas. The music score by Hugo Friedhofer is among his best work.

Quintessential John Wayne western, the Duke plays tough but principled cavalry scout Hondo Lane who ends up sparking the widow (Geraldine Page) of a blackguard whom he was forced to shoot. In the meantime, the Apache are on the warpath, the horse soldiers are being led by a callow Westpointer (Tom Irish), and Vittoro (Michael Pate), the renegade Indian war-chief, has taken a shine to the widow's young son. Fortunately, all of these problems can be solved by honesty, common sense, good horsemanship, and/or a Winchester. Wayne is as good as always playing his usual larger-than-life hero and Page, refreshingly lacking the 'starlet' good looks usually found in supporting female characters, is excellent as the abandoned pioneer mother. The rest of the cast are fine, Australian actor Michael Pate plays Vittoro (presumably a proxy for the actual Apache chief Victorio (1825-1880)) and Wayne's buddies Ward Bond and James Arness are along for the ride as a couple of colourful cavalry scouts. The film is a bit more nuanced than the usual oater and the Apache, while still implacable foes who take scalps and torture prisoners, are presented as a rightfully aggrieved party, having been lied to and betrayed by the 'whiteman'. The desert cinematography is excellent and although originally presented in 3D, there are few of the gimmicky 'coming at you' shots that were common in early 3D films (I recently watched a 'flat' version but still have my 3D 'Hondo glasses' from a previous viewing). The climactic battle, allegedly directed by John Ford, is excellent but the film ends on a sombre 'end of an era' note, a theme that was becoming more common in the genre. All in all, Hondo is an impressive oater starring one of the genre's greats at the top of his game - well worth watching.

Most Westerns from the 1940s and earlier were what could be described as "B" Westerns, or Saturday afternoon matinée type films whose audience was mostly kids. Characters and stories were based largely on clichés and cultural stereotypes. Beginning in the late 1940s, a new kind of "adult" Western film emerged, one that we could label as "A" Western. In these films, the characters and stories were more complex; they had more thematic depth; and they tended to be a bit more realistic in their portrayal of the 19th century American frontier. "Hondo" is notable because it is an early cinematic "A" Western.

The film's title derives from the main character, Hondo Lane (John Wayne), a tough gunfighter and scout with a sense of ethics, a loner who does not like liars. One day, he happens onto the homestead of a lonely White woman, Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page). She and her young son Johnny (Lee Aaker) live peacefully on Apache lands.

A central plot point in the story is a broken treaty, which causes conflict between the Apaches, headed by Vittorio (Michael Pate), and the U.S. Cavalry. Vittorio has no real quarrel with Mrs. Lowe, however. Indeed, he keeps returning to her homestead, concerned that she and especially Johnny, who appears to be without a father, will not be able to survive in such a harsh land.

Based on a real-life Apache warrior, the Vittorio character conveys a more humanistic portrayal of Indians than what a viewer would see in "B" Westerns. And the multi-faceted Hondo, part White and part Apache, intervenes to help Mrs. Lowe, as she is caught between her desire to remain on Apache land, and the insistence of the Cavalry that she and her son flee the "hostile" Apaches.

The story has a very realistic look and feel, a result of attention to detail in costumes, production design, and outdoor locations. Originally shot in 3-D, mostly to convey a sense of spatial depth, there are very few 3-D gimmicks. Color cinematography is credible, and uses a good mix of close-ups and wide-angle long shots. Colors might be a tad overdone, with too many bright hues, but that's the way many outdoor films were shot in the 1950s. For many scenes in "Hondo", the camera is tilted slightly upward toward the sky, to give a sweeping, majestic look to the landscape.

Casting is fine, except for the odd choice of Geraldine Page who was at that time known mostly as a New York stage actress. Her performance here is fine, but is nowhere near the stellar level in later films. John Wayne is suitably cast, and does a nice job. Ward Bond, Michael Pate, and Lee Aaker all give credible performances in support roles.

Although there are more grandiose "A" grade cinematic Westerns, "Hondo" is a fine example of a story that is slightly more low-key, with an emphasis on complex characters. And the film's visuals are picturesque. I recommend this film for anyone interested in high quality Westerns.