donburt

I was an editor at a facility in the late 80's early 90's that did a cut-down version of the original film. I think this is the version in circulation today. The guys who did the cut-down were less concerned with continuity than they were at getting it in to their desired length.

That being said, it is still a pretty good film. When you mention that Mickey Rourke is Saint Francis to most people you get an interesting look, but I think he did a good job with the roll, maybe a bit over the top at times, but still watchable. Helena Bonham Carter was great as Clare. If you get a chance to see this film, by all means, check it out.

I once read a commentary about how this movie was a metaphor for the burgeoning cold war. I suppose you could look at it that way, but for me it is simply one of the great Westerns. John Ford does a magnificent job with this movie and it shows the continual evolution of the genre that will be completed in "The Searchers." John Wayne is a hero, for sure, but not the stiff, "dedicated to the uniform", "no questions asked" type of hero that Western heroes usually were. There is a past here. There is a hint of the tensions that ex-Confederate soldiers must have experienced once they rejoined the Union army. There is good and evil and a lot of gray in between. For my money, you can't beat this movie.