John Wayne,Living legand.Always remember,Never forget.
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An Unusual Western--In More Ways than One
Rather than repeat what other reviewers have said, I focus on certain themes. Having seen many westerns and John Wayne movies, I was struck by the unique nature of this one.

To begin with, John Wayne, for once, is the bad guy--a bank robber. Second, outlaws are usually incorrigible and with seared consciences. These outlaws are different. Third, seldom are infants shown in westerns, much less one being taken care of by a bunch of tough outlaws!

Religion is not usually shown in westerns and, when it is, it is usually portrayed as something effeminate--fine for women and children but something that the men had left behind in their childhoods. Here we see outlaws using a Bible for guidance (actually, for divination), praying, and singing hymns before their deaths. Christmas is celebrated.

Imagine struggling in a desert to avoid getting overcome by exhaustion and dehydration. Your primary water supply is gone, and you try to subsist by squeezing out water from the flesh of the barrelhead cactus. And so it goes...

3 Godfathers: Most Overlooked Ford/Wayne Film
I am neither an expert in the cinema nor educated to be one. But I have a working knowledge of John Ford's films, and understand why he is among our greatest diectors. If you share this view and see something much deeper in John Wayne's work in films than just being himself, there may be some parts of this brief review that ring true to you.

You may find other reviews of the plot and some analysis of the film and Ford's intentions. You may read those. I feel strongly enough about the film, especially now that it is available on DVD, to pass on a few thoughts:

1. The film is very loosely based on the arrival of the three wise men to the Christ child, but of course, set in Arizona Territory, so there is plenty of sand to strike some sort of geographical similarity. I came across this film on television twenty or so years ago, made a copy the next year, and my family has enjoyed watching every Christmastime since. With this much exposure, one is sure to catch a thing or two. I might also add that once is not enough...there are many subtle points which can only be found with multiple viewings.


2. I would rank this film right along with "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and "The Searchers". Not only Ford's direction and Wayne's leadership, but a terrific supporting cast to round things out and fill things in, including Hank Worden, and introducing Harry Carey, Jr., but most spectacularly, Ward Bond. I mention Bond because he was in so many Ford/Wayne films, from "The Searchers" to "The Quiet Man", and was a close personal friend of Wayne's (and I assume Ford's) playing great parts, but never really seemed to get the credit he was due. He is at his best in "3 Godfathers" and I can't imagine anyone else succesfully playing the part.

3. This film continues the theme of confusion over good and bad and right versus wrong in the western wilderness. In "The Searchers" Wayne is the only one with the wisdom, devotion, and strength to carry out a five-year long rescue mission. Anyone else would have quit. But what he has in mind may have been right as things were known in the 1860s, but would not have been acceptable to audiences in the 1950s. In "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", there is confusion about good/bad, right/wrong, strong/weak, truth/lie from the very beginning, to the revelation of who actually shot (murdered) Liberty Valance, to who wins the girl (or does he completely), to the very poignant and ironic end when the conductor announces "Nothing is too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance." "3 Godfathers" carries on with Robert, Pedro, and William, who are at least horse thieves and bank robbers, but who have impeccable manners, ironic senses of humor, deep feelings of comraderie and compassion, and great devotion to the "word they gave a dying woman", even at certain risk to their own fortunes. As Christ is about sacrifice, redemption, and salvation, these three men become wisemen. And again, the prescient Ward Bond, town sheriff, upholder of the law, unlike any other western man present, uses his rifle to break the fleeing desperadoes' water bag, not gun them down in the back..."They ain't payin' me to kill folks."

Anyway, I think Ford does another honorable job of describing the juxtaposition of right and wrong in the wild West, especially as the civilized East encroaches.

Very much worth seeing...and don't miss Ward Bond.

Old fashioned very enjoyable John Ford Western starring John Wayne and Ward Bond as his worthy opponent.
This oft-filmed story is from a sentimental novel "The Three Godfathers" written by Peter B. Kyne. John Ford who had earlier made a silent version MARKED MEN (1919) with Harry Carey. Another remake THE THREE GODFATHERS (1936) was a highly acclaimed version directed by Richard Boleslawski. The 3 GODFATHERS (1948) reviewed here is noted for being Ford's first colour film and for its opening touching dedication to one of John Ford's early favourites: `To the memory of Harry Carey' - `Bright star of the early Western Sky.'

Three bank robbers Robert Marmaduke Hightower (John Wayne), Pedro `Pete' Roca Fuerte (Pedro Armendáriz) and William Kearney `The Abilene Kid' (Harry Carey Jr.) ride into the town of Welcome Arizona and rob the local bank on trying to make good their escape they hadn't reckoned on the tenacity of the marshal for the territory of Arizona Perley `Buck' Sweet (Ward Bond) and his deputy Curly (Hank Worden). Forming a posse they hop on a train, hoping to ambush the outlaws at Mojave Tanks. The three bad-men arrive just in time to see the train coming with the posse onboard. Waterless they decide to head north for Terrapin Tanks across a beautiful but hostile desert, hoping that the marshal would figure that they would head for the easier route to Apache Wells.

On arrival at Terrapin Tanks they discover that a greenhorn settler, has left his heavily pregnant wife in a covered wagon and had destroyed the Tanks with dynamite whilst trying to find water. The mother (Mildred Natwick) dies shortly after giving birth to a baby boy, but not before naming the boy Robert William Pedro Hightower after the outlaws and making them Godfathers to her newborn son and further promising to take him to the town of New Jerusalem. Having earlier lost their horses they struggle on, following a Biblical like Star across the desert on foot desperately trying to fulfil their promise to a dying woman. Closing in on the three godfathers is the ever-persistent Marshal Sweet. Will they or wont they make it to New Jerusalem with the newborn boy-child?

A great musical score by Richard Hageman with "The Streets of Laredo" filtering through as does once or twice a hint of the music from STAGECOACH (1939). Which is not surprising as Richard Hageman was responsible for that too! Nearly, if not all of the players here are Fords usual friends or favourites known affectionately as "Ford's Rolling Stock" many straight from Ford's previous film FORT APACHE (1948) all turning in good performances? Perhaps best of the lot was fittingly reserved for Harry Carey Jr. Perhaps it was one of Ford's little jokes or all that was available at the time but the baby boy in the film was obviously a girl (Amelia Yelda)!

Not one of John Ford's best Westerns judged by his own very high standards but never-the-less a very enjoyable one at anytime, but perhaps best of all during the Christmas period! This 2004 Warner Bros. DVD Release includes the Theatrical Trailer.

dvd review
Great old wwii movie. product in great condition with a fast delivery.