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Hondo (1953) Online

Hondo (1953) Online
Original Title :
Hondo
Genre :
Movie / Drama / Romance / War / Western
Year :
1953
Directror :
John Farrow
Cast :
John Wayne,Geraldine Page,Ward Bond
Writer :
James Edward Grant,Louis L'Amour
Budget :
$3,000,000
Type :
Movie
Time :
1h 23min
Rating :
7.1/10
Hondo (1953) Online

Army scout Hondo Lane (played by John Wayne) stumbles across an isolated homestead in the middle of Apache territory. The inhabitants - a woman and her son - believe they are safe, as there is a treaty with the Apaches. Lane knows better though, as the Army has just broken the treaty, causing the Apache to seek revenge on settlers. Despite being a scout for the US Army, Lane has sympathies for the Apaches, having been married to a native American woman and living with her people for five years. With divided loyalties he now has to tread a fine line.
Complete credited cast:
John Wayne John Wayne - Hondo Lane
Geraldine Page Geraldine Page - Angie Lowe
Ward Bond Ward Bond - Buffalo Baker
Michael Pate Michael Pate - Vittorio
James Arness James Arness - Lennie
Rodolfo Acosta Rodolfo Acosta - Silva
Leo Gordon Leo Gordon - Ed Lowe
Tom Irish Tom Irish - Lt. McKay
Lee Aaker Lee Aaker - Johnny Lowe
Paul Fix Paul Fix - Maj. Sherry
Rayford Barnes Rayford Barnes - Pete - Card Player in Saloon

John Wayne was originally to be only the producer for his Batjac company, and wanted Glenn Ford for the title role. However, Ford had such an unpleasant working experience with Director John Farrow on their previous collaboration, Plunder of the Sun (1953), that he turned down the offer. Wayne then took on the role himself.

John Wayne attributed the film's moderate performance at the box-office to its similarity to Αρπαγές της Γης (1953).

In Married...with Children (1987) season eight, episode twenty-four, "Assault and Batteries", Al Bundy says that "Hondo" is his favorite movie of all time, and he spends the entire episode trying to watch it in peace, unsuccessfully, of course.

Pal, the dog that played Sam, was the original screen Lassie. In this movie, he is supposed to be vicious and ill-tempered, but the temperatures during filming were so hot, he simply panted instead of snarling when on-camera. In order to overcome this, he was kept in a special air-conditioned crate while on-set, and was only brought out for his shots.

According to TCM, John Wayne won the well-trained dog Sam from his owner/trainer in a poker game after the movie wrapped.

Katharine Hepburn was originally planned to have been cast as the female lead, with the idea being that her part and John Wayne's would be roughly equal. However, the female lead role grew less prominent as the script was developed, until it was clearly subservient to Wayne's. Therefore, Producer Robert Fellows sent a letter to Hepburn's agent expressing his belief that such a role was beneath a star of Hepburn's stature, and explaining that rather than embarrass her by offering her a part she would be forced to turn down, he decided not to offer it to her at all. The role went to Geraldine Page, instead, while Hepburn and Wayne finally teamed up more than twenty years later in Ο μονόφθαλμος (1975).

Geraldine Page, a Broadway actress with very liberal political views, was horrified by the right-wing views of John Wayne, Ward Bond, James Arness, and John Farrow. However she felt Wayne's remarks were more reasonable than the views expressed by Bond and Farrow.

After viewing the finished film at a private screening, John Wayne jokingly said, "I'll be damned if I'm not the stuff men are made of!"

Originally filmed in 3-D.

John Ford directed the climactic battle scenes at the end of the movie, according to a special feature on the 2005 DVD release. Director John Farrow had to leave to start another film commitment, and Ford took over as a favor to John Wayne. His work was uncredited.

Vittorio was based loosely on the real-life Apache chief Victorio.

The Apaches all ride bareback with just a blanket on the horse. The Chief, Vittorio, has stirrups, and what looks like a sparse saddle, under his blanket.

This movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Motion Picture Story, but the nomination was disqualified by Louis L'Amour, who asserted that his short story was not an original motion picture story.

At one point, Hondo referred to a ranch he had in California, just east of San Dimas. John Wayne grew up just east of San Dimas.

Although it has often been described as the film debut of Geraldine Page, she had already played Florence in Taxi (1953), released earlier in the year.

Just before filming started in summer of 1953, Geraldine Page had made her Broadway debut, starring in a play called "Mid-Summer", and had won the Theatre World Award.

The plot line of this movie was loosely based on the story "The Gift of Cochise" (published in 1952) by Louis L'Amour. Hondo Lane bears a striking resemblance to L'Amour's character of Ches Lane. Ed and Angie Lowe appear in the story and the movie. Vittorio, the Apache chief, shares a similar character with the story's version, Cochise.

According to a Wayne autobiography, with Wayne knowing the movie had a kissing scene, and hearing Page's teeth were in extreme neglect, he authorized a discreet dental treatment for her, prior to filming.

John Wayne and his producing partner Robert Fellows wanted to shoot the film in the trendsetting 3-D format. Warner Brothers supplied the production with the newly developed "All Media Camera", which could shoot in any format, including 3-D, using twin lenses placed slightly apart to produce the stereoscopic effect necessary for it. Despite the fact that they were smaller than the twin camera process used previously for 3-D, the All Media Cameras were still bulky and made the film shoot difficult, causing delays when transporting the cameras to remote desert locations. Furthermore, Director John Farrow and Cinematographer Robert Burks were unfamiliar with the new technology, and had trouble adjusting to using it. Also, the cameras were frequently broken due to wind blowing sand into the mechanism, or from other inclement weather conditions. Farrow used the technology to produce fewer gimmicks than other 3-D films did at the time, with only a few scenes showing people or objects coming at the camera, such as gunfire or knives. Instead he preferred to use it to increase the depth of the expansive wide shots of the Mexican desert, or figures against a landscape.

The casting of Geraldine Page as the female lead was considered quite puzzling to many in Hollywood at the time. She had been known primarily as a Broadway stage actress and employed the Method acting style deemed too introspective for film, and especially for Westerns.

The two male and female main character names ("Lane" and "Mrs. Lowe") reappear in John Wayne's Οι ληστές των τρένων (1973), with Ann-Margret instead of Geraldine Page as Mrs. Lowe.

Near the end of the movie, James Arness takes four soldiers with him to gather up settlers. The first two names he calls out are Wilson and McGrath. Terry Wilson and Frank McGrath worked on the film, and became famous for their roles on Wagon Train (1957) as Hawks and Wooster.

The role of Angie was originally intended for Katharine Hepburn, but as the project developed and the role became a supporting one, the role was given to the fast-rising Geraldine Page, who was seventeen years younger than Hepburn.

Second Unit Director Andrew V. McLaglen directed John Wayne in Ο Μεγάλος ΜακΛίντοκ (1963), Hellfighters (1968), The Undefeated (1969), Εναντίον όλων των παρανόμων (1970), and Τετάρτη πρωί, η εκτέλεση (1973).

One of the most prevalent images of John Wayne remains a full-length publicity photo from the film in which Wayne wears the buckskin suit and military hat.

The first film shot with Warner Brothers' "All Media Camera", which was actually a two-camera rig for 3-D films that allowed more flexibility for things like camera movement and close-ups than older 3-D rigs. The name was based on the studio's claims that it could shoot 3-D or 2-D, color or black and white, standard or WarnerScope widescreen, and WarnerPhonic sound. Ultimately, WarnerScope was never used for any film, and WarnerPhonic had nothing to do with the camera rig.

Michael Pate, who played Vittorio, reprised that same role on the Steve McQueen television show Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958), season one, episode thirty-one, "Bounty for a Bride".

Although the film received high praise from critics, John Wayne and director John Farrow had an adversarial relationship on the film which grew considerably worse on their later film together, "The Sea Chase". After Farrow's death, Wayne even suggested that the director had contributed very little to "Hondo", implying that he himself had done a good deal of directing on it.

Although their appearance in the film has not been confirmed, The Hollywood Reporter news items add to the cast Martin Diaz, Jay Scott, and Margaret Fellows, who was the daughter of Producer Robert Fellows.

When the soldiers arrive at the Lowe Ranch to meet with Hondo (John Wayne) in preparation of fighting Vitario and the Apaches, as the camera pans the hillside there's a powerpole in the center of the screenshot. Ooops!

Geraldine Page appeared on three television shows in 1952, all theater anthology shows.

Mihcael Pate who plays the Indian chief was also in real life an expert in Old West Military procedure. He told later that the indian attack in the movie was not realistic at all, because Indians were experts in guerrilla and would never have been trap into a arroyo by the US Army.


User reviews

Otiel

Otiel

Made in 1953 Warner Bros. HONDO is a good entertaining western. A Wayne/Fellows production it was originally filmed in the short lived process of 3D but here is thankfully without many of the gimmicks associated with that format. Nicely directed by John Farrow the picture has become well established over the years as one of John Wayne's better westerns.From a novel by Louis L'Amour it had a fine screenplay devised by James Edward Grant and was glowingly photographed in Warnercolor by Robert Burks and Archie Stout.

John Wayne is Hondo Lane a dispatch rider for the U.S. cavalry in 1874 who, after having his horse shot from under him by Indians stumbles across an isolated ranch occupied by a deserted woman (Geraldine Page) and her young son (Lee Aaker). At first the woman is suspicious of the stranger but she soon realizes he means no harm and later develops deep feelings for him. She gives him a horse (which he had broken) so he can get back to the fort where he learns that because of the Apache unrest the army is about to ride out and evacuate families from the outlying ranches and take to the field against the fearsome Apache leader Vittorio (Michael Pate). Hondo must now return to the ranch and help bring the woman and the boy to safety. But on his journey he tangles with and is forced to kill a would-be assassin (Leo Gordan) who he discovers is the woman's errant husband. Then in a brilliant chase sequence he is run down and captured by the Apaches but Vittorio, who is fond of the boy, releases him back to the ranch. The picture ends in a spectacular fashion with a full scale desert battle between the cavalry and the Apache horde.

Performances are splendid. Wayne is especially good as is Geraldine Page. Page, a New York stage actress in her first film is very impressive and her early scenes with Wayne are engaging and pleasing. However I have a couple of quibbles about the production of HONDO. Firstly, Wayne's stunt double is a very slight and much smaller man than the actor. His height and size is jarringly obvious in a few scenes such as the horse breaking sequence and the stunning chase scene. Then the second half of the movie - which is reputed to have been directed by John Ford - somehow doesn't really jell very well with the first half at all. It almost becomes a different movie - eschewing the fine dramatic power and character development inherent in the beginning and it even relegates the woman and the boy to mere bit players. The blame for this must be laid at Ford's door. It's like he never saw the first half and just proceeded to do his own thing. His section of the film is simply a cavalry versus Indian actioneer. But then perhaps Ford wasn't totally at fault since he had no involvement in the project from the outset and probably only did the thing as a favor to Wayne. Nevertheless there is still much to enjoy in HONDO which has arresting cinematography, excellent performances, a wonderfully written first half and a vibrant score by Emil Newman and Hugo Friedhofer.
Nanecele

Nanecele

"Hondo" was originally filmed in the then popular 3-D process which explains the emphasis on foreground shots and a few "comin' at ya" 3-D process shots. By the time the film was released at the end of 1953, the 3-D craze was over and it was on to CinemaScope.

The film has been unavailable for viewing for about 15 years. For its DVD release it has been beautifully restored to its original brilliance. The colors are rich and vibrant including the many Mexican blue sky shots.

The story has a tired and horseless army scout Hondo Lane (John Wayne) coming upon an isolated ranch where he meets Mrs. Lowe (Geraldine Fitzgerald) and her young son Johnny (Lee Aaker). They have apparently been deserted by the husband and father, the brutish Ed Lowe (Leo Gordon).

Hondo befriends the pair and stays around helping with the long neglected chores. Naturally an attraction develops between him and Mrs. Lowe. Finally Hondo leaves for the army post. Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Lowe and Johnny are visited by a warring Apache chief, Vittorio (Michael Pate) and his warriors. Vittorio is impressed with the bravery of young Johnny and makes him a blood brother.

Meanwhile back at the post, Hondo meets up with his old pal Buffalo Baker (Ward Bond). In the saloon they are confronted by Lowe and a brawl ensues. When Hondo leaves to return the horse he borrowed from Mrs. Lowe, he is followed by Lowe and his partner (Frank McGrath). Hondo and the two are ambushed by the Apaches. Following the confrontation, Hondo is forced to kill Lowe in self-defence.

As Hondo rides toward the Lowe ranch, he is captured by Vittorio and his warriors. When Vittorio discovers Lowe's picture of young Johnny on Hondo he spares his life. Vittorio's sadistic chief Silva (Rodolfo Acosta) objects and Hondo is forced into a knife fight with the Indian.

Hondo eventually arrives at the ranch where he continues to romance Mrs. Lowe. Vittorio believing that Hondo is Mrs. Lowe's husband, respects his bravery.

Later Buffalo and another scout Lennie (James Arness) arrive with a cavalry troop sent out to bring any settlers into the army post for their safety. We learn that Vittorio has been killed and that the Apaches are now being led by Silva. Without Vittorio's protection, Hondo and the Lowes are forced to leave with the troops. Along the way they are attacked by the Apache and..................

This was one of John Wayne's better westerns however one can't help but compare certain aspects of the story with that of "Shane" released the same year. Geraldine Page received an academy award nomination as best supporting actress for this her first starring role. Long time Wayne crony Bond delivers a colorful performance as the grizzled scout Buffalo. Lee Aaker is probably best remembered for his role as "Rusty" in the TV show "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin".

James Arness who was under contract to Wayne at the time would achieve lasting fame as Marshal Matt Dillon in TV's long running "Gunsmoke". Leo Gordon who was typecast as a villain went on to write several screenplays for Roger Corman in the 60s. Wayne's pal Paul Fix appears briefly as Major Sherry.

John Ford directed the final battle sequence when Director John Farrow had to leave to fulfill other contractual obligations.

The DVD release has an excellent commentary by Leonard Maltin (who also serves as host for the variopus segments), film historian Frank Thompson and Lee Aaker. There is a behind the scenes featurette and tributes to Ward Bond and Wayne screenwriter James Edward Grant are also included.

Great action.
Bukelv

Bukelv

The Duke was 44 years old when he made "Hondo", the film in which he, as a producer, hit on the formula which he would successfully employ for the entire second half of his long career. Like many good ideas, the formula is very simple. A strong human-interest story is played out against a backdrop of majestic scenery, and includes plenty of beat-'em-up and shoot-'em-up sequences, with the masculine values of the western genre very much to the fore - independence of spirit, standing up for what is right, self-reliance and loyalty to friends.

Hondo Lane is a free man. Indian blood runs in his veins, and he loves to roam the western wilderness which he shares with a few settlers and the Mescalero Apaches. Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) lives the life of a lonely homesteader, bringing up her little boy Johnny on her own in an isolated log cabin. When Hondo swaggers onto her spread, seeming like an emanation of the desert itself, the sexual sparks begin to fly.

Vittorio, the chief of the Mescaleros, is an upright and proud man, a great leader who has finally lost patience with the treacherous white man. He and his braves have donned the war paint and are prowling the region, baying for blood. In the coming clash, Hondo will have to decide where his loyalties lie.

Processed in Warners' own 'Warnercolor', the film has an attractive tempera look. It was originally shot in 3-D format, which explains the sudden knife-thrusts towards the camera and the front-on spear lunges. There is some fine horsemanship on display in this movie, with small, elegant horses being ridden in a well-forward saddle style. Hondo's descent of the butte to escape his indian pursuers is particularly good.

When Hondo walks out of the wilderness, his horse having died several days previously, how come he is clean-shaven? In the knife-fight with Silva (Rodolfo Acosta), the continuity is poor, some shots having been filmed in bright sunlight, others under an overcast sky. However, though they are worth pointing out, these small snags do not mar an enjoyable film.

The sexual manoeuvring between Hondo and Angie is measured to perfection. Their propriety is impeccable, but there can be no doubting the intensity of their mutual desire or its earthiness ("I can smell you when I'm downwind of you"). Angie puts on her lilac dress for no conceivable reason other than mating display.

When Hondo talks of his dead squaw, the script soars. The half-indian's deeply poetic feel for the beautiful Apache language merges with his romantic reverie, forming a lament for both his lost love and the doomed indian way of life. This passage is symbolic of the whole film, which is largely about the interpenetration of indian and anglo-saxon cultures. Vittorio adopts the blonde Johnny (Lee Aaker) as a blood relation, and returns frequently to the Lowes' place to watch over the boy. Hondo, of course, bestrides the two civilisations, both of which are his birthright. On the broader canvas, the film is an elegy to the Mescaleros who share this land with the white settlers, but who are now in terminal decline.

Hondo is the living embodiment of Manifest Destiny. Because he is stronger and abler (and dare one say, whiter) than the Apaches, he will supersede them. And the passing of the Mescalero civilisation does not bother him unduly. "End of a way of life," he observes, having just slaughtered several dozen indians. "Too bad. It was a good way." And without another thought, he cheerfully gets on with conquering the West.
Ffleg

Ffleg

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.
Blackworm

Blackworm

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 .
Bloodray

Bloodray

In the 5/1/88 episode of "Married With Children," the one entitled "All in the Family," paterfamilias schlemiel Al Bundy tries--unsuccessfully, of course--to catch his favorite movie, the 1953 John Wayne vehicle "Hondo," during an ill-timed invasion of his wife's relations. Undeterred, six years later, Bundy, in the 5/8/94 episode "Assault and Batteries," again tries to catch his favorite flick, and with just as little luck. And back when, any Wayne fan could easily sympathize with the hapless sadsack. "Hondo," along with such Wayne films as "Island in the Sky" and "The High and the Mighty," was extremely difficult to see for many years: never shown on television, rarely screened in revival theatres and largely unavailable for home viewing. What Al wouldn't have given for today's current DVD from Paramount, featuring a stunning print and over an hour's worth of fascinating extras! Today, it is a simple matter to view "Hondo" at any time, and appreciate it for the highly impressive Western that it is.

In the film--based on the early Louis L'Amour short story "The Gift of Cochise"--Wayne plays a part-Apache cavalry scout named Hondo Lane. When we first encounter him, in the year 1870, the footsore Hondo stumbles onto the New Mexico homestead of Mrs. Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page, the renowned NYC stage actress, here in her very first film) and her young son Johnny (appealingly played by child actor Lee Aaker). Hondo purchases a horse from Mrs. Lowe, is given a place to sleep after being provided with food and water, and, after learning that Mr. Lowe is something of a disreputable, absentee husband, helps the plain-looking mother with her chores. Trouble looms, however, when, after returning to his cavalry unit, Hondo has a run-in with a lowlife scumball whom he is forced to kill...and who turns out to be none other than Mr. Lowe! Already half in love with the woman whose husband he has just shot down, Hondo returns to the Lowe homestead with a double mission: to tell the mother and son the news of what has just transpired, and to protect the pair from an uprising of (justifiably) angry Apaches, who have recently gone on a murderous warpath....

Truth to tell, "Hondo" strikes this viewer as an unusual choice for Al Bundy's favorite John Wayne film, what with its emphasis on romance and courtship (indeed, for the first 25 minutes of the picture, Hondo and Mrs. Lowe do nothing but talk and grow close to each other), as well as father/son ties (then again, young Johnny is a lot more cute and loving than Bud Bundy could ever hope to be; perhaps Al saw in Johnny the son that he never had?). Still, the film is understandably captivating for any viewer, and boasts any number of sterling attributes. For one thing, it is a film of great visual beauty; the desert terrain outside Ciudad Camargo (Chihuahua State, Mexico), where the movie was largely shot, is often breathtaking, and just about every outdoor scene seems to be adorned by stunning cloud formations. The film also boasts several wonderful sequences, including Hondo fleeing from the Apaches on horseback, Hondo engaging in a knife fight with an Apache on top of a mesa, and, most memorably, Hondo "teaching" Johnny how to swim. This was Wayne's first Western in three years, since 1950's "Rio Grande," and fans would have to wait another three years to see him in another (arguably, Wayne's best: 1956's "The Searchers"), but he is simply terrific here as Hondo, the self-reliant loner whose creed--"I let people do what they want to do"--is one that we would all do well to emulate. Page has an interesting chemistry with him, and it is wonderful to see the homely mother blossom and grow prettier as the film proceeds, as she and Hondo fall very much in love. Page deservedly garnered an Oscar nomination (her first of eight) for her work here, ultimately losing the Best Supporting Actress statuette for that year to Donna Reed, for her fine work in "From Here to Eternity." Kudos must also be given to Australian actor Michael Pate, who would go on, 14 years later, to reprise his role as the Apache chief Vittoro in the short-lived ABC TV program "Hondo," starring Ralph Taeger (I know, I know...who?) in the title role, as well as young Aaker for his winning performance. Likewise, the great character actors Ward Bond, Leo Gordon and James Arness (two years pre-"Gunsmoke") all manage to make the most of their small but crucial roles.

"Hondo" also features fine work behind the camera. With solid direction by John Farrow (husband of Maureen O'Sullivan and father of Mia, and who would go on to work with Wayne in 1955's "The Sea Chase"), in addition to uncredited direction by the legendary John Ford of the climactic battle sequence; a winning script from Wayne's favorite screenwriter, James Edward Grant; and a lovely theme song and pounding incidental music from Emil Newman and Hugo W. Friedhofer, the picture really is a fortuitous merging of great talents. Though shot in 3-D, the film is not overly reliant on in-your-face stunts to keep the viewer entertained; indeed, other than a few knife thrusts into the camera, there are few such tricks to speak of, and the film looks and works just fine in 2-D (apparently, "Hondo" was only shown in 3-D during the first week of its initial run, anyway!). The bottom line is that while "Hondo" may not be the Wayne masterpiece that "Stagecoach," "Red River" and "The Searchers" are, it yet remains a very solid, artfully made and highly entertaining picture. As it turns out, Al Bundy had good reason to rush home and turn on his television set....
Acrobat

Acrobat

Someone in an earlier comment said that John Wayne is, "always bad." I take great umbrage in that statement. He was always good and often marvelous and sometimes Magnificent.

His Hondo is a very different character from Ethan Edwards or Thomas Dunson. Here, he is a younger Wil Anderson or a more somber Quirt Evans.

I like Hondo. It's not a great film like Red River or The Searchers, but it does explore the lonely existence of a woman living in the back of beyond. It also explores the way in which a semi-tamed man becomes a father substitute and good husband, something Ethan Edwards would never become.

Geraldine Page shines like a new penny in this, her first film. She won an Academy Award nomination for her role in Hondo, and she deserved it.

Hondo is a man who is hardened by experience but still capable of understanding, compassion and love. He also works HARD. It's fun to see John Wayne with nails in his mouth, shoeing a horse!
Hurus

Hurus

"Hondo" opens on some of the aspects of George Stevens' "Shane," with the arrival of a lone figure, a U.S. cavalry dispatch rider, Hondo Lane (John Wayne) and his dog (Sam) to an isolated ranch in Apache Territory...

Lane is received by a young courageous frontier woman Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) and her 6-years old son Johnny (Lee Aaker). Angie tries to convince Hondo that she is not alone, that she lives with a husband, and that she is not worried about apache uprisings, because there is a peace treaty, and the apaches will not "bother" her at all...

During his 24 hours stay, Lane knows that Annie is an abandoned woman, and after kissing her, he learned much more...

Lane leaves the place, but after finding out that the Indians are killing and destroying all around the land, decides to return for the young woman and her boy...

Under the lead of a stylistic director, "Hondo" may be very likely the finest Wayne psychological Western not directed by John Ford... With long tracking shots and interesting camera angles, "Hondo" is far better in the way of capturing the abrasive solitary man manifested in "Red River." There is nothing really surprising about Wayne's part, but I think it does stress something that's a real Wayne attribute, and that is his honesty and straight forwardness…

With a kind of short, curly, blonde hair, Geraldine Page is excellent in her Oscar-Nominated debut, specially in the scene of her confession to Lane about her late husband: 'He was a liar, a thief, a coward and a drunker... He only married me to get the ranch.'

Shot on a hot, dusty, foreign location (Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico) in color and in 3-D, John Farrow's "Hondo" is one of the early pleasant looking Western that I saw with my father a long, long time ago...
Whitescar

Whitescar

It don't get much better for western fans than a Louis L'Amour story brought to the screen by John Wayne. I'm sure when this novel came out, the Duke saw it and said this one's for me as it was his Wayne-Fellows Production company that bought it and produced it.

John Wayne must have been some sight on the big screen when Hondo came out in 3-D as originally filmed. That entrance of him walking up to Geraldine Page's small ranch must have put his large frame practically in the laps of the theater audience.

Wayne plays Hondo Lane an army scout who is part Indian himself. His horse died and he's on foot when he arrives at Page's ranch where her husband is gone and she's left with young son Lee Aaker. There's an immediate attraction between the two of them, the sexual tension fairly crackles, Page hasn't had any male companionship for a while. A bond also forms between Lee Aaker and the Duke.

For one of John Wayne's major films, Hondo has a remarkably short running time as compared to some of the epic westerns he did for John Ford. In fact Ford was slated for this film, but dropped out and John Farrow took his place. In the less than 90 minute running time for Hondo, it deals with Page's no good husband Leo Gordon and the trouble the Apaches are giving the local settlers.

Playing the head of the Apaches, Chief Vittorio, is Australian actor Michael Pate. He plays the role with dignity and strength, much like Jeff Chandler as Cochise in Broken Arrow. Indians were now being seen as three dimensional human beings on the screen, Pate's characterization certainly helped that trend along. In contrast to Pate is Rudolfo Acosta as Silva whose hate for the white man crackles on the strength. His hand to hand duel with Wayne is one of the high points of all John Wayne westerns.

Michael Pate was the only one from the original cast who made it to the short lived Hondo television series. Hondo remains the only one of two John Wayne films that got made into a television series, the other being The Cowboys. Wayne's Batjac productions did the Hondo television series with Ralph Taeger as Hondo Lane. It lasted for two seasons but got canceled when TV went through one of its periodic anti-violence kicks.

The cast included a whole bunch of John Wayne regulars like Ward Bond, James Arness, Paul Fix in addition to others mentioned. No wonder Geraldine Page fresh from the Actor's Studio in New York felt an outsider in this bunch. Reportedly she didn't get along with Wayne on the set. But I'm sure her antagonism must have softened when in her motion picture debut she got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Hondo is one of John Wayne's classic roles it should not be missed by any who call themselves fans of the Eternal Duke.
Doukree

Doukree

Leonard Maltin proudly does the intro for the DVD special edition of Hondo, his regard for the film is obvious. Maltin, who also provides a commentary track for the film, muses on the importance of Hondo in light of the 50s tonal shift in the Western genre. A time when the Western cast off its one dimensional approach of cowboy/cavalry heroes slaughtering the enemy (Indians) purely as an entertainment medium. But is Hondo any good? And is it also worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Delmer Daves'-Broken Arrow (Maltin again) which ushered in the 50s with a bold and poignant crack of the whip? The answer to both questions possibly depends on how much you enjoy John Wayne movies in the first place. Here The Duke, playing a half bred Indian it should be noted, is wonderfully framed amongst the Camargo, Chihuahua (Mexico) location. The plot (starting off like Shane, released the same year) follows an interesting course, requiring Hondo to ultimately protect those he has fell in for, while simultaneously understanding his enemy since his blood contains the very same. Also of interest is that Hondo has very much become a solitary man of the wilderness, so when his emotions lean towards love and fatherly instincts, it makes for a nice bit of in character confliction. Something that Wayne delivers with much conviction.

Geraldine Page was Oscar nominated for her role as Angie, and rightly so as well. Strong-willed and waiting out of loyalty for her thuggish husband Ed (Leo Gordon) to return to the family home. Angie herself is conflicted by her regard for the Apache and the stirrings brought about by Hondo's considerable masculine presence. Especially when a revelation later in the piece calls for her to decide her life course. All of which gives Page the license to feed off Wayne's presence, to which it provides great interplay that makes the film a potent and intriguing character piece. Stock players such as Ward Bond and James Arness aren't given much to do, and due to the film having originally being shot in 3D, the thrusts at the screen by various weapons are more quirky than impacting. But still, backed up by a fine score from Hugo Friedhofer and containing a rousing battle laden finale (apparently filmed by John Ford as director John Farrow had been called elsewhere), Hondo is a cinematic treat for like minded individuals. It's not as important as Maltin and many others would have us believe, but that doesn't stop it being an essential watch for fans of Wayne, Page and particularly those into Westerns in general. 7/10
Honeirsil

Honeirsil

A beautifully photographed, sparse, and philosophical Western that in my opinion ranks among the very best films made by John Wayne. Director John Farrow gives us a subtly different kind of Wayne than the hero from so many John Ford films -- this Wayne is rough and tough, but he has a singular ethical idea as far as "letting people do what they want". For instance in the scene where he warns the boy not to play with the dog, and after the dog bites the boy he emphasizes to the mother "he made his own choice." This is coupled by a not-so-subtle contemplation on the nature and value of honestly. The basic moral question being -- when is a lie justified, and when is a man just telling the truth to satisfy his own pride? The early parts of the story shadow the great "Shane" -- Wayne's hero Hondo comes out of the desert looking like a dead man, he finds a (seemingly) happy pioneer family in their homestead and enters into various experiences attempting to teach the young boy (Rayford Barnes) how to be a man, something his lousy father (Leo Gordon) never bothered to do. The film's main relationship develops between Hondo and Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page), the woman who was abandoned and left in Indian country by her drunkard husband. After Wayne is forced to shoot the husband, he fears to tell Lowe the truth because of the love affair blossoming between them. In perhaps the film's pivotal scene, she accepts his confession with surprising frankness, but then prohibits him from telling the boy the truth. Her statements at that point imply the film's thesis on truth -- it's best to tell the truth in most circumstances, but at other times we can be fooled by our pride into thinking that we MUST tell the truth when in fact the truth can do more harm than a lie.

The photography in this film is truly excellent, and I really love how Farrow manages to give each scene a kind of unique quality, partly by tying certain scenes around central visual images (the river, the joining of fingers by bloodbrothers, etc.). The film is made more memorable by the fact that the director didn't "throw anything away" -- each scene has its own interior meaning separate from its relationship to the entire film, and these scenes revolve around the human relationships in the story. The scene with Page and Wayne early on where she almost kills him is a great example of economic and effective direction IMHO. Likewise the scene where the Indians are shot at by the boy and end up making him the chief's bloodbrother. Each person in these scenes, including the chief (Michael Pate) come off very strongly and distinctly.

The performances are very good, with Wayne showing his maturity and self-knowledge at every turn. Page is wonderful at suggesting both the naivete and courage of her character. Gordon is suitably nasty, Ward Bond appears in his usual "tough buddy" part and gives it the usual amount of integrity, Pate gives us a relatively lucid and real picture of an Apache warrior who is trying to balance his sense of honor and his anger towards the white conquerors. James Arness also contributes good character work as a man who works with Hondo but tries to blackmail him with the knowledge of the true nature of Ed Lowe's death.

All in all, I would say this is a top notch Western, easily comparable to the best work of Ford, Hawks, Boetticher, and Mann.
Vinainl

Vinainl

At first glance, John Wayne's 1953 western, "Hondo", bears a remarkable similarity to another 1953 release, George Stevens' classic, "Shane". Both films open with an iconic stranger appearing out of the wilderness, spotted first by a young, impressionable boy. Both title characters arrive at homesteads in need of an 'extra pair of hands', and form unspoken bonds with the women of the households. Both Hondo and Shane have survival skills the families desperately need, even as the families fill a void in their own lives. But while Stevens' film moves at a slow, deliberate pace, meticulously creating a near mythic vision, "Hondo" director John Farrow, working from a script by longtime Wayne scribe James Edward Grant (from Louis L'Amour story), cuts the exposition down to basics, giving the film a much leaner 'look', with a climax (actually directed by John Ford, as Farrow had scheduling problems with another film) that is so fast-paced that it can leave a viewer in 'midair', expecting more. As a result, "Hondo" isn't held in as high esteem as "Shane", but is certainly a rewarding, entertaining experience, with one of Wayne's best pre-"Searchers" performances, and Geraldine Page earning an Oscar nomination in her film debut.

Filmed in the broiling summer heat of Mexico, utilizing massive, cumbersome dual cameras to create 3-D (which both Wayne and Warner studio head Jack Warner felt was the wave of the future, but would be passé by the film's release), the production was grueling, yet formed lasting friendships. Australian Michael Pate, playing the key role of historic Chiricahua Apache Chief, Vittorio, was stunned to find Wayne, during a dangerous riding sequence, running along, off-camera, to protect him if he fell (Wayne, impressed by the actor, would cast him, ten years later, as another Indian chief in "McLintock!"). Many of Wayne's 'Stock Company' (Ward Bond, Paul Fix, James Arness, Leo Gordon, and Chuck Roberson) have roles (Bond's bearded, crusty 'Buffalo Baker' is a standout). John Ford, between films, vacationed in Mexico to visit Wayne and Bond, and was recruited (unbilled), to help direct.

The only discordant note was stage actress Page. Wayne had hoped to get Katharine Hepburn for the role of Angie Lowe, but the liberal actress wasn't comfortable working with the politically conservative Wayne at that time (during the "Witch Hunt" for suspected Communists in the film industry), and passed on the project (as would her long-time love, Spencer Tracy, in "The High and the Mighty", Wayne's next production). It would be 22 years before Hepburn and Wayne would finally team up (in "Rooster Cogburn"). Geraldine Page, picked by Farrow for her fresh, 'natural' look, carried her stage training and 'attitude' into the filming, which did little to endear her to the cast, and Wayne felt little chemistry between them (although her performance would be a standout debut).

With colorful characterizations, a chaste romance, plenty of action, and little of the obvious '3-D' gimmicks (only noticeable in the titles sequence, and two Indian fight scenes), "Hondo" was a HUGE hit when released, and has endured as one of John Wayne's most popular westerns!
THOMAS

THOMAS

This film was the most faithful, to the book, of any I have ever seen. It is based on one of Louis L'amour's early western novels, and the first to be made into a film. Aside from Vittorio wearing war paint all the time, the only part which was not really faithful to the book was the final battle where the stereotypical Hollywood Indian battle was substituted for the manner in which Apaches actually fought.

Louis L'amour was the most successful western novelist in history, having sold more than a quarter of a billion books before his death in 1988. Reading the book, Hondo, I often suspected it had been written with John Wayne in mind as Hondo Lane. I cannot picture Glenn Ford as Hondo, as was originally planed.

Much of the dialog was taken directly from the book although much was omitted, and every significant character made it from the book to the film. The only significant negatives were: 1) the fact that the story was condensed into 83 minutes instead of the 100 to 120 minutes, which would have permitted development of some of the minor characters; and 2) the apparent absence of a competent director. Think how much better it might have been if John Ford had directed it. Actually, both my complaints probably boil down to the same thing.
Winail

Winail

A hard, tight little film that John Wayne dominates. He was especially good at playing repressed, closed off heroes. In Hondo, he is the title character, a white who was raised by Indians and discriminated against by them because he's not indian, but distrusted by the whites also because of his Indian sympathies.

This was the only John Wayne movie filmed in 3D; it's been shown several times on network TV that way. It's a great film no matter how you watch it. One of the important Wayne films, simply because he's so good in it.
Boyn

Boyn

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.)
Gardall

Gardall

this John western may not be considered a classic like The Searchers,but i sure liked it,for a number of reasons.John Wayne was good,as he usually is,though i have yet to see a movie where he puts in a bad performance.Lee Aaker,who plays the kid,puts in a pretty good performance.but i really do have to single two people out here in the acting department.Michael Pate,who plays Vittorio,the Chiricahua Apache Chief,is outstanding,as is Geraldine Page(making her film debut)as Angie Lowe.as for the the story,it's typical of most westerns,but it is action packed,and the dialogue is well written.i haven't enjoyed a western this much for quite awhile.for me,Hondo is an 8/10
Black_Hawk_Down

Black_Hawk_Down

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.
Manemanu

Manemanu

I liked this quite a lot. I had never seen it until I got the DVD yesterday, and it had a few surprises. One was it's not even an hour and a half. Usually you expect these Duke things to be a couple hours. Two--it's quite similar to 'Shane' which came out the same year. Short-ish film, smallish cast, familiar plotting--did it work? Yes it did. I enjoyed the unconventional casting of Page, not a glamor queen and the movie is better off for it. Wayne was typical, on his game for the most, with some pretty good dialogue thrown in. I always enjoy seeing the 'Ford Stock Company' of Ward Bond, Leo Gordon, Paul Fix, Acosta, etc Arness included. They were good together and it helps the movie out.

Oddly sympathetic portrayal of the Apaches, esp Michael Pate. This was good, riding the coat-tails of 'Cochise' from a few years before am sure, but so what? It works.

Nicely shot, not too many gratuitous 3-D moments, typical John Ford style climax w/ the indians surrounding the wagons etc at the end, same great stunt work etc you know the drill.

I don't see how you can go wrong w/ this if you like Wayne's usual trademark Westerns, this one is a cut above in fact.

*** outta ****
Blackredeemer

Blackredeemer

Almost 9 years ago, I reviewed "Hondo" here; and, at the time, I did not think it was a "great" western. However, maybe I have "grown up" since then; because is truly one of not only John Wayne's best performances, it is also also one of the all time best westerns.

I could spend hours analyzing the symbolism in the Oscar-nominated script or the beautiful interaction between John Wayne and Geraldine Page, but that is a subject for film and acting classes and would also require spoilers. I will admit to offering one hint as to the turning point in "Hondo Lane's" life. If occurs immediately after Wayne is returned by the Apaches to the Lowe ranch.

John Wayne IS Hondo Lane, a half-breed dispatch rider for the US Cavalry. Wayne is first seen walking onto a ranch owned by Mrs. Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page, in an Oscar-nominated performance). Wayne's first appearance has all the moxie of his star-making performance in 'Stagecoach'. While not a man of few words, Hondo's are all carefully measured and to the point. He is concerned about Mrs. Lowe and her son. Moreover, Hondo is attracted to Angie, even though she is a married woman.

A lot has been said here and elsewhere about Wayne's acting ability. All I can say is, 'If you DON'T like Wayne, DON'T watch his movies.' I don't go out of the way to see movies with actors I don't like; and, when I do, and the actor surprises me in a good way, I say so. It seems many people see Wayne films JUST to belittle Wayne's performance. Don't you have anything BETTER to do? Wayne's performance here is as carefully measured as his words. Like most great actors, Wayne let's his face and eyes do most of the work. However, here Wayne has a dandy scene in which he first reveals his attraction to Angie. His 'I could find you in the dark, Mrs. Lowe; and I'm only PART Indian' monologue is one of the most passionate and erotic pieces of work I've seen in films from any period. That Wayne actually found Geraldine Page repulsive is even greater testimony to Wayne's acting here. 'Hondo' ranks as one of Wayne's great performances. Page is equally skillfull. Special note should be given to Michael Pate as Apache chief. His scenes are alternately menacing and touching, no small for ANY actor.

In my previous review of the movie, I criticized the ending, saying that "Hondo Lane" seems to "get lost in the crowd." That is actually the point of the movie. Watch it; and, hopefully you will understand what I mean. If not, I hope it does not take you as long as I to "get it."

I give "Hondo" a "10".
Jeyn

Jeyn

Although this movie fared poorly in comparison to Alan Ladd's Shane, it stands up better, as John Wayne's portrayal seems truer to reality than Ladd's "pretty boy" image. This is truly an underrated John Wayne film. The interaction between Wayne's Hondo and Ward Bond's Buffalo Baker (Of course he has a last name.) is classic. James Arness's portrayal of Lennie gives little hint of his future success as Matt Dillon in television's Gunsmoke. Look for future Wagon Train (television) stars Frank McGrath (Wooster) as Lowe's partner and Terry Wilson (Hawks) as the cavalry sergeant who suggests circling the wagons during the Indian attack. This movie is Wayne at his physical, mature best. I look forward to its release on DVD.
Bukus

Bukus

The pages of Louis L'Amour come to life in one of John Wayne's best. During the late 1870s, the whites have broken their treaty with the Apache Indian nation; the Apaches gather and prepare for war. Hondo Lane(Wayne)is a cavalry dispatch rider, who encounters a woman and young son on a desolate piece of ranch land. Angie Lowe(Geraldine Page)is raising her son the best she can with her husband estranged. Hondo finds Angie self assured and feeling safe of any Apache uprising. When Lane is later captured by the Chief of the Apaches, the woman tries to save his life by claiming he is her husband, not knowing that Hondo just previously had a run in with her real husband and was forced to kill him. After several Indian attacks, finally Hondo convinces Angie, with son in tow, to leave for a safer place to live. Albeit Lane wrestles with his conscience knowing the truth will have to be told about the woman's dead husband.

Michael Pate plays the Apache chief, Vittorio, convincingly. Rounding out the cast: Ward Bond, Rodolfo Acosta, Paul Fix, Leo Gordon and James Arness in the role of an Army Indian scout. Beautiful scenery and a typical wholesome western.
Nnulam

Nnulam

Army scout Hondo Lane (John Wayne) and his trusty dog Sam protect a woman (Geraldine Page) and her son from Apaches. Good western but not without flaws. Duke is excellent in a particularly talky role. This is one of those types of parts you expect the hero to be the strong, silent type. But Wayne's Hondo is quite talkative. That isn't to say he's not a man of action, because he is. He just talks a lot in between the action. Film debut of Geraldine Page and she was nominated for an Academy Award. I gotta say, I wasn't a big fan of her performance. There's something stiff and unnatural about it. Ward Bond is fun as Wayne's crusty army buddy. Michael Pate is good as the Apache chief Vittorio. It's not one of my favorite Wayne westerns but it's still worth trying out.
Preve

Preve

This is Wayne at his best...short of Ethan Edwards, that is.

Here's what I liked:

  • Duke at the top of his game. His cowboy outfits are really cool and he looks great against the desert landscape. Of course, he's playing the ultra-cool stereotype Western role of "super scout raised by the Indians". Nobody did it better.


  • Historically accurate Victorio character is excellent. Nice reference to the very real General Crook.


  • Little boy character works well. If this kid had got the part, "Shane" might even be watchable (just teasing).


  • Solid supporting cast. Geraldine Page and Ward Bond turn in good performances.


  • No real plot holes, nice themes surrounding honor and the trade off between personal independence and family.


Here's what kept it from being better:

  • Wayne's 45 years old here and looks older. He was already too old to be playing romantic leads. Too bad he didn't get these kinds of quality roles when he was younger. John Ford's fault for keeping him on the shelf until 1939.


  • Geraldine Page is OK in this, but I was expecting much, much more from the actress who gave the best performance I have ever seen by a female in "The Sweet Bird of Youth" ten years later. Don't miss it. You sure won't recognize her if you only know her from "Hondo".


  • There's no real heavy. Victorio is the logical choice, but he is portrayed so positively that he cedes that role to his henchman, Silva, who is poorly developed. Silva's co-heavy is Ed Lowe, Angie's bounder husband, who is even more poorly characterized.


This movie needed a few less fishing scenes with the little boy and more with Ed Lowe, proving what a low down dog he is.

  • Just like in "Fort Apache", they fail to depict the Apache scouts who fought side by side with the calvary against the other Apache renegades. "Geronomio, An American Legend" remains the gold standard in historically accurate portrayal of the Apaches Wars. This isn't bad though.
Kagrel

Kagrel

When Hondo came out, 3-D was at the end of a very short life, so they had to show the film without it.Hondo is one of the best of John Waynes' westerns, and among the film's great qualities I would point: a)the story by Louis L'Amour. b)the performance of Geraldine Page. c)the fine direction of John Farrow. d) the good actors that play the Indians. e) Wayne's dog. f) the spectacular scenes of fights and battles, probably made with special care because they were intended for 3-D. g) and most of all, John Wayne at his prime. I only wish they would show this film today on a movie theater in 3-D. That is how I always wanted to see it.
Fegelv

Fegelv

This 1953 starring John Wayne as (Hono Lane),"She Wore A Yebbon",'49, is truly a great classic about Native Americans and how the early settlers and various Indian tribes struggled to live together and also tried to destroy each other. There is great battle scenes with Indians circling around the pioneer wagons and Hono Lane using tricky battle skills in order to protect the men and woman. There is romance between Hono and Geraldine Page,(Angie Lowe),"The Three Sisters,"'66, who admits she is not an attractive woman and has a young son which Hono grows fond of while showing him how to fish and hunt. Ward Bond,(Buffalo Baker)," Johnny Guitar",'54, gives a great supporting role as Hondo's old friend. James Arness,(Lennie),"Them",'54 makes a brief appearance and seems to dislike Hondo for some killing he had done in the past. There is a sweet dog in the picture who follows Hondo every where he goes, which shows the kind of person Hondo really is in life. A very well produced picture and a great Wayne Classic.