Customer Reviews

3 Godfathers

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Many people know about John Wayne and John Ford's cavalry trilogy, three of the greatest westerns ever made, but another pairing between the two is not as well known. The Three Godfathers is a lesser-known John Wayne classic when he was at the top of his game. Starring Harry Carey Jr. and Pedro Armendariz as the other two godfathers this classic should not be missed. These three outlaws ride into the desert after a bungled robbery only to find a dying woman with a newborn infant. The Duke promises to care for the baby which she names Robert William Pedro Hightower after the three outlaws. They must then make the trek across the desert with very little supplies to get the baby to the next town. Excellent supporting cast with many recognizable faces from other Duke movies, with Ward Bond playing the sheriff who attempts to track down the outlaws. Truly funny scenes as Wayne, Armendariz, and Carey attempt to care for the baby. As usual awesome scenery as is expected in John Ford westerns. This is one classic that has to be put on DVD. A must have for John Wayne fans!

All the positive comments you read here about this film are true.

This classic western stars John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz and Harry Carey Jr, along with a great supporting cast lead by Ward Bond -- the usual John Ford suspects. Ford strikes a balance between action and sentimentality, directing this simple story in a straightforward fashion with a great sense of style. This is Ford's first color film and cinematography by Winton C. Hoch looks really, really rich and with enough sand to make you wish you had some lemonade.

Duke really shines in this film -- just watch those expressions.

Restored to its original pristine 1948 35mm real Technicolor glory, "3 Godfathers" is a natural for the Christmas season. This heartwarming drama is a gritty, tender, timeless classic. A film the whole family can watch.

This sleeper film in the WB/MGM catalog was way, W A Y overdue on DVD in the US. But here it is, most welcomed and highly recommended!

(I've revised my original 2003 review to reflect this title's availability on DVD. Released with zero fanfare, I was first aware of its release when I saw a newspaper ad for it one week before Christmas 2005.)

There are many reasons not to miss this beautiful 1948 film: It's exquisitely directed by John Ford, The cinematography by Winton C. Hoch is remarkable, John Wayne is looking and performing at his absolute best, and my personal reason for owning this video, the wonderful Pedro Armendariz, who is magnificent in it.

It's a sentimental tale of 3 bandidos with hearts of gold, completeing a promise they made to a dying woman to take care of her baby, and it's so well written and lovingly made that it never gets corny. This is good old fashioned entertainment, and entertaining it is, as these heroic good/bad men are chased by the sheriff and his posse across the desert, with a Bible as their map. John Ford made many inspirational films, and this is one of my favorites.

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.

I'm giving this four stars instead of five simply because five stars is reserved for true masterpieces - for films virtually without flaw. This film is flawed, but oh so wonderfully lovable. I won't bother to retell the plot, as others have already done a better job than I can, but I will just say what I love about it.

The performances: Pedro Armendariz & Harry Carey Jr. are wonderful. I think of the scene where Pedro steels his resolve and heads into the tattered covered wagon to help deliver Mildred Natwick's child; his face reveals a wonderful mixture of dread, awe, responsibility, resolve, strength, determination... And John Wayne is at his irascible, lovable best - at turns impatient and scolding, tender and understanding - truly avuncular. He is clearly the leader of the group, and being 6'4" of John Wayne, he commands (and gets!) most of our attention, but never in a way that diminishes the other two men or moves them too far into the background. The relationship between the three characters is wonderfully drawn and complementary; obviously they all had great chemistry together.

The story: The desert is a harsh and unforgiving place, but this film shows that even in the desert you can find redemption. Robert Hightower's soul is in a spiritual desert and it is for this reason that he must be the one to bring the baby to New Jerusalem. He has to find his own redemption and his own peace walking with God, which the other two men already seem to have. I know some may not share in the Christian faith that John Ford obviously had and thus may find the symbolism in this film heavy-handed, but I for one think it lent a great deal of emotional depth. Every soul is longing for something more, and for something greater than itself, and though I know little about Ford as a person, it seems to me that he knew this something more can only be found in Christ. There is so much more I could say about the symbolism in this film - the water, for example, that the men are constantly craving and aching for - think of the Samaritan woman at the well in the Bible and what Jesus tells her (John 4). This is a highly spiritual film!

It is also at times highly comic. The funniest part, and one I could watch over and over again, is when the men are puzzling over what to do with their godson. Just the sight of John Wayne holding the tiny infant in his huge hands is downright sweet and endearing. Then the Kid pulls out Doc Meecham's book of baby advice, advice that prompts JW to say he wouldn't trust a "sick polecat" to the good doctor's care. One of the things the doctor suggests is rubbing the baby down with olive oil or clean lard. Pedro finds some axle grease, and the next thing we see is Wayne's huge hand dipping into the yellow grease and "greazing" the tiny baby's body, a sight that strikes the characters as funny as it strikes us. But it's much better seen than described so I will leave off. Suffice it to say that this is a highly enjoyable film that moves easily between sad & funny moments, and one I will be turning to often.

Here's a movie that shows John Wayne in a slightly different light. We are used to the grizzled veteran, usually 100% in charge, making sure all around him follow his code, whether politically correct or not. In this movie he's a bad guy, who's far from in charge. He not only has the authorities after him, but even John Wayne, as strapping as he is in this movie, has his hands full as he takes on nature itself.

The story has Wayne leading (OK, he gets to lead two other bad guys) a group of bank robbers plying their trade in a small town. They are so inept they practically announce their intentions to the local sheriff. While barely escaping this endeavor (this is not revealing anything, only setting up the main plot), they find their escape routes are either right into the hands of the law, or a murderous desert.

Seems they could have planned this a bit better, but this sets up their vulnerability early. It is on this trek through the desert they run across a dying mother who has just given birth. If one takes the movie too literally, one can wonder where this mother's brains were, but we try to look further and find that we're right around Christmas, we have a baby born in a desert, and we have three definitely Un-Wise Men on a mission. OK, it doesn't exactly fit like you might want, but their trying to make more than a shoot-'em-up, and it does work.

So we see two stories unfolding at this point. One deals with whether the boys are going to survive the elements, much less the pursuing lawmen. Ward Bond is excellent here as the sheriff who does an increasingly slow burn about having to pursue them. And we need to see what's going to happen to the baby.

All of this happens in a beautifully photographed movie. After living in the Midwest all my life, my new home lets me see that there is a harsh beauty to the desert. This is well captured here. Plus, we forget that John Wayne had quite a buff body in his earlier years, but even this is tested to the limits by the end of the film. This is a classic, and a keeper.

"Three Godfathers", John Ford's second version of Peter B. Kyne's oft-filmed story of three outlaws finding redemption, has been hailed by some critics as an unsung Ford masterpiece; while I wouldn't go quite THAT far, it is an exceptional western, with Ford's 'Stock Company', headed by John Wayne, offering warmly sentimental performances.

The film was created as a 'tribute' to legendary actor Harry Carey, who had passed away in 1947, and had been young Ford's mentor, starring in his first version of the tale, "Marked Men", in 1919. This production would introduce Carey's son, Harry Jr., as likable young horse rustler, William Kearney ("They call me 'The Abilene Kid'"). Wayne took on the elder Carey's role ('Bob Hightower' in this version), the more pragmatic, but caring leader of the trio; and Mexican star/Ford regular Pedro Armendáriz completed the band, as sweet-natured, if wild-talking Pedro Roca Fuerte. The three are unrepentant outlaws, arriving in Welcome, Arizona to rob the bank, but it is quickly established that they are not 'bad' men...in fact, there are NO real villains in this film. Their antagonist, Sheriff Perley 'Buck' Sweet (Ward Bond), is introduced while gardening outside his home, and he and Hightower have a quite jovial conversation...until the trio discover what his occupation is!

The bank robbery goes off without a hitch, but young Kearney is wounded during the getaway, and Sweet and his posse (including Ford regulars Hank Worden and Ben Johnson) are soon in pursuit.

To this point in the film, it could be said that this was a fairly standard tale; but the trio's convoluted escape through the Arizona desert leads them to a broken-down wagon at a destroyed waterhole, and a woman (Ford favorite Mildred Natwick), stranded, dying, and about to give birth. Pedro delivers the child, whom she names Robert William Pedro Hightower, entrusting the men, as the child's Godfathers, to take him to safety. She dies, and the three face a responsibility that will change their lives, forever...

Released by MGM (although filmed by Ford and Merian Cooper's Argosy Pictures, which explains why the film lacks the usual MGM 'gloss'), the production was ripe with entertaining 'back stories', the most famous involving barrel cacti, and Ford's legendary stubbornness. When Ford told his production team that the outlaws would survive by siphoning water from a barrel cactus, it was quickly pointed that the plants he selected were the wrong species, and wouldn't work. Ford loudly and colorfully disagreed...and, secretly, the night before shooting, liberally soaked all the cacti with so much water that when the cameras began rolling, the next morning, water flowed freely from the chunks cut out of them!

There is a prophetic moment in the story; Pedro, his leg badly broken, is left with Hightower's pistol, which he uses to kill himself, rather than face a long, painful demise. Less than fifteen years later, Armendáriz, dying of cancer, would kill himself with a gun, rather than face the disease's ravages.

"Three Godfathers" is a western story of redemption, set at Christmas, making it an essential for the holidays. While it can't be called 'top-drawer' John Ford, even an 'average' film by the legendary director is better than 99% of Hollywood's product...and not to be missed!

"3 Godfathers" (1948) has been made so many times it probably earns the titled "18 Godfathers" by now. John Ford made it in 1919 ("Marked Men") from an earlier 1916 film with Harry Carey, directed by Edward LeSaint, a director who made over 100 silent films and as an actor appeared in more than 200 films, mostly westerns. As far as I can tell, the first version was done in 1915 by the great silent film star Bronco Billy Anderson (he's the guy who starred in "The Great Train Robbery" in 1903, considered the first western). It was done again in 1930 as "Hell's Heroes" with Charles Bickford, Raymond Hatton, and Fred Kohler and in 1936 with Chester Morris, Lewis Stone, and Walter Brennan. Following Ford's 1948 version, it was re-made in 1999 ("Three Kings") with George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Ice Cube, and again as a really funny animated movie in 2002 ("Ice Age"). There is even a TV version ("The Godchild") in 1974 with Jack Palance, Jack Warden and Keith Carradine, a TV episode of Walker Texas Ranger (1996) and a Japanese version ("Tokyo Godfathers" in 2003).

The film stars John Wayne, Harry Carey Jr., and Pedro Armendariz as the 3 godfathers.

Wayne (1907-79) was a bankable box office draw at the time, having appeared in such western hits as "Stagecoach" (1939) and "Dark Command" (1940), and several war films - "Flying Tigers" (1942), "They Were Expendable" (1944), "The Fighting Seabees" (1944), and "Back to Bataan" (1945). "3 Godfathers" was his 111th film, and in that same year he would appear in "Fort Apache" (1948) and "Red River" (1948) and this would cement his place as the western icon. The next year he appeared in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949) and was nominated for Best Actor for "Sands of Iwo Jima" (1949).

Director John Ford (1894-1973) and Wayne worked together on 21 films, one of the most prodigious collaborations in film history. This was Ford's 111th film (including 61 silent films). He had already won 3 Oscars - "How Green was My Valley" (1941), "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940), and "The Informer" (1935) - and made such memorable films as "Stagecoach" (1939) and "They Were Expendable" (1944) - both Oscar nominated (but not winners).

Harry Carey Jr. (1921) was the son of Harry Carey, a great silent film western star and one of Ford's longtime friends with whom he did 27 films. The son did 9 films with Ford, including the cavalry trilogy, "Wagon Master" (1950), "The Searchers" (1956) and "Two Rode Together" (1961). Though he specialized in westerns, he also appeared in "Mr. Roberts" (1955) and "The Long Grey Line" (1955). Ford claims to be introducing Harry Carey Jr. in this film, but in fact he'd been in several films before this, including his good performance with John Wayne in "Red River".

The great Pedro Armendariz (1912-63) is the third Godfather. Armendariz appeared in more than 100 films, from 1935 to 1963. Most of his films are Spanish language, but he appeared in dozens of US films, the most memorable of which are "Fort Apache" (1947), "The Littlest Outlaw" (1956), and "From Russia with Love" (1963). He won 2 Silver Ariel awards and was nominated 4 more times.

Pedro Armendariz worked with Wayne on "The Conqueror" (1956), and it is believed that both developed cancer from that shoot with took place about 100 miles from the Nevada test site - 91 of 220 people who worked on the film developed cancer, and most of them died from it. In a parallel to his death in "3 Godfathers" Armendariz killed himself with a gun rather than face the slow death from kidney cancer.

"Rio Grande" includes a few of Ford's stock company regulars, notably Ward Bond, Ben Johnson, Jack Pennick, Mildred Natwick, Mae Marsh, Jane Darwell, Francis Ford, and Hank Worden.

- Ben Johnson (1918-96) was the consummate cowboy. He appeared in nearly 100 films, mostly westerns. In addition to his 9 films with John Ford, Johnson appeared in such classics as "Shane" (1953), "Hang `em High" (1968), "Dillinger" (1973), and "Bite the Bullet" (1975). He was a favorite of Sam Peckinpah who used him in "Major Dundee" (1965), "The Wild Bunch" (1969), "Junior Bonner" (1972), and "The Getaway" (1972). He won the Oscar and a Golden Globe in 1972 for "The Last Picture Show" and a Western Heritage award for "Bite the Bullet" (1975). He appears as a member of the posse.

- Ward Bond (1903-60) was a football player at USC with his life time friend, John Wayne, and together they appeared in nearly a dozen films including "They Were Expendable" (1945), "Fort Apache" (1948), "The Searchers" (1956), "Wings of Eagles" (1957), and "Rio Bravo" (1959). Without Wayne, Bond was also a staple in Ford's stock company and appeared in "Young Mr. Lincoln" (1939), "Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)", "My Darling Clementine" (1946), and "The Grapes of Wrath (1940) among the 25 films they made together. He's probably best remembered for his role as Major Seth Adams on the TV series "Wagon Train" (1957 - 1961), based on the 1950 film "Wagon Master" in which he appeared. Bond was in more Top 100 AFI films (7) than any other actor, and appeared in 11 films that were nominated as Best Picture. He appears as Buck Sweet, the Marshall.

- Mildred Natwick (1905-94) made her film debut in Ford's "The Long Voyage Home" (1940) and followed this with appearances in "3 Godfathers" (1948), "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1948), and "The Quiet Man" (1950). She earned an Oscar nomination for "Barefoot in the Park" (1967) and she won an Emmy for "The Snoop Sisters" (1973). She appears as the mother whose infant is placed in the care of the 3 godfathers.

- Jack Pennick (1895-1964) made more films with John Ford than any other actor (41), mostly as an extra. Among his credited roles he played Amos in "Drums Along the Mohawk" (1939), Doc in "They Were Expendable" (1945), Sgt Schattuck in "Fort Apache" (1948), and the barman in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962). He plays Luke (the conductor) in "3 Godfathers".

- Mae March made 17 films with John Ford. She was a great silent film star ("Birth of a Nation", "Intolerance") who retired but was forced to return to films after the Wall Street crash of 1929. She appears as Mrs. Sweet, the Marshall's wife.

- Jane Darwell (1879-1967) made 7 films with John Ford, and she gave one of the finest screen performances in history and won the Oscar for "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940). She was much in demand and made more than 200 films between 1913 and 1964. She appears as Miss Florie.

- Francis Ford (1881-1953) was John's older brother. He was a writer and a director and also an actor, appearing in several films directed by his younger brother - "The Informer" (1935), "Drums Along the Mohawk" (1939). It was Francis (when he worked at Universal) who introduced John to directing and also introduced him to Harry Carey. "The Quiet Man" was his last film with his brother.

- Hank Worden (1901-92) made 8 films with John Ford and 17 with John Wayne. He was a cowboy turned actor. He's best remembered for his role as `ol Mose in "The Searchers" (1956). He appears as Deputy Curly (an in joke considering his bald scalp).

Some of Ford's other regulars are missing - like Harry Tenbrook who did 26 films (played Squarehead in "They Were Expendable"), Joe Farrell MacDonald who did 25 films (played the barman in "My Darling Clementine"), Willis Bouchey who did 9 films (the newspaper man in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"), John Qualen who did 9 films (played Lars Jorgensen in "The Searchers") and Anna Lee who did 8 films (played the insane Mrs. Malaprop in "Two Rode Together").

Frank Nugent did the screenplay based on the 1913 novel by Peter Kyne. Nugent worked with Ford on several films, and together they won the Oscar for "The Quiet Man" (1952). Nugent won the WGA award as well, and also won it for "Mister Roberts" (1955), and was nominated 2 other times for Ford films ("She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Fort Apache").

The film is shot in Death Valley by Winton Hoch. It's Ford's first Technicolor film, and Hoch, who was originally a chemist, was one of the people who actually developed the Technicolor process. He was the first person to win back-to-back Oscars ("Joan of Arc" in 1948 and "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" in 1949), and won his third one for his work with Ford and Wayne on "The Quiet Man" (1952). They continued to work together until 1956 ("The Searchers").

Richard Hageman did the musical score (and also played the piano in the film). Hageman won the Oscar for "Stagecoach" (1939) and was nominated 4 other times. He worked on several Ford films including "The Long Voyage Home" (1940), "Fort Apache" (1948), "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949) and "Wagon Master" (1950).

Merian Cooper (1893-1973) was the Executive Producer. He was nominated for an Oscar for "The Quiet Man" (1952), one of several films he made with John Wayne (e.g., "The Searchers", "Rio Grande", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", "Fort Apache"). His other notable films include "King Kong" (1933), "The Lost Patrol" (1934), and "Wagon Master" (1950). John Ford called Cooper his favorite producer. Among his other talents, Cooper was a pioneer in stop motion animation, Technicolor, and Cinerama as well as a war hero, an aviation pioneer, and one of the first real life documentary makers.

The film is often billed as a Christmas parable due to the presence of an infant, 3 men, and a destination called New Jerusalem. Wayne also carries a bible. While these common elements are there, it's hardly a parallel. In the bible, the wise men (there are NOT 3 in the gospels) follow a star to reach the infant. In this film, the men are neither wise nor carrying gifts. Instead they carry the infant. In the gospel tale, the authorities (Herod) are looking for the child. In this film, they are after the men. Etc., etc. If this isn't a Christmas re-telling, then what is it? A tale of redemption, one of Ford's favorite themes.

The number 3 was unusual for Ford, He worked best with loners, but often paired them with another figure in order to draw out the contrasts. The single or pair was his forte, and this is one of the few times you'll find more than 2 male characters at the center of a Ford film.

It's also unusual for Ford to feature a non-white among his leading characters. The 1936 version had 3 whites in the lead, but Ford wanted Armendariz as the caretaker (a role shared by Lewis Stone and Walter Brennan). The only other non-white actor to feature prominently in Ford films was Woody Strode ("Man who Shot Liberty Valance" and Sgt Rutledge").

Another departure for Ford is the sparse use of characters. Ford's films are set against cavalry troops, or war platoons, or other masses of people. Most of this film consists of 3 men crossing the desert.

There are all kinds of in jokes throughout the film. Wayne's name is Robert Marmaduke Hightower - Bryan Hightower was Ford's favorite stuntman and the "Duke" was Wayne's nickname (originally the nickname of his great uncle Tommy Morrison). Ward Bond mentions the name "Dobe" which was Harry Carey Jr.'s nickname (because his mother thought his red hair and skin looked like red Adobe soil), and he blows the smoke from his rifle in the same way that Harry Carey Sr. used to do.

If you like this film, you may look at the 1936 version. In this version, Chester Morris (playing the Wayne role) is dying of thirst and must decide to drink poisoned water which will give him the needed energy to reach town before he dies, this saving the life of the baby. Morris sacrifices his life to save the baby, whom he turns over to his former girlfriend in church, and director Richard Bolesawski has Morris lean against a column where a crown of thorns/laurel wreath is hanging, highlighting the sacrifice.

This is a little known movie with lots of heart. A feel good flick that should be in every collection even if you don't like westerns. John Ford's spin on this classic tail is fantastic. My all time John Wayne favorite.

Heads up to all John Wayne/John Ford fans!!
3 GODFATHERS is now available on DVD exclusively in Target Stores (not available online)- just was browsing this week's ad (12/18-12/24/2005) and nearly fell off my chair to see it advertised as a "Target Exclusive" for only $9.99!! What a great holiday surprise! (Target is also exclusive carrier of Gable's MOGAMBO) - Hope the DVD gets wider distribution after the '05 holidays but I know where I'm going tonight with 10 bucks! Hope this was happy holiday news to you all!