Starring: John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate, James Arness Directed By: John Farrow Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Format: Collector's Edition, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Special Edition, NTSC Label: Paramount Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: October 11, 2005 Running Time: 83 minutes Theatrical Release Date: November 27, 1953
Description: Based on the Louis L'Amour story "The Gift of Cochise," this sparkling western has Wayne as a half-Indian Cavalry scout who, with his feral dog companion, finds a young woman and her son living on a isolated ranch in unfriendly Apache country. A poetic and exciting script, outstanding performances, and breathtaking scenery make this an indisputable classic. Page's debut.
Amazon.com: Although scarcely seen in its original 3-D, and entirely out of sight for a decade and a half after its producer-star died, Hondo has maintained a high rep among John Wayne fans--and it wasn't even directed by Howard Hawks or John Ford. (Actually, Ford did shoot some second-unit stuff while visiting Wayne on location.) Half-breed Hondo, companioned only by an antisocial dog, tends to be more sympathetic toward the Apaches than toward the white society he occasionally scouts for. He falls into uneasy friendship with a New Mexico farmwoman (Geraldine Page) whose husband deserts her for long stretches, and whose son (Lee Aaker) is blood brother to the local Apache chieftain. A good, spare frontier tale--Louis L'Amour via James Edward (Angel and the Badman) Grant--in which danger and solace come in unexpected ways. John Farrow, who did direct, brings it in at a lean 84 minutes. Page was Oscar®-nominated for this first film role. --Richard T. Jameson
HONDO This is one of many John Wayne films I worked on as a stuntman. It was fun working with him and he will always be the essence of American to the bone. This is truly a great film, directed by John Farrow. Lots of action and Indian raids make it a spectacular event.
Hondo (Full Screen) For 1953 Hondo was a brutal portrayal of the West. Hondo was based on a Louis L'Amour novel, in fact, it was the first novel that L'Amour had published & was also his first property to be transformed to the silver screen. The film was directed by John Farrow (father of Mia) & shot in Mexico. The screenplay was written by James Edward Grant, Wayne's favorite screenwriter.
Hondo is a Western much in the classic vein but with an added realism that was unusual for 1953. In the opening scene we see Hondo (John Wayne) walking toward the camera, rifle in one hand, scabbard & saddlebags in the other hand. Near him is the dog, Sam, basically a wild dog who is in the company of Hondo. He happens on a ranch that has only Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) & her son Johnny (Lee Aker). Hondo is a scout for the cavalry & is returning to to report on the state of the Apaches who are preparing for war. Hondo stays around the ranch for a short period fixing up things for her. It's obvious to Hondo that Mrs. Lowe's husband hasn't been around for a long time. She continually lies about her husband but Hondo, straigt forward & honest, tells her she's lying. Later, Hondo meets Ed Lowe (Leo Gordon) & they take an immediate disliking to one another. Later Hondo kills Lowe in self-defense. This complicates things because Hondo & Mrs. Lowe end up falling in love.
All of this is set against the backdrop of an Apache uprising & the Lowe ranch is in the middle of it. She has been on peaceful terms with them but Hondo warns her it's time for her & her son to leave. She chooses to stay. The Apache chief Vittorio (Michael Pate) is a significant role in the movie. He befriends Johnny renaming him Small Warrior. Vittorio wants Mrs. Lowe to pick one of the Apache warriors for a husband so that Johnny can be taught the Apache way. The movie features Ward Bond as Buffalo Baker, a scout like Hondo. James Arness has a small role as Lennie, another scout whom Hondo doesn't like. It all leads to the inevitable cowboy & Indian showdown.
Some of this was shot in 3D but it's a very minuscule part. The movie has an introduction by Leonard Maltin who also appears in the rest of the special features. There's a feature entitled The Making of Hondo that features interviews with Michael Pate, Lee Aaker & western historian Frank Thompson. This feature reveals that the final parts filmed of Hondo were actually directed by John Ford. There's a feature on the writer James Edward Grant. There is an interview with Michael Wayne that reveals material from the vaults of Batjac, Wayne's production company. There are a couple of other features that makes this a great value.
Hondo John Wayne is the best there is and always will be! A true american icon!
Louie L'Amour and John Wayne - two icons make a fine film This was one of Louie L'Amour's best stories and one of John Wayne's best films, probably his best in the decade following WWII. The screenplay closely parallels the novel, with much of the movie dialogue identical. Great Westerns like Hondo, Shane, and Lonesome Dove seem to trust the novelist. Because the medias are different, a movie may delete great swaths of narrative, but the good ones seem to stick to the plotline and characterization.
Because the screenplay creatively follows the novel, Hondo is more complex and subtle than many Westerns. As in the book, the movie portrays the Apache culture with an understanding that was rare in the middle of the last century. The Special Features and commentary are informative and entertaining.
This is a great story, with a great cast at the top of their form. You should definitely have Hondo in your film library. The Shut Mouth Society The Shopkeeper
The best written Wayne Western This gorgeous little movie is one of the few Wayne ever did where the story stays true to the Western genre and doesn't insult your intelligence at the same time. (seeBig Jake for an example of the opposite.) What makes this better is the complexity of the character and the sympathy with which the Apache are portrayed-that was a rarity back then. There is also a wholly enjoyable relationship between Hondo and 'his' dog that culminates in one of the most shocking scenes ever in a western.
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