I think I'm right in saying that nobody in the history of cinema made more westerns than John Ford .
His first was in 1917 and his last in 1963 . By the time he made Wagon Master he knew exactly what audiences wanted and he himself said this was one of his favourite films.
Two young drifters guide a Mormon wagon train to the San Juan Valley and encounter cutthroats, Indians, geography, and moral challenges on the journey.
The first thing that surprised me about this film is that it's nearly a musical. There is a really nice score and the main characters sing a few times along the way , all be it , the same song .
It's a pretty gentle western .
Sure , there are deaths but it's handled as you would expect from a film made in 1950.
Ben Johnson is the lead and looks and plays the part well and the love interest is played by the gorgeous Joanne Dru .
I have to admit if I was Travis , I would have let the Mormons find their own way as they were so pompous and rude but I guess a cowboy , or in this case a horse rustler , had to make money somehow.
One side note . You have to wonder how many horses were injured or killed making this film because they are quite obviously put in real distressing situations and are not happy at all.
His first was in 1917 and his last in 1963 . By the time he made Wagon Master he knew exactly what audiences wanted and he himself said this was one of his favourite films.
Two young drifters guide a Mormon wagon train to the San Juan Valley and encounter cutthroats, Indians, geography, and moral challenges on the journey.
The first thing that surprised me about this film is that it's nearly a musical. There is a really nice score and the main characters sing a few times along the way , all be it , the same song .
It's a pretty gentle western .
Sure , there are deaths but it's handled as you would expect from a film made in 1950.
Ben Johnson is the lead and looks and plays the part well and the love interest is played by the gorgeous Joanne Dru .
I have to admit if I was Travis , I would have let the Mormons find their own way as they were so pompous and rude but I guess a cowboy , or in this case a horse rustler , had to make money somehow.
One side note . You have to wonder how many horses were injured or killed making this film because they are quite obviously put in real distressing situations and are not happy at all.