Hondo is one of John Wayne’s best Westerns in the 1950s, an exception, since it was not directed by maestros John Ford or Howard Hawks.
Grade: B (***1/2 out of *****)
Wayne plays the eponymous hero, Hondo Lane, a former gunfighter who is now a dispatch rider for the U.S. Cavalry. Upon meeting Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) and her son Johnny (Lee Aaker), Hondo learns that her husband had deserted them in the wake of an Apache uprising.
The plot of the movie, directed by John Farrow (actress Mia Farrow’s father), resembles that of George Stevens’ Shane, which was released several months earlier, albeit to greater critical acclaim.
Both Westerns are based on the premise that every boy needs a “sociological” father–a mature mentoring authority figure–to instruct them on how to become real men. Though in this picture, Johnny draws a gun when the Indians first invade while Hondo is absent.
Hondo helps Mrs. Lowe restore the ranch and becomes a role model for her son, Johnny, teaching him, among many things, how to swim by simplyn throwing him into the water.
Hondo starts up as Johnny’s sociological father and ends up as his legal parent, after killing his birth father, though he is unaware of his nemesis real identity at the time.
At the end, as in many Westerns, Hondo leaves with his new family to start a new life in California.
The supporting cast includes Wayne’s regulars Ward Bond and James Arness.
Wayne’s production company Batjac purchased the rights to Louis L’Amour’s short story, “The Gift of Cochise,” in 1952. Wayne’s friend and frequent collaborator, James Edward Grant, wrote the adaptation, which expanded the original story with new characters and a cavalry subplot. L’Amour wrote the novelization of the film, which became a bestseller after the film’s release.
The film was shot in the Mexican desert state of Chihuahua in 3-D, which added excitement to the fight scenes and depth to the chases. Unfortunately, it was mostly released in flat versions.
As a novelty, which in this picture meant shooting flaming arrows at the audience, this element soon became overly familiar, not to speak of the expense involved.
John Ford Uncredited
When the shoot went over schedule, and Farrow had to leave in order to direct another movie. The final scenes featuring the Apache attack on the wagons of the Army and settlers were shot by John Ford, whom Wayne had asked to finish the film; Ford was uncredited.
Intertextuality:
Footage from Hondo was later inserted into the opening sequence of Wayne’s very last film, The Shootist, in 1976, in order to illustrate the backstory of his character.
The two characters’ names from Hondo (“Lane” and “Mrs. Lowe”) reappear in Wayne’s 1973 western The Train Robbers; Ann-Margret’s femme is Mrs. Lowe.
My Oscar Book:
Oscar Alert
Oscar nominations: 2
Motion Picture Story: Louis L’Amour
Supporting Actress: Geraldine Page
Oscar Scandal
Two days after the nomination, noted writer L’Amour informed the Academy that his story had first been published in Collier’s magazine on July 5, 1952, under the title “The Gift,” thus rendering it ineligible. The nomination was withdrawn, through the winner, Ian McLellan Hunter, for “Roman Holiday,” was no other than blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo.
Actor Alert: Geraldine Page
Based on her theatrical credentials, Hondo became Geraldine Page’s big Hollywood entree, bringing her the first (supporting) of eight Oscar nominations. The winner, however, was Donna Reed for From Here to Eternity, which swept most of the 1953 Oscars. Though blacklisted for several years, Page would become a major player nominated for seven additional Oscar, finally winning the Best Actress Oscar in 1985, for The Trip to Bountiful.
Cast
John Wayne as Hondo Lane
Geraldine Page as Angie Lowe
Ward Bond as Buffalo Baker
Michael Pate as Vittorio
James Arness as Lennie
Rodolfo Acosta as Silva
Leo Gordon as Ed Lowe
Tom Irish as Lieutenant McKay
Lee Aaker as Johnny Lowe
Paul Fix as Major Sherry
Rayford Barnes as Pete
Frank McGrath as Lowe’s Partner
Morry Ogden as Horse Rider in the Opening Scene
Chuck Roberson as Kloori, Apache Warrior
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1953 Italian film poster
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Credits:
Directed by John Farrow
John Ford (uncredited, final scenes only)
Screenplay by James Edward Grant, based on “The Gift of Cochise” 1952 story in Collier’s by Louis L’Amour
Produced by Robert M. Fellows
Cinematography: Robert Burks; Louis Clyde Stoumen; Archie J. Stout
Edited by Ralph Dawson
Music by Hugo W. Friedhofer; Emil Newman
Production: Wayne-Fellows Productions
Distributed by Warner
Release date: November 27, 1953
Running time: 84 minutes
Budget $3,000,000
Box office $4,100,000
