TWO RODE TOGETHER

Many people consider John Ford to be the greatest American film director of the twentieth-century.

 I'm not one of them.

Oh, I admit, Ford was certainly capable of greatness but in my opinion, he was an incredibly uneven, inconsistent filmmaker. Some of his films are indeed great, solid, unquestioned American classics such as STAGECOACH (1939), THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940) and THE QUIET MAN (1952). I'm ambivalent about THE SEARCHERS (1956), which many consider Ford's masterpiece but I will confess that I do need to revisit that film with a fresh perspective. However, I wouldn't watch HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (21941), MISTER ROBERTS (1955) or DONOVAN'S REEF (1963) again with someone else's eyes. 

For my money, the best John Ford film I've ever seen is (and always will be) THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERY VALANCE (1962). A brilliantly structured and measured deconstruction of the myth of the American West, VALANCE is not only Ford's finest hour, it's also among the best work ever done by co-stars John Wayne and James Stewart. 

Stewart's appearance in TWO RODE TOGETHER (1961) contributes greatly to the status of this film (which I watched today for the first time) as one of Ford's best. Although the film treads a lot of similar thematic material as THE SEARCHERS, with it's narrative of two men seeking to rescue captured white children from hostile native Americans, it's not as deeply dark as SEARCHERS nor is it played out on such an epic scale. TWO is not without moral ambiguity but overall the film is a more positive take on the idea of rescue from one culture and re-entry into society.  

Stewart is Marshall Guthrie McCabe in Tascosa, Texas in the 1880s. He's not totally corrupt but he is on the take for 10% of all of the business in the small town. He's approached by old friend, Calvary Lieutenant Jim Gary (Richard Widmark) with a mission: ride into a Comanche camp and barter for the release of white children captured years ago.

McCabe agrees to do it but demands a high price for his services. Desperate pioneers, whose children were taken, meet his demands,  and the two ride towards a meeting with Comanche chief Quanah Parker (Henry Brandon), a real figure in Texas history. Two of the captives refuse to leave. Another, a wild young man, is taken by against his will while Elena (Linda Cristal) the wife of warrior chieftain Stone Calf (Woody Strode) has her freedom purchased by six additional rifles for Parker. 

The third act of the film deals with the difficulties these two outsiders encounter while trying to fit back into "civilized" society. The young man (who is revealed to be the lost brother of lovely Marty Purcell(Shirley Jones), meets a violent end while the beautiful Elena finds herself scorned by the men and the women stationed at the military outpost.

Ford populates his supporting cast with many of his regular players including Harry Carey Jr, real-life son-in-law Ken (GUNSMOKE) Curtis, John McIntire, John Qualen, Andy Devine and Woody Strode. 

TWO was the first time Stewart and Ford worked together and although the one-eyed director had a well deserved reputation as a hard to get along with son of a bitch, Stewart and Ford worked well together and made two subsequent films, LIBERTY VALANCE and CHEYENNE AUTUMN (1964). 

The screenplay by Frank Nugent was based on the 1959 novel COMANCHE CAPTIVES by Will Cook and was shot location in and around Alamo Village in Texas by cinematographer Charles Lawton, Jr.. There's one remarkable scene early in the film, an unbroken two shot that runs for five minutes, of Stewart and  Widmark sitting on a log by a river and talking. The scene contains a lot of great character and narrative exposition and seems completely natural and relaxed. However, the camera crew had to endure an entire day in the icy river water in order to get a perfect take of the scene. 

TWO RODE TOGETHER is a first rate western with a ton of talent in front of and behind the camera. It's not Ford's best but it's not far behind. 

Thumbs up.