Two tough westerners bring home a group of settlers who have spent years as Comanche hostages.
Acting
Stewart's cynical, hollowed-out performance is career-peak.
Direction
Ford dismantles his own mythology with visible contempt.
Writing
The Frank Nugent script bites harder than most Ford.
Director
John Ford
James Stewart
Marshal Guthrie McCabe
Richard Widmark
First Lt. Jim Gary
Shirley Jones
Marty Purcell
Linda Cristal
Elena de la Madriaga
Andy Devine
Sgt. Darius P. Posey
John McIntire
Major Frazer
Paul Birch
Judge Edward Purcell
Willis Bouchey
Mr. Harry J. Wringle
Henry Brandon
Chief Quanah Parker
Harry Carey, Jr.
Ortho Clegg
Olive Carey
Mrs. Abby Frazer
Ken Curtis
Greeley Clegg
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ford called it 'the worst piece of junk I ever made' and only took it to fulfill a contract with Columbia.
Released the same year as The Searchers, this is Ford's cynical counterpoint—where rescue fails and society is the real villain.
US
