"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" was the second leg in John Ford's 'Cavalry trilogy', following "Fort Apache" and preceding "Rio Grande" by one year. Each film starred John Wayne as an aging calvary officer fighting Indian wars, with always entertaining Victor McLaglen in a supporting role. James Warner Bellah was the writer for each film.

John Wayne became Hollywood's biggest box office draw around this time. Although the success of Howard Hawks' "Red River" was partly responsible, most of Wayne's best film roles had come from films directed by John Ford. Westerns made up the majority of these films, as they were almost guaranteed to be profitable, and Wayne's inflexible screen persona was best suited for them. Other Ford-Wayne collaborations of the period include "The Three Godfathers" (1948) and "The Quiet Man" (1952).

The story of "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" has Wayne approaching his day of retiring from the army in 1876. However, Custer has just been killed, and various Indian tribes are united and on the warpath. Wayne has the chivalrous task of leading a troop escorting two women to safety. The young and pretty woman (Joanne Dru) flirts and fights with Lieutenants John Agar and Ben Johnson, while showing proper admiration for Wayne. Dru had romanced Wayne in the classic western "Red River" (1948), released the previous year.

"Ribbon" is best known for its color cinematography by Winton Hoch, which deservedly snagged an Academy Award. Much of the footage takes place in the Utah desert, with picturesque rock and cloud formations. The film has been restored to its former glory.

I can't speak so kindly of the score, which is heavy-handed and blaring. The same can be said of the title song, sung by an ensemble chorus. After the second or third reprise of it, you may hope that she takes the ribbon off.

My favorite scenes involve comic relief McLaglen, especially one where he single-handedly whips eight men between drinks. His presence can certainly light up a movie.

While "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" is a good film, the story and script are too nondescript to merit a higher grade. The soldiers stick to their heroic characters strongly, and somewhat predictably. The tensions between the main characters were much stronger in "Rio Grande". Also, it's difficult to care who Joanne Dru ends up with. (66/100)


Recommended: Yes