3 Godfathers
| 3 Godfathers | |
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 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | John Ford |
| Produced by | Merian C. Cooper |
| Screenplay by | Laurence Stallings Frank S. Nugent |
| Story by | Peter B. Kyne novelette same name |
| Starring | John Wayne Harry Carey Jr. Pedro Armendáriz |
| Music by | Richard Hageman |
| Cinematography | Winton Hoch |
| Editing by | Jack Murray |
| Distributed by | MGM |
| Release date(s) |
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| Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
3 Godfathers is a 1948 American Western film directed by John Ford and filmed (although not set) primarily in Death Valley, California. The screenplay, written by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings, is based on the novelette of the same name written by Peter B. Kyne. Ford had already adapted the film once before in 1919 as Marked Men. The original silent adaptation by Ford is thought to be lost today. The story is something of a re-telling of the story of The Three Wise Men in an American western context.[1] Ford decided to remake the story in Technicolor and dedicate the film to the memory of long-time friend Harry Carey who starred in the 1919 film Marked Men. Carey's son, Harry Carey Jr., plays one of the three, "The Abilene Kid" in this 1948 film.[2]
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Plot[edit]
Cattle rustlers Robert Hightower (John Wayne), Pedro 'Pete' Rocafuerte (Pedro Armendáriz), and William Kearney (Harry Carey, Jr.) rob a bank in the town of Welcome, Arizona, but Kearney suffers a bullet wound and they have to flee into the desert, pursued by the posse of Sheriff Buck Sweet (Ward Bond), who puts a bullet in their water bag. They eventually lose their horses in a desert storm and end up walking. In their search for water, they come across a water hole, which has, however, been destroyed by the misguided efforts of a bumbling tenderfoot. In his covered wagon left nearby lies his wife (actually the niece of Sheriff Sweet), who is very pregnant and about to give birth. With the help of the trio, she has a boy, whom she names Robert William Pedro after her benefactors. Before dying, she extracts a promise from the baby's three godfathers that they will take care of him. Moved by the woman's plight, the three desperados uphold their promise despite the acute lack of water.
With William wounded from the robbery and the sheriff's posse in pursuit, they leave with the baby for the town of New Jerusalem, which lies across a wide expand of desert. After crossing a salt flat, William dies from exhaustion and the effects of his injury; later, Pete falls and breaks his leg. Robert leaves him his pistol, for "protection from coyotes." As he walks away, he hears a single gunshot.
Finally at the end of his strength, Robert nearly loses hope, but in his delirium the ghosts of his two friends appear and refuse to let him give up. He finally reaches New Jerusalem and enters a cantina where people are singing Christmas carols, and then collapses right after Buck catches up with him. Robert is arrested, but because of his heroism and refusal to give up custody of his godson in favor of the Sweets (whom he has now befriended), he is viewed by the townspeople as a hero even before the trial comes to its conclusion. In the end, Robert is sentenced to the minimum sentence of a year and a day and, as he leaves to serve his sentence with a promise to return, is given a cordial farewell by the entire town.
Cast[edit]
- John Wayne as Robert Marmaduke Hightower
- Harry Carey Jr. as William Kearney "The Abilene Kid"
- Pedro Armendáriz as Pedro "Pete" Fuerte
- Mildred Natwick as Dying Mother
- Ward Bond as Perley "Buck" Sweet
- Mae Marsh as Mrs. Sweet
- Jane Darwell as Miss Florie
- Guy Kibbee as Judge
- Hank Worden as Deputy Curley
- Dorothy Ford as Ruby Latham
- Ben Johnson as Posse Man #1
- Charles Halton as Oliver Latham
- Jack Pennick as Luke
- Fred Libby as Deputy
- Michael Dugan as Posse Man #2
- Francis Ford as Drunken Old-Timer at Bar
- Richard Hageman as Saloon Pianist
- Gertrude Astor as Townswoman
- Ruth Clifford as Woman in Bar
- Jack Curtis as Bartender
- Harry Tenbrook as Bartender #2
- Eva Novak as Townswoman
- Amelia Yelda as Robert William Pedro Hightower (the Baby Boy)
Points of interest[edit]
This film was dedicated to John Ford's friend and early star, Harry Carey, whose son Harry Carey Jr. played one of the title roles. Tokyo Godfathers is partly based on this film.
It is believed that Pedro Armendariz dubbed his own voice into French for 3 Godfathers considering that he spoke French well enough to appear in the film Lucrèce Borgia as the leading man and in at least one other French film. However, none of the French voice actors are credited.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Higham, Charles; Greenberg, Joel (1968). Hollywood in the Forties. London: A. Zwemmer Limited. p. 112.
- ^ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/93092/3-Godfathers/trivia.html
External links[edit]
- 3 Godfathers at the Internet Movie Database
- 3 Godfathers at AllRovi
- 3 Godfathers at the TCM Movie Database
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