Cheyenne Autumn
Directed by John Ford
Written by James R. Webb, suggested by “Cheyenne Autumn” by Mari Sandoz
1964/USA
Warner Bros./Ford-Smith Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Little Wolf: We are asked to remember much. The white man remembers nothing.[/box]
This beautiful movie represents the peak of John Ford’s later career.
It is 1878. The Cheyenne Indians have been unhappily settled in a desert reservation (here Monument Valley – historically Oklahoma), far away from their Montana Homeland. The Cheyenne are assisted by Quakers and overseen by the U.S. Army. Capt. Thomas Archer (Richard Widmark) is in love with Quaker Deborah Wright (Carroll Baker) despite the differences in some of their beliefs. He is sympathetic to the plight of the Cheyenne but committed to do his duty as well.
The Cheyenne, lead by Little Wolf (Ricardo Montalban) and Dull Knife (Gilbert Rowland), make the fateful decision to make the 1,500 journey back to their ancestral home. Deborah decides to accompany them.
The long march turns into a kind of hell of starvation and fights with the pursuing calvary headed by Capt. Wright. The nadir of the journey is the virtual imprisonment of the Cheyenne in the dead of winter at Fort Robinson. With James Stewart as Wyatt Earp, dArthur Kennedy as Doc Holliday Edward G. Robinson as the Secretary of the Interior, and Karl Malden as Capt. Wessels, commander of Fort Robinson.
The mood is elegaic and the scenery is magnificent. Richard Widmark gives a good performance in the kind of role John Wayne usually had. I liked this very much. Recommended.
Cheyenne Autumn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Color.
