Hondo (1953)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

John Farrow

Writers:

Louis L'Amour (short story "The Gift of Cochise")
James Edward Grant (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 November 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

...They called him 'HONDO'

Plot:

Army despatch rider Hondo Lane discovers a woman and her son living in the midst of warring Apaches, and he becomes their protector.

Plot Keywords:

Apache | Cavalry | Swimming | Torture | 1870s

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

John Wayne	...	Hondo Lane
Geraldine Page	...	Angie Lowe
Ward Bond	...	Buffalo Baker
Michael Pate	...	Vittorio - Chiricahua Apache Chief
James Arness	...	Lennie - Army Indian Scout
Rodolfo Acosta	...	Silva
Leo Gordon	...	Ed Lowe
Tom Irish	...	Lieutenant McKay
Lee Aaker	...	Johnny Lowe
Paul Fix	...	Major Sherry
Rayford Barnes	...	Pete - Card Player in Saloon

Also Known As:

They Called Him Hondo (USA) (pre-release title)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Athapascan languages

Colour:

Colour (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | Australia:M | West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16575) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico

Company:

Wayne-Fellows Productions

Trivia:

In the "Married with Children" (1987) episode "Assault and Batteries," Al Bundy says that Hondo is his favorite movie of all time, and he spends the entire episode trying to watch it in peace.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final battle scene at the end of the movie, the wagon being driven by Buffalo Baker has one of its lead horses go down. John Wayne cuts the animal loose and the wagon takes off with three horses pulling it. In the final scene of the movie, after the battle has concluded, the wagon rides off with a full compliment of four horses.

Quotes:

Hondo Lane: Destarti. You remind me of her some.
Angie Lowe: Of an Indian girl? Was she fair?
Hondo Lane: Her hair was black as ten feet down. Did you ever see a crow's wing, how black and gleaming it is?
Angie Lowe: Yes.
Hondo Lane: That's the way her hair shined. I'd like to pay you for that rope. Ridin' dispatch, I have the right to give you a script.
Angie Lowe: You loved her?
Hondo Lane: I don't know. I needed her.
Angie Lowe: But if she was dark and I'm fair...
Hondo Lane: Why you reminded me of her?
Angie Lowe: Yes
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Married with Children: Assault and Batteries (#8.24)" (1994)

No fouls to Lane

I finally saw Hondo today courtesy of TCM. It starts like Shane and is a solid film yet doesn't really measure up to say Red River or The Searchers.There was no strong villain or supporting character for Duke to really play off. Bond didn't do much. Just looked overweight and in need of a shave. True he was Buffalo Baker. Arness didn't fill the screen, certainly left no Gunsmoke.

Was this the first time the Duke played a half breed? I don't recall another film where he had Apache blood. Interesting that the Louis Lamour character was I assume left that way.

I'll certainly see it again but I was expecting more, Pilgrim.