‘Flawless’ Western with good score streaming at no cost on BBC now | Films | Entertainment | EUROtoday

The Western basic ‘Fort Apache’, that includes Hollywood legends Henry Fonda and John Wayne, has garnered a flawless score from viewers and is now obtainable on BBC iPlayer.

Released in 1948, ‘Fort Apache’ chronicles the journey of obstinate Civil War hero Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) and his daughter Philadelphia (Shirley Temple) as they settle in Arizona.

The Colonel’s new task at Fort Apache outpost is fraught with rigidity as he butts heads with pragmatic Captain Kirby York (John Wayne), amidst conflicts with native Native Americans.

This movie marks the start of director John Ford’s esteemed ‘Cavalry Trilogy’, adopted by ‘She Wore a Yellow Ribbon’ in 1949 and ‘Rio Grande’ in 1950.

Boasting a stellar forged, ‘Fort Apache’ additionally served because the cinematic debut for John Agar within the position of Lt. Michael Shannon O’Rourke.

On Rotten Tomatoes, this two-hour Western epic holds an impeccable rating of 100%, backed by a plethora of five-star evaluations.

One fan wrote: “A fine and tautly written saga that’s effective on so many levels, depicting hubris, frailty, sacrifice, bravery, and human complexity.”, stories the Mirror.

“Henry Fonda is a particular standout and it’s surprising that he didn’t receive Academy recognition for his staunchly egocentric and totally believable performance.”

Another added: “Much more complex than you might assume at first glance (the ending is a less obvious riff on the “print the legend vs. inform the reality” theme Ford would return to years later) and it has a constant and oppressive feeling of melancholy that robs any of the “heroics” on display here of the usual triumph you get from most other cavalry westerns.

“Just about pretty much as good as a western can get. Fonda is magnificent in his portrayal of the strait laced, Owen Thursday as an archetype Victorian.

“Obsessed with rank and social class. The film explores the mores of military life and the mythology of the west. The use of Native Americans provides an authenticity. And the battle scenes are epic. A film that merits repeated viewings,” a 3rd viewer wrote.

A fourth stated: “I love fort apache so much. It is definitely in my top 10 favorite movies of all time. And It is definitely one of John wayne’s best films. Henry Fonda, Shirley temple, Ward bond and John agar were also good in it. It is a masterpiece of a western.

“The first of the “Cavalry” trilogy is a superb movie with masterful course by John Ford and excellent performances by John Wayne and Henry Fonda,” a fifth fan noted.

Another viewer added: “Part of the basic Ford trilogy basic and its positively a basic. John Wayne and Henry Fonda butt heads in a fort while coping with Apaches.”

Fort Apache is now obtainable on BBC iPlayer.