The Horse Soldiers [1960]
£29.99
Good story and plenty of action - Yet again the Ford/Wayne team deliver the goods. Loosely based on a factual action during the U.S. civil war, Wayne leads his union troops deep into the conferacy, the supply depot and railway infrastructure at Newton station is the target. The first part of the film is fairly slow moving, emphasis placed on Wayne s dislike of surgeon Kendall (William Holden) who has been added to his command, and the needless introduction of a female lead (Constance Towers), nice on the eye, but surplus to requirements, as the plot here has the troop constantly on the move.The real action starts at about the hour mark with the battle and ransacking at Newton station, followed by the events of the journey back to the union lines. Plenty of fighting (gun and hand) from here onwards, plus moments either humorous or poignant, always building up to the closing battle enroute to Baton Rouge.Most of the usual suspects are there in support, and the ending has a twist regarding the Wayne/Holden situation.
not wayne and fords best but still excellent - The previous reviewer is being very unfair to this film.(sure its not as good as the searchers or the cavalry trilogy)but how many westerns are?. the film is based on a true event fom the spring of 1863 when a unit of union cavalry was sent behind confederate lines to destroy a vital rail depot.wayne and holdens characters clash along the way while constance towers overhears the plan so has to be taken captive.the film is very enjoyable for western buffs,and how about fords cheyenne autumn starring richard widmark finally coming out on region 2 dvd?.
John Wayne and William Holden saddle up for this fact-based All-Action Horse Ride! - THE HORSE SOLDIERS (1959) directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne this is their penultimate Western together, sandwiched neatly between the vastly superior THE SEARCHERS (1956) and THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962). Nevertheless this is fine film, which returns once again to Ford s beloved US Cavalry that was depicted so wonderfully in the so-called Cavalry Trilogy some ten or so years earlier.This American Civil War story is based on a true successful incident in 1863 known as Grierson s Raid. General Ulysses S. Grant sent a brigade of Union Cavalry under Colonel Benjamin Grierson though enemy-held territory from southern Tennessee through Mississippi to Louisiana to the union-held city of Baton Rouge. The purpose was to destroy enemy rail infrastructure so creating a diversion from the Union s main attack on Vicksburg. Ford has taken some poetic licence with the story but is pretty even-handed in his story telling of a period in American history that set North against South and brother against brother, that resulted in the loss of over 620,000 men.Ford s version is taken from a novel The Horse Soldiers by Harold Sinclair and has a former railroad builder Colonel John Marlowe (John Wayne) leading his mini-brigade through enemy territory to attack the Confederate held Newton Station, along the way at Greenbriar he picks up southern belle Hannah Hunter (Constance Towers) who has overheard details of the forthcoming raid also frustrating his efforts is his new Regimental Surgeon Major Henry Kendall (William Holden). Other contentions are his second in command Colonel Philip Secord (Willis Bouchey) is more interested in securing an election victory than a military one. The rest of the cast is made up of many of Ford s regulars including Ken Curtis, Hank Worden and former cowboy star Hoot Gibson. This may not be John Ford at his very best, but the film does contain some excellent sequences in the directors best manner including: The horse soldiers on the skyline, The aftermath at Newton Station, The young cadets advancing on the Union troops, The charge over the bridge at the end and last but not least the scene where Towers is serving supper to Wayne and his men at Greenbriers, she asked an embarrassed Wayne What is your preference leg or breast? during which time Ford gives us a daring (for the 1950 s) view of Miss Towers cleavage! The filming on location in Louisiana came to an unsatisfactory conclusion when one of Ford s regular stuntman Fred Kennedy was killed whilst falling from his horse during the final battle scenes at the bridge. Ford was very upset and lost interest in the film, so they packed up and went home. Later additional footage was shot back in The San Fernando Valley, California to complete the film! Transfer to DVD is just about okay, included are the original theatrical release trailer with interactive menu screens and chapter selections. All Ford / Wayne Westerns are worthy of treatment to the highest standard available in Restoration and Presentation. Still pretty good value for money though!
One of the Dukes WORST films - It may sound hard to believe but this film starring the superb John Wayne and William Holden, directed by the legendary John Ford is SO boring and despite my being a big fan of all involved turned out to be one of the most boring films Ive ever seen. The characters were badly written and you never really got to learn anything about them, the direction was flat and as for the female lead....well she was atrocious. The saving grace was a few brief scenes towards the end when an army of young cadets join the war, which was quite moving but apart from that its not a film Id care to sit through again.Also, the picture quality is very grainy and obviously not in its original viewing format as the credits at the start are displayed with letters missing on both sides making you wonder how much effort has been put into this release.....
The best ACW cavalry film ever shot... by miles... - As a democrat (whatever that means nowadays) I tend to respect other people s opinions... but how this film can be rated 1 star eludes me completely.John Ford manipulates the true story of Grierson s raid (used as a diversion and to cut supplies bound for the besieged Vicksburg by Grant) to do a fresco of the American Civil War, every opportunity is used by the director (one of the best ever) to give you a fantastic series of perspectives of the war...Cavalry (from both sides) a pet subject of Ford (see cavalry trilogy).Southern belles... probably a condescension to Hollywood...MedicineSlaveryThe NorthThe SouthWhy the largely agricultural south lost the war in the end to the industrial north.Trains.Telegraph.Supplies.Deserters.Casualties.Even the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Cadets (not specially mentioned) who played a prominent part in the battle of New Market, are praised, as a metaphor of the south shortage of manpower... but courage of the young...Uniforms.Militia.Union Officers appointed by political influence. Excellent secondaries cast (as usual...or taken for granted in Ford s films).An excellent and stirring soundtrack (why not released in CD I will never know).Now, does this make a BORING FILM?... sorry I firmly believe IT IS NOT!It has remained one of my favorite war films ever (even if with age one tends to see the futility of war).So, FORD, WAYNE, HOLDEN, TOWERS and the rest of the habitual Ford players are there and do a magnificent job, helped by an excellent script which in a way is a precursor of much more modern ROAD MOVIES.THERE YOU HAVE IT IN A NUTSHELL A GREAT FILM!ADB