Anna Lee, Dick Foran, George O'Brien

A colonel is embittered because he''s been assigned to a remote fort after a brilliant war record. His rule-book manners and inability to accept advice of officers experienced with the west and the In...( read more  read more... )dians lead to a tragic massacre for himself and the majority of his command.

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77% liked it

6,689 ratings

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100% liked it

13 critics

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Directed by: John Ford

Release Date: January 1, 1948

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DVD Release Date: August 15, 2006

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Flixster Reviews (227)


  • January 10, 2009
    I know that many consider Red River or The Searchers to be Wayne's greatest cowboy movies, but for me, you can't get better than Fort Apache. It is the first of John Ford and John Wayne's cavalry trilogy and is the best of the lot.

    I think the most interesting thing about the fi...( read more)lm is its rather sympathetic view of the American Indians--they were shown as being decent and 3-dimensional and Wayne repeatedly stressed the importance of our country keeping its word of honor to them as well. In fact, it was very funny seeing Wayne portraying the voice of reason while Henry Fonda was more of a martinet and could have cared less about honor and truth.

    Along the way, these two great actors are supported by old familiars like Victor McLaglen and Ward Bond, as well as Shirley Temple and her then husband, John Agar. Despite criticism leveled towards Agar by the media over the years (and to a lesser extent, to the adult Temple), I think they did just fine in their roles and made a positive contribution to the movie.

    And finally, the action and cinematography is tops. It's hard to imagine a more beautiful black and white film or one where so much care and effort was given to make a great film.
  • November 8, 2008
    One of John Ford's classic tales of the US cavalry, Fort Apache flies in the face of the established stereotypical western and portrays Cochise as an intelligent and honourable man acting for the good of his people. Henry Fonda who we are far more used to playing heroic, sympathe...( read more)tic roles is the cavalry officer ordered to bring him back to the reservation whose arrogance and lack of understanding of or respect for the Apache leads to disaster. For the first half of the film, I thought "Fort Squaredance" would be a far more appropriate name as it is a full hour before an Apache is to be seen. These horse soldiers seem to spend much more time drinking and dancing than riding and fighting! The opening of the film is typical of Ford's dewy eyed romanticism of the old west featuring the usual mix of likable, hard drinking rabble-rousing soldiers, slapstick comedy and naive romanticism set to epic western landscapes. Things get far more interesting as the Indian nation reveals itself and Ford pulls no punches showing the folly of the US government's handling of the situation. John Wayne was always best when working with Ford and this is one of his best roles and Fonda's casting against type works really well. It's a shame the build up is so long winded because when it finally gets going it's brilliant. If you can stomach an hour of old fashioned romantic comedy, the climax is well worth the effort.
  • January 21, 2008
    Henry Fonda squares off against the Duke in this dark take on the cavalry mythos.

    It's interesting that this film flies in the face of Ford's infamous quote "print the legend." While it does embrace that this story became a classic tale of bravery, it reveals that the "hero" be...( read more)hind it was a narcissistic glory hungry fool
  • March 17, 2009
    Another great John Ford Western. Fort Apache tells the story of a bitter colonel who gets assigned to a remote fort after a brilliant war record. Director Ford's portrayal of the actual story shines the light on Colonel Thursday as a glory hunting fool, rather than a heroic war h...( read more)ero. I loved the performances from The Duke and Fonda, who are given able support from an adult Shirley Temple, and then husband John Ager. I also thought the cinematography was first-class, and I enjoyed the authentic dialogue. Fort Apache is a definite must see for all Western fans.
  • July 4, 2008
    Great Ford western with Fonda as a by the book Colonel in the frontier clashing with experienced Indian fighter Wayne. Great performances shot in beautiful black and white with a fantastic ending.
  • November 20, 2009
    Excellent western, and a rare opportunity to see Shirley Temple all grown up.
  • September 17, 2009
    Another very nice and decent Wayne/Ford western.

    77/100
  • August 17, 2009
    I wish I knew what everyone saw in John Ford westerns that I am missing. The film is good, but I see no level of greatness in Fort Apache. The cast is very good and the offbeat casting of Henry Fonda works. The Four Corners area is utilized once again by Ford and that is always a...( read more) plus.
  • July 4, 2009
    Recomendation : Filmcritic
  • June 25, 2009
    a good old-fashioned cowboys (or soldiers, as it were) & indians movie. despite the sub-par writing, Henry Fonda delivers an excellent performance as the glory-starved gentleman colonel with a stick up his butt. Wayne unfortunately provides little more than a stock foil charact...( read more)er, and Shirley Temple should have stayed a child star. some of the incidentals, like the Irish sergeants, provided some welcome comic relief as well as some of the film's sharpest writing. the message John Ford was going for just BARELY passes in this only slightly above-average cavalry western.

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Fort Apache Trivia


  • name that movie with paul newman and edward asner played together on what movie 1981???????  Answer »
  • Name the director of the films Drums Along the Mohawk, Donovan's Reef, Fort Apache, and How the West Was Won.  Answer »
  • Who played Sergeant Stryker in "Sands of Iwo Jima" and Captain York in "Fort Apache" ?  Answer »
  • In 'Fort Apache', we are given the impression that the character Lt. Col. Owen Thursday is a fictional representation of which real person?  Answer »

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