Film Review: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

A dedicated but world-weary professional having to face his greatest challenge days or weeks before retirement is a Hollywood trope popular in action films or police thrillers. Long time ago it was popular in the westerns, and one of the most notable examples is provided by protagonist of She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, 1949 film directed by John Ford. After forty years of service, US Army Captain Nathan Brittles (played by John Wayne) is about to retire and leave Fort Starke, small outpost in US Southwest where he had served as cavalry officer. However, it is Summer of 1876 and the news about Custer’s catastrophic defeat at Little Big Horn have reached many of Indian tribes whose hotheaded young braves decide to leave reservations, band together and start holy war that would chase white people from their ancient lands. Brittles is ordered by Major Mack Allshard (played by George O’Brien), his friend and commanding officer, to escort his wife Abby (played by Mildred Natwick) and beautiful niece Olivia Dandrige (played by Joanne Dru) to the more secure area. The mission might get complicated, because flirty Olivia has deliberately wearing yellow ribbon as a sign that fancies one of the men in Brittles’ unit, creating a romantic rivalry between Lieutenant Cohill (played by John Agar) and Lieutenant Pennell (played by Harry Carrey Jr.).

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon represents the second part of Ford’s “Cavalry trilogy” which started with Fort Apache a year before and ended with Rio Grande a year later. It also represents the first of Ford’s westerns made in colour, which, with the help of cinematographer Winton C. Hoch, one of the developers of Technicolor technology, makes it one of the more visually appealing among Ford’s films. Ford has again used his favourite locations of Monument Valley, creating memorable images, accompanied by likeable score by Richard Hageman that uses motives of popular 19th Century music, including eponymous title song.

The most attractive and the most valuable element of She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is, however, John Wayne. Although he had worked with Wayne before, it was his brilliant performance in Hawks’ Red River one year earlier that had convinced Ford that he could actually act in complex and more demanding roles. In this film Wayne plays character at least decade or two older than himself, faced with conflicting emotions that come with the realisation that he would have abandon something he has dedicated his entire life. Wayne is great in handling his hotheaded subordinates, making important decisions and conducting in last-ditch diplomacy that is to prevent uneccessary bloodshed. Wayne has many years later stated that he considered role of Captain Brittle one among the top in his impressive filmography and it is difficult not to agree with that assessment.

Wayne’s achievement is even greater in light that the plot of She Wore a Yellow Ribbon actually isn’t anything to write home about. Wayne is surrounded by some fine acting talent that includes veteran character actor Victor McLaglen in the role of hard-drinking Sergeant Quincannon and young Ben Johnson as Sergeant Tyree who appears to be Brittle’s natural heir. Ford directs film with ease, but the plot seems weak and there is even relatively little action for western standards. One scene in the middle, on the other hand, features scene of torture that looks quite graphic and unpleasant for standards of 1940s Hollywood. Some of today’s audience might be appalled with paternalistic attitudes towards Native Americans, especially in the scene during which elderly Chief John Big Tree in the role of Arapaho leaders meets with Wayne’s character. Ford and his scriptwriters, to their credit, manage to stray out of western cliches but ending the film on a peaceful note. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon might have been a proper classic if it ended with protagonist literally riding in the sunset, but Ford instead opted to prolong the film with unneceessary deus ex machina development that looks a little bit too Hollywood. Despite this and other shortcomings and despite not being among Ford’s best works, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon deserves recommendation as good example of western made in the golden age of the genre.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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