Trivia A long-time alcoholic, was ordered by his doctor to abstain from drinking or he would surely die from its effects. Even though he was as stubborn a man as they come, Ford obeyed the physician's orders. Still, the absence of drink caused Ford to treat his cast and crew rougher than usual. The one who usually got the worst treatment, drink or no drink, was, and he got it good on set. Ford even demanded that Wayne also abstain from drink, even though he had no such orders from his physician. Wayne begged producer to get him away from Ford's omnipresent gaze, if only for a brief moment. Rackin obliged and lied to Ford, telling him that Wayne's teeth were beginning to show up yellow on film and that he needed to take both Wayne and to New Orleans to have their teeth cleaned. So the drunken trio spent a roaring night in the Crescent City, returning to a furious Ford who knew through his spies exactly how many bars they had visited. Despite the incident, Ford stayed away from drink until just after the shoot. Union cavalry officer John Wayne leads his men through Confederate Mississippi hoping to reach Baton Rouge. Along the way, he has to deal with Rebel soldiers and spies, as well as clashing with doctor William Holden. While not one of director John Ford's best, this is an interesting movie for a few reasons. First it's a film about the cavalry's role in the Civil War, which is rarely discussed. Second, it takes place largely in Mississippi. Most Civil War movies that take place in the South generally focus on Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, etc. This is one of the few that I can think of to deal with the war in Mississippi. Third, this is John Ford's only Civil War film. He did direct a small segment of How the West Was Won that took place during the war and he certainly had many characters affected by their Civil War experiences in his westerns. But this is the only full movie of his that actually takes place during the war itself. Duke is fine. It's not one of his more memorable roles, though that's more the fault of the script than his performance. William Holden plays an army surgeon Duke is forced to take along with him. In all honesty, Holden's character seems completely tacked-on to the plot. He could've been removed entirely without upsetting the film much. It might have even improved it. Constance Towers is fun as a Southern belle the soldiers have to take with them on their march. You probably don't know the true story of the Horse Soldiers, the first US force to fight in Afghanistan after 9/11, but now '12 Strong' will tell that tale. More news for Horse Soldiers. Jan 20, 2018 In October, 2001, small teams of American soldiers on horseback defeated thousands of Taliban fighters because the soldiers were trained in one critical. At first she seems flighty but soon shows there's more to her. She also has one of the most provocative scenes from any Ford film, where she bends down in front of John Wayne with her cleavage exposed, offering him some chicken and saying 'Would you like a leg or a breast?' She's probably the only standout in the film. It's not one of Ford's best. It's watchable and interesting enough, but also overlong and familiar in tone to other cavalry movies I've seen, despite the change in locale. Obviously Wayne and Ford buffs will want to check it out.
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