Hondo

I have to agree with an earlier review that the direction is a little spotty. The screen sometimes blacks out between scenes which gives the impression that the film is about to go into a commericial break! However, the action scenes are fantastic especially the Duke's barroom brawl, the blood-right duel, and the thrilling chase from the Apaches. The ending, though, is cliched with the settlers circling their wagons and the Apaches obligingly riding around them just begging to be shot. Overall, this is a very entertaining, and fast-paced western.


Let's hope for a DVD   January 21, 2001
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

Hondo desparately needs a new transfer to DVD, but this is an often overlooked important part of the Western genre. When I first saw it in 1953 I was impressed by the story, the qualities of the Hondo and Indian characters. There's plenty of conflict, but what's most interesting is the change that takes place among the characters, accomplished by James Edward Grant's script. I hated to see Lane's dog die and I named my first dog after him. Page is a refreshing change from the ingenues of that period, who tended to be more good looking than the times and environment would suggest. Of course it's a West that never was, but all movies suffer from that error. The real West was mostly dull, difficult and dirty. But L'Amour's stories tend to be more about character than action, and Hondo is no exception. Finally, this movie marks a subtle but important milestone for Wayne. His subsequent movies were much more about complex and flawed characters than his prior work. This movie marks his first move in that direction and that alone makes it an important acquisition for collectors.