Hondo

1953

Hondo

Critics Consensus

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Hondo Photos

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Movie Info

Hondo is so "perfect" a John Ford western that many people assume it was directed by John Ford--or at the very least, Andrew McLaglen. Actually the director was suspense expert John Farrow, who worked with the "Duke" only twice in his career (the second film was an oddball war drama, The Sea Chase [55]). In Hondo, John Wayne plays a hard-bitten cavalry scout who is humanized by frontierswoman Geraldine Page and her young son (Lee Aaker, star of TV's Rin Tin Tin). Try as he might, Wayne can't convince Page to move off her land in anticipation of an Apache attack. He leaves her ranch, only to be ambushed by desperado Leo Gordon--who happens to be Page's long-absent husband. Having killed Gordon, Hondo returns to the ranch to protect Page from the Indians, and to rekindle the woman's hesitant love for him. The climactic attack sequence is enhanced by Hondo's 3-D photography, one of the few truly effective utilizations of this much-maligned process. Long unavailable thanks to the labyrinthine legal tangles of the John Wayne estate, Hondo was finally released to videotape in the early 1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating:

PG (for western violence)
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Classics, Western
Directed By:

John Farrow
Written By:

Louis L'Amour, James Edward Grant
In Theaters:

Jan 1, 1953 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Oct 11, 2005
Runtime:

83 minutes
Studio:

Batjac Productions Inc.

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Cast

John Wayne
as Hondo Lane

Geraldine Page
as Angie Lowe

Ward Bond
as Buffalo Baker, Army Indian Scout

James Arness
as Lennie, Army Indian Scout

Michael Pate
as Vittoro

Rodopho (Rudy) Acosta
as Silva

Rodolfo Acosta
as Silva

Leo Gordon
as Ed Lowe

Tom Irish
as Lt. McKay

Lee Aaker
as Johnny

Paul Fix
as Major Sherry

Rayford Barnes
as Pete

Lassie the Dog

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Critic Reviews for Hondo

All Critics (7) | Fresh (6) | Rotten (1)

Stands out as one of Wayne's best-remembered features, a smooth Western co-produced by Wayne and shot at the tail end of the '50s 3-D craze. [Blu-ray]

Jun 4, 2012 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews
...an intelligent yet thrilling film, long on talk but with sufficient derring-do to satisfy most fans of the Western genre.

May 19, 2012 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…

John J. Puccio
Movie Metropolis
Directed by John Farrow in 3-D, this Western resembles George Stevens' Shane (released few months earlier), based on the premise that to become a real man every boy needs a father (biological or surrogate); the film marks Geraldine Page's screen debut

Oct 29, 2006 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Aside from the films of Howard Hawks and John Ford, this is arguably John Wayne's best and most beloved Western

Mar 16, 2006 | Full Review…

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
A superb offbeat Western, set in the New Mexico of 1874.

Feb 13, 2001 | Rating: A- | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

View All Critic Reviews (7)

Audience Reviews for Hondo

Aug 25, 2012

A different kind of John Wayne Western, one where the lines between good and evil aren't as simplistic or cartoony. Based on a Louis L'Amour novel and directed by John Farrow (Mia's dad), this is aided by the early 3-D filming process, making for gorgeous viewing, and Geraldine Page's film debut, who brings an earthy charm to the proceedings, and out of the Duke himself.

Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
Oct 29, 2011

Hondo was directed by John Farrow but certainly reminds one of John Ford's films and stars his usual A-list actor John Wayne in a Western film, albeit a little offbeat one. The tone is unique and one that differs and the story is unique and has a lot going for it however. John Wayne gives another solid performance and the film is brisk, running under an hour and a half and is well-paced and has enough action in the latter part of the film to make it entertaining enough. Not the best of Westerns, but one that is unique and solid overall.

Chris B Super Reviewer
Jul 07, 2011

An excellent earlier Wayne western that embraces moral ambiguity, and does so within the context of a confined yet authentic and moving story. Wayne was a fantastic actor, and that is in full display here, where he owns every scene he's in, though that's typical of the Duke. Beautifully shot and well written, check it out.

Jeffrey M Super Reviewer
Aug 15, 2010

less than average western where not alot really happens, all the while with john wayne playing a plain/dull character. i'd advise on giving it a miss!

Sanity Assassin ! Super Reviewer