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What makes you think Fort Apache didn't catch on when released and is rarely mentioned in discussions of favorite films of that genre? It was a profitable film when released -- profitable enough that shortly thereafter John Ford directed two more calvary films, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande, creating an informal trilogy.
And Fort Apache is respected enough that it often appears in lists of the top 50 westerns. Among John Ford westerns, it's up there with classics like Stagecoach (1939), My Darling Clementine (1946), The Searchers (1956), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). All of those except My Darling Clementine also starred John Wayne. But Henry Fonda, who starred in My Darling Clementine, also starred alongside Wayne in Fort Apache.
I was wondering the same thing. Who says it isn't admired? Maybe it's such a boilerplate western that it doesn't attract fans of Leone but it's always been a flick with a solid footing in Hollywood westerns.
[At least I thought so, until I saw the OP suggest otherwise!] 😆
Without Fort Apache you don't get Yellow Ribbon or Rio Grande or Horse Soldiers or Long Gray Line.
Great depiction of a old border outpost, if not idealized. Goes through the motions of a lot of the troops and manages to show the softer human side of it all with the (somewhat forced music sections).
On the AFI website, it says that "Fort Apache" was produced at a cost of $2,100,000, and had box office receipts of $445,000. Other sources say it made a profit of $445,000. If that is profit, then the receipts were somewhere under $3,000,000. Apparently it was one of RKOs top earners in 1948.
As for how it is regarded decades later, when was the last time there was mention of it here at r/Westerns where you have quite a gathering of fans of that genre? Being ranked in the Top 10 - or even Top 20 - of Westerns indicates that it is still quite popular. Being somewhere below that in the Top 50 does not indicate that. Especially with Westerns like "Cat Ballou" ranked much higher.
It was mentioned here repeatedly 6 days ago in a thread discussing John Wayne’s best westerns, then again a week before that, repeatedly, in a thread discussing the greatest westerns of all time.
I’m guessing it ranks in the top 5 John Ford westerns for a good number of fans of the genre, alongside The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Stagecoach and My Darling Clementine.
I'm glad to see there has been mention - if not a feature - of "Fort Apache" here at r/Westerns, and that it is still highly regarded by fans of the Western genre. Even as someone not especially big on John Wayne or Henry Fonda, I was - and remain - quite impressed with the film.
This is my favorite western
It’s a family fav!
Absolutely despised Henry Fonda's character.
I think that was the point though. He’s not the bad guy but he’s clearly the antagonist. He’s seeking his former glory and wants his subordinates to know he’s in charge. He serves as the moral opposition to Wayne’s character, but they are both working towards the same objective. I don’t like the character but that’s because I’m not supposed to, I’m supposed to see that he’s reckless and not willing to listen to people that know better. His realization of what he’s done is the catharsis of the whole story. His self-sacrifice when he realizes what he’s done is an atonement of his arrogance, not a redemption.
But that’s just my take on it
Could not have said it better, A+
And that, my good sir, is a great take. Thoughtful, well stated, no wasted words.
Well thank you. I watch movies like my wife reads books, so I can sometimes analyze a bit too much sometimes
Yeah I feel like they tried to give him a redemption but it was a bit lackluster. Not to say the film as a whole isn’t great though
That the redemption fell flat and that this eats at Wayne, is (for me) the core of the whole thing. Fonda is like Custer. But who I feel sorry for are all the guys who died with him.
You do make a good point
That's the point of the film. Captain York correctly sees Colonel Thursday as a prideful ass whose delusions of glory endanger both fellow soldiers and a shaky peace. But York's loyalty to uniform and country bind him to serve beyond the call of duty, even after Thursday's stupid blundering kills many of his friends. It's a mentality that breeds more Thusdays, perhaps, but also is true to the code of service as York understands it.
George Armstrong Custer was the inspiration behind Col. Owen Thursday. The final battle scene is inspired by the Little Bighorn
Yeah, I just hate hating Henry Fonda. That said, I have no problem with One Upon a Time in the West, where he is the bad guy. It's the stupid misguided bad guy disguised as a good guy.
Have you seen him in Warlock? Give it a try.
I'll check it out.
He’s dull and so is the movie
Same here. It makes the film basically unwatchable.
I certainly love the photography.
One of my all time favorites. It’s one of just three westerns on the US Army Officer recommended viewing list, and I happen to think one of the most important. A great story on different types of leadership and a cautionary tale about narcissism, glory chasing, and the dangers of nepotism.
This was also one of my favorites when I was a child and I have absolutely no idea why.
You have a link to this list?
Awesome movie
Henry Fonda's performance in this movie is one of my top performances of all time. Absolutely exceptional. Terrific script writing too.
Pour me some scripture sgt major!, love that line
One of my favorite Officer/NCO interactions on film:
Lt. Col. Thursday: This Lt. O'Rourke - are you by chance related?
RSM Michael O'Rourke: Not by chance, sir, by blood. He's my son.
Lt. Col. Thursday: I see. How did he happen to get into West Point?
RSM Michael O'Rourke: It happened by presidential appointment, sir
Lt. Col. Thursday: Are you a former officer, O'Rourke?
RSM Michael O'Rourke: During the war, I was a major in the 69th New York regiment... The Irish Brigade, sir.
Lt. Col. Thursday: Still, it's been my impression that presidential appointments were restricted to sons of holders of the Medal of Honor.
RSM Michael O'Rourke: That is my impression, too, sir. Will that be all, sir
So good
Loved this movie.
this is on my top 20
I just watched it tonight (5/11/24). I'm always surprised when I here how these movies I LOVED suck
I love this movie. Fonda was great in his role
It portrays the US Calvary as tyrannical- as they really were. The film shows how terrible the American government treated the native people.
Edit
And the Indians win at the end by outmaneuvering the US cavalry in the end. The cavalry gets massacred, justifiably.
So you can see why it was not popular. There was still Jim Crow law at the time to give context of the viewing audience.
To me, Rio Grande is the lesser known of the 3. Yellow Ribbon is the best of the three, I think Duke should've gotten a Oscar nomination for that instead of Iwo Jima. But between the other two, ill pick this film over Rio Grande
Popular enough that that named the 41st precinct in New York after it.
I love the cavalary films. Especially she wore a yellow ribbon.
The film has a basic structural flaw. The Wayne & Agar characters should have been combined into one.