3 Godfathers (1948) [Blu-ray]

The technicolor just pops on this Blu-Ray, and the movie is sweet as well, if a tad too sentimental at times. Not only is the John Ford directed classic here, but you get the somewhat superior 1936 version as well. It's grittier, but is in black and white. The color is so magnificent in this release that I'm inclined to not worry about the sappy ending. It's the first John Ford color western, and Warner Archive has done a beautiful job restoring it. I only wish they had included a couple contemporaneous cartoons to round out this fabulous release.

3 Godfathers John Wayne stars as one of 3 desperados who rob a bank in a small town in Arizona causing them to be chased by the town's sheriff, Ward Bond, and his deputies, over the Arizona open territory. During the chase, the younger desperado, played by Harry Carey, Jr., gets shot in the arm and the water bag draped across John Wayne's horse gets shot open, and all of the water flows out leaving them with only the water in their canteens. The 3 outlaws head over the Arizona desert to the next water hole, but the sheriff and his men are waiting for them because they boarded a train to get there first. The Sheriff anticipates that they will go towards Mexico to get to the next water hole, but John Wayne and the other two head instead across the burning desert sand to the next waterhole going north. As they lose their horses and march thirsty on foot and Carey's arm gets worse, they come upon a wagon with a woman in the last stages of pregnancy. Her husband had abandoned her and the baby. The three desperados help her deliver the boy, but as she lies dying, she makes the 3 promise her that they will be the baby's godfathers and to care for him. This changes the 3 spirtually, as they now give priority to the baby in getting him to safety, alive. The severely injured Carey, opens a Bible found in the covered wagon and tells John Wayne and the other desperado, a Mexican, that this is no coincidence, but is ordained from God, and that this was meant to be. Just like the three wise men in Jesus's time, they are the three to care for the baby. He even points out that they are to go to New Jerusalem on the other side of the desert and while they travel, he points the direction to get there by pointing to a lone star in the sky, which he says is leading them the way there like the Star of Bethlehem led the way to baby Jesus. Walking afoot, the one shot dies, but before doing so, he tells the other two to get the baby to safety. Later, the Mexican desperado breaks his leg, but he refuses to have John Wayne make him a stretcher, and tells John Wayne that he must go on alone for the sake of the baby boy. He shoots himself so he won't be eaten by wild animals. John Wayne, now out of water, and almost out of strength, continues to struggle to walk afoot with the child until he collapses. Just when it looks like there is no hope, he pulls out the Bible, lets the pages turn in the wind, and at a random point, he stops it to the passage where Joseph and Mary would find a colt and a donkey with to take them to Bethlehem. Unbelievably, out of nowhere to be explained, a donkey and a colt shows up just ahead of John Wayne for them to ride upon, with provisions for him and the boy. When the sheriff comes upon the covered wagon, he discovers the dead woman inside as he sister, whom he was expecting to arrive at his home in Arizona. She and her husband were traveling from afar. Thinking the 3 desperados killed her and her husband, he doubles up on the number of deputies, increases their bonuses, and tells them he wants John Wayne and his two outlaw companions shot dead, and not be be brought back alive. He does not know that his sister delivered a baby boy. At this point I will leave it up to the reader to buy, or rent, this DVD to see how the story ends. Does John Wayne actually make it to his destination with the baby boy? Does the sheriff catch up with John Wayne? Does he shoot Wayne or take him back for trial? Does John Wayne get no sentence, or a light sentence, at a trial because of the extraordinary circumstances of him saving the boy? Who gets custody of the boy? This movie is a must collection for John Wayne and western lovers. And this one has strong religious implications as a unique additional feature to this movie.

Enjoyed movie!

John Wayne starred in lots of Westerns, and most were formulaic and were satisfied with Wayne’s sometimes deadpan acting. This one, not so. He starts out as the leader of a trio of outlaws. Set in the desert southwest, it is filmed in the Mojave Desert (not the Monument Valley area, which was director Ford’s favorite haunt later) and has some great desert scenery and cinematography. The characters are varied and interesting. The bad guys do bad and flee; the good guys pursue. Wayne's bad guys run into a situation where they rise to the occasion and become good guys. The plot illustrates the idea that there is good in everyone. The 1950s Christian overtones are appreciated in our era, in which such beliefs are scrubbed not only from the present, but from the frontier past. This Western does the near impossible: it features a funeral with a song, and the song fits into the film easily. Ward Bond plays the lawman on the trail of the trio, and there is even a humorous interlude involving babycare. I generally am not Wayne’s biggest fan, but found this to be original in setting and plot.

Ironic, classical but mainly existential western. Wellman’s Yellow sky (1948) will remember something of its atmosphere. Dedicated to the memory of the great Harry Carey. The tradition continues. You’ll be not disappointed.

nice movie to watch with family

A great example of how very old films can look when properly processed. This rendition is so nice that it is a pleasure to watch even if you don't particularly like the movie.

Love it

I always liked this movie and I was very happy with the quality of the dvd that i recieved.

John Wayne ist ein hervorragender Schauspieler, allein wegen ihm ist der Film schon sehenswert. Interessante Erzählung , nur das Happy End ist für meinen Geschmack etwas kitschig. Aber der Film gehört wohl zu den Filmen der frühen Schaffenszeit.

Una pelicula clasica... fotografia que impresiona, donde todo el mundo es bueno, me gusta pensar que esto es posible.l la imagen muy buena

Not a good John Wayne movie, but the company I got it from was great. Thanks Natalie.

I give this 5 stars but then I admit to being a massive John Wayne fan. An early 1948 film directed by John Ford, it is a simple tale about 3 fugitive bank robbers who whilst hiding out in the Badlands come across a woman who is about to give birth. Obviously she dies during the birth, but before she does, she makes them promise to be the baby's godfathers and to deliver him up to her family. Full of suffering a little comedy and a fair share of pathos for those of us who are fans. For those of you who are not possible a weak story, dated and predictable. So take your choice. For me it's unmissable and a rare find that I have never seen appear in any boxed sets.