3 Godfathers (1948)

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Laurence Stallings (screenplay) and
Frank S. Nugent (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 December 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Tagline:

John Ford's Legend of the Southwest!

Plot:

Three outlaws on the run discover a dying woman and her baby. They swear to bring the infant to safety across the desert...

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Baby | Posse | Outlaw | Birth

Cast

John Wayne	...	Robert Marmaduke Hightower
Pedro Armendáriz	...	Pedro 'Pete' Roca Fuerte (as Pedro Armendariz)
Harry Carey Jr.	...	William Kearney ('The Abilene Kid')
Ward Bond	...	Perley 'Buck' Sweet
Mae Marsh	...	Mrs. Perley Sweet
Mildred Natwick	...	The Mother
Jane Darwell	...	Miss Florie
Guy Kibbee	...	Judge
Dorothy Ford	...	Ruby Latham
Ben Johnson	...	Posse man #1
Charles Halton	...	Oliver Latham
Hank Worden	...	Deputy Curly
Jack Pennick	...	Luke (the conductor)
Fred Libby	...	Deputy
Michael Dugan	...	Posse man #2
Don Summers	...	Posse man #3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gertrude Astor	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
Ruth Clifford	...	Woman in Bar (uncredited)
Jack Curtis	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Francis Ford	...	Drunken Old-Timer at Bar (uncredited)
Richard Hageman	...	Saloon Pianist (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	...	Guard at Mojave Tanks (uncredited)
Eva Novak	...	Townswoman (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Bartender #2 (uncredited)
Amelia Yelda	...	Robert William Pedro Hightower (the Baby) (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits
Laurence Stallings		(screenplay) and
Frank S. Nugent		(screenplay)
Peter B. Kyne		(story)

Produced by
Merian C. Cooper	....	producer (uncredited)
John Ford	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Richard Hageman

Cinematography by
Winton C. Hoch		(as Winton Hoch)

Film Editing by
Jack Murray

Art Direction by
James Basevi

Set Decoration by
Joseph Kish		(as Joe Kish)

Makeup Department
Don L. Cash	....	makeup artist (as Don Cash)
Anna Malin	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Lowell J. Farrell	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward O'Fearna	....	assistant director
Wingate Smith	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jack Colconda	....	properties (as Jack Golconda)

Sound Department
Joseph I. Kane	....	sound
Patrick Kelley	....	sound effects
Frank Moran	....	sound

Special Effects by
Jack Caffee	....	special effects

Stunts
Michael Dugan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bryan 'Slim' Hightower	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ben Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank McGrath	....	stunt double: Pedro Armendariz (uncredited)
Jack Montgomery	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles P. Boyle	....	photography: second unit (as Charles Boyle)
Eddie Fitzgerald	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Harvey Gould	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Tommy Griffin	....	grip (uncredited)
Alexander Kahle	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
D.R.O. Hatswell	....	costume researcher
Michael Meyers	....	wardrobe: men
Ann Peck	....	wardrobe: women

Music Department
Lucien Cailliet	....	conductor
Lucien Cailliet	....	music arranger

Other crew
Merian C. Cooper	....	presenter
Lowell J. Farrell	....	assistant to director (as Lowell Farrell)
John Ford	....	presenter
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Morgan Padelford	....	associate technicolor color director
Sid Davis	....	stand-in: John Wayne (uncredited)
Stan Jones	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Pat Kelly	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Meta Stern	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Argosy Pictures (as Argosy Pictures Corporation)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Screen Classics (1997) (UK) (theatrical)
• Gold Western (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Wonder Multimídia (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Three Godfathers" - UK (imdb display title), USA (alternative spelling)
"Le fils du désert" - Canada (French title), France
"Spuren im Sand" - Austria, West Germany
"Çöl yavrusu" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Flykt genom öknen" - Sweden
"Három keresztapa" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"In nome di Dio" - Italy
"O Céu Mandou Alguém" - Brazil
"Oi treis drapetes" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Os três Padrinhos" - Portugal (literal title)
"Pako yli aavikon" - Finland
"Tre liv for ét" - Denmark
"Tres hijos del diablo" - Argentina
"Tres padrinos" - Spain (imdb display title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | West Germany:12 (f) (original rating) | West Germany:o.Al. (re-rating) | Germany:6 | USA:Approved (certificate #13312) | Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Norway:12 | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1995)

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Argosy Pictures

Trivia:

This is a remake of the silent film The Three Godfathers (1916), which starred Ford's long-time friend Harry Carey. When Carey died in 1947, Ford decided to remake the story in Technicolor and dedicate the film to his memory. Carey's son, Harry Carey Jr., plays one of the three, "The Abilene Kid".

Goofs:

Continuity: In the chase scenes after the bank robbery, the shadows change location repeatedly, indicating the scenes were shot at different times of the day.

Quotes:

Pedro "Pete' Roca Fuerte:[dying] Hey, Bob... I just remembered what tomorrow is. Feliz Navidad.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.13" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Bringing in the Sheaves

Superb

I'm surprised this one doesn't get more accolades. To me it's really one of the best westerns ever made. This is one of those films that proves that the western genre can produce true art. The filming, the performances -- this is one of Wayne's best … it's quite overlooked that this guy could act: The desperation, the confusion, the exhaustion, it's all just amazing.

It's more of a character study than anything else, with the characters facing desperate thirst, an aching empty land, relentless sun, and the movie shows how these men deal with it, all the while they are attempting to care for a child. Something they are ill equipped to do.

There are clear religious elements to the movie, and they make this all the more compelling -- these are not good men, but they have a sense of honor and faith, in their own way. They can't break their word to a dying woman, to care for her child. Their faith in each other is touching.

It's gritty, yet very tender, a strange juxtaposition, like the beauty and cruelty of the desert.

See the movie if you can.