3 Godfathers

I just saw this and it's just great. Fantastic introductory performance by Harry Carey Jr. Pedro Armendáriz is both moving and funny. Of course, Ward Bond and John Wayne are incredibly good as well. It's a story about three flawed men keeping their promises and doing right even in the harshest of circumstances, and the power of that keen sense of duty to challenge and ultimately change them.

As I understand it, this is a remake of a John Ford silent and was dedicated to Harry Carey, who Ford directed in the silent era. It is a really old fashioned story in the best sense. Unlike most westerns of its era or since, the hardship imposed by the harsh conditions of the frontier West are a constant player in the drama. It really reminds me of the kind of stories I used to hear from older relatives when I was a kid. On that background, you have suberb, dramatic color cinematogarphy, effective use of music and some really outstanding actors (headlined by John Wayne at the height of his powers). So what is not to like? Well, I hear that some people think of the plot as corny. Well, heck, if you don't mist up at some obvious religious symbology, then this one is not for you. But, if you don't get misty at that stuff, just what is for you?