
As Mormon settlers head to the promised land at the San Juan river in Utah, they hire horse traders Travis Blue and Sandy as wagon masters. They have to forge a trail across unknown territory and face many hardships along the way. They quickly come across some stranded travelers, a medicine show run by Dr. A. Locksley Hall which includes the attractive Denver. Along the way however, they are also joined by Shiloh Clegg and his murderous clan of robbers and thieves. An encount... (Full plot summary below)
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As Mormon settlers head to the promised land at the San Juan river in Utah, they hire horse traders Travis Blue and Sandy as wagon masters. They have to forge a trail across unknown territory and face many hardships along the way. They quickly come across some stranded travelers, a medicine show run by Dr. A. Locksley Hall which includes the attractive Denver. Along the way however, they are also joined by Shiloh Clegg and his murderous clan of robbers and thieves. An encounter with the Navajo leads to an invitation to their camp but after one of the Clegg boys gets a whipping for attacking one of the Navajo women, Uncle Shiloh plans his revenge. It's left to Sandy and Travis to protect the travelers and get them to their destination.
Leave your thoughts about Wagon Master.
| Filmcritic.comPaul Brennerone of Ford's masterworks, a sublime, crisp, unpretentious western that doesn't wear its mythos on its sleeve |
| DVD BeaverJonathan RosenbaumThis may be the closest Ford ever got to making a musical. |
| Ozus' World Movie ReviewsDennis SchwartzIt's one of the most likable of all the Westerns directed by John Ford. |
| Seanax.comSean AxmakerIt's as gentle and warm a film as [John Ford] ever made and it follows a classic Ford theme: the creation of a community in the west... |
| User ReviewGregory SFord said something along the lines of this being the purest simplest western he ever made. That just about covers while not his best western 'purest' is a nice way of putting because it's certainly cinema at it's almost purest, since it has no conventional plot line and no specific main character it's the essence of cinema in that it's many characters interacting with each other and their environment in the same frame and no parlor tricks. |
| User ReviewOrlok WOne of Ford's most underrated and under-seen films. A masterpiece. |
| User ReviewDavey MSometimes you just need a Western - imagining yourself being Ben Johnson for a couple hours. Simple and good. |
| User ReviewAshley HMasterful and underrated film from John Ford. It's not that well known but it's as brilliant as his best work. The sympathetic portrait of Mormons headed West is intriguing. |
| User ReviewWard GFord said something along the lines of this being the purest simplest western he ever made. That just about covers while not his best western 'purest' is a nice way of putting because it's certainly cinema at it's almost purest, since it has no conventional plot line and no specific main character it's the essence of cinema in that it's many characters interacting with each other and their environment in the same frame and no parlor tricks. |
| User ReviewBen SJohn Ford's "Wagon Master" is a lyrical, light-hearted film with typically fine cinematography, a fun musical score and solid performances from the eclectic cast. |