The Fugitive (1947)

Director:

John Ford
(more)

Writers:

Dudley Nichols (screenplay)
Graham Greene (novel)

Release Date:

3 November 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

Anti--Catholic and anti-cleric policies in the Mexican state of Tabasco lead the revolutionary government to persecute the state's last remaining priest.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Fugitive | Police | Mexican | Indian

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	A Fugitive
Dolores del Rio	...	An Indian Woman (as Dolores Del Rio)
Pedro Armendáriz	...	A Lieutenant of Police (as Pedro Armendariz)
J. Carrol Naish	...	A Police Informer
Leo Carrillo	...	A Chief of Police
Ward Bond	...	El Gringo
Robert Armstrong	...	A Sergeant of Police
John Qualen	...	A Refugee Doctor
Fortunio Bonanova	...	The Governor's Cousin
Chris-Pin Martin	...	An Organ-Grinder (as Cris-Pin Martin)
Miguel Inclán	...	A Hostage (as Miguel Inclan)
Fernando Fernández	...	A Singer (as Fernando Fernandez)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rodolfo Acosta	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Mel Ferrer	...	Father Serra (uncredited)
Jack Pennick	...	Man (uncredited)
José Torvay	...	Mexican (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford
Emilio Fernández		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Dudley Nichols		(screenplay)
Graham Greene		(novel "The Labyrinthine Ways" also published as "The Power and The Glory")

Produced by
Emilio Fernández	....	associate producer (as Emilio Fernandez)
Merian C. Cooper	....	producer (uncredited)
John Ford	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Richard Hageman		(musical score)

Cinematography by
Gabriel Figueroa

Film Editing by
Jack Murray

Art Direction by
Alfred Ybarra

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jesse Hibbs	....	assistant director
Zacarías Gómez Urquiza	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Manuel Parra	....	properties

Sound Department
José B. Carles	....	sound (as Jose B. Carles)
Galdino R. Samperio	....	sound (as Galdino Samperio)

Music Department
Lucien Cailliet	....	orchestration
Richard Hageman	....	musical director

Other crew
Merian C. Cooper	....	presenter
Mel Ferrer	....	directorial assistant (as Melchor Ferrer)
John Ford	....	presenter
Jack Pennick	....	executive assistant

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (as An R K O Radio Picture)
• Argosy Pictures (as An Argosy Pictures Production)
• Productora Mex. Desconcida (uncredited)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1948) (France) (theatrical)
• M.P.E.A. (1949) (Austria) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Turner Home Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2012) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  DVD package design
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  DVD package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Mexico | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Portugal:M/12 | West Germany:12 (f) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | UK:PG (tv rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1998) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Mel Ferrer's first film.

Quotes:

A Fugitive:I have a question, Lieutenant. When did you lose your faith?
A Lieutenant of Police:When I found a better one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Columbo: How to Dial a Murder (#7.4)" (1978)

Soundtrack:

Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie

Uncannily Dark Tale of Danger and Intrigue of Living in a Country ruled by Atheistic,Elitist, Cold, Heartless,Paternalistic,Totalitarian Slave Master Government! (Hopeful End)

RKO RADIO Pictures presents An ARGOSY PICTURES/PRODUCTA MEX DESCONCIDA Production, THE FUGITIVE, Directed by John Ford, Written by Dudley Nichols, Based on the Novel "The Power and the Glory" by Graham Greene. Produced by John Ford, Merrion C. Cooper & Emilio Fernandez. Starring Henry Fonda, Dolores Del Rio and Pedro Armendariz. With: J. Carroll Nash, Leo Carillo, Ward Bond, Robert Armstrong, John Qualen, Fortunio Bonanova, Chris-Pin Martin, Miguel Indclan, Fernando Fernandez, Rodolfo Acosta, Mel Ferrer, Jack Pennick, Jose Torvay.

It's always a great experience to "find" a hereto for unknown film, that is a title that we know very little about, if even of it's existence. Somehow or other we had never come across it, then suddenly, SHAZAM!, it's there! Such a film is this John Ford production of THE FUGITIVE.

It happened about a year or two ago. There was a full blown outbreak of Insomnia in our household. This had to be on the overnight time between Fri-Sat or Sat-Sun. During those two late night periods, our ABC TV Affiliate shows old movies under the banner of Late Night Movie and Insomniac Theatre. The vast majority of films have been in their library since about ca. 1958.

The bulk are from 1930's to the early 1950's RKO RADIO Pictures output. They had been released to the Television market as a huge package deal. And they were assembled under the umbrella title of "Movietime USA". (A lot of stations must still be exhibiting these films, which usually have "Movietime USA Presents" title cards replacing the RKO Radio Pictures traditional opening with the Trade Mark broadcasting Radio Tower.)

Well, this movie came on and made us glad that we couldn't sleep. From its very beginning, the beautiful B&W Cinematography of some of the most beautiful locations, just grabs you in keeps you interest, piquing it all the while that its story is unfolded. And the scenario is not an original, made for screen play, being an adaptation of the Graham Greene novel, "The Power and the Glory".

In the novel, the locale is described as a mythical Latin American country. But, Mr. Greene, without being explicit, leaves no doubt that the real location is in Mexico. And the screen version follows the lead, and makes it everything that is Mexican, but without a name.

The tense, ever tense story starts out with a unit of Mounted Police, entering a village of mostly peasants, in search of an outlawed Catholic Priest, believed to be in the area. This is set in a time when the Church was designated as an illegal, outlawed organization and was persecuted mercilessly. The commanding Police Lieutennant(Pedro Armendariz), seems particularly driven, even to the point of being fanatically determined to capture and see each and every Priest in his State* executed by the firing squad.

The story, as one may expect, portrays the degradation and hardships that the unnamed Padre (Mr. Fonda) endures in order to evade capture, imprisonment and a certain terminal rendezvous with the firing squad. And everywhere, complications enter the picture; a treacherous stool pigeon (J. Carroll Nash), a desperate, but beautiful Indian Lady (Dolores Del Rio), a Yankee Desperado/un Ladrone Yanquis(Ward Bond) all get wrapped up in complicating the safety of the Priest.

But, danger is part of the job, reasons the Priest, who returns to the scene of his "Crimes", in order to serve his congregation. The story begs the question to the Priest and, indeed to all of us; would we do the "right thing", if we were put into such a position.

Truly, THE FUGITIVE presents us with a John Ford Film of the greatest magnitude. It has none of the humor of the human race as portrayed in THE QUIET MAN, RIO GRANDE, THE LAST HURRAH or even THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE. But it does give us a full view of Humanity from a most serious perspective, much in the manner of his 1935 Oscar winning THE INFORMER.

It indeed is a one of a kind movie. We can not think of any movie to which this could be categorized or classified. The power of the scenes, the rapidity of scene shifting and the power of the acting all keep our interest beginning to end. As a matter of fact, the great scenes are so animated and unsubtly done, with such greater than life, even operatic style as to render it a candidate for a silent version. Just watch it and see super-animated scene after scene.

And much like Mr. Charles Chaplin, Pappy Ford renders his tale even more universal by designated titles, rather than names. Other than James Calvert, aka 'el Gringo'(Ward Bond) and Father Sierra (Jose Ferrer), there are no names. And this, Schultz, qualifies this as being described as being "Chaplinesque."

The film ends up by, at first, seemingly in tragedy; but there is a sudden about face with a hopeful (if not exactly totally happy) ending.

This is a great example of Film being made with love, care, purpose and a Spiritual Wish for a brighter future for all.

NOTE * The term of State is used here as in our United States of America; for in our own Western Hemisphere, we have 2 other countries' that use this "State" as we do. In South America we have The United States of Brazil and just below our Southern Border, we have The United States of Mexico. Honestly!