The Fugitive (1947)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

John Ford
(more)

Writers:

Graham Greene (novel)
Dudley Nichols (writer)

Release Date:

3 November 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based of the Graham Greene novel about a revolutionary priest in Central America. A priest who is The...

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Religion | Betrayal | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	A Fugitive
Dolores del Rio	...	An Indian Woman
Pedro Armendáriz	...	A Lieutenant of Police (as Pedro Armendariz)
J. Carrol Naish	...	A Police Informer
Leo Carrillo	...	Chief of Police
Ward Bond	...	James Calvert, aka 'El Gringo'
Robert Armstrong	...	Police sergeant
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	...	Man (uncredited)
Mel Ferrer	...	Father Serra (uncredited)
Jack Pennick	...	Man (uncredited)
José Torvay	...	Mexican (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford
Emilio Fernández		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Graham Greene		novel "The Power and The Glory"
Dudley Nichols		writer

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

Original Music by
Richard Hageman

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	....	orchestrator
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

• Argosy Pictures
• Productora Mex. Desconcida

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1948) (France) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

El fugitivo (Mexico)

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) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Argosy Pictures

Trivia:

Mel Ferrer's first film.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Power and the Glory (1961) (TV)

Better than anything out "Butler's Lives of the Saints"

Hmmm, let's see... we've got a movie about a Catholic priest trying to exercise his ministry in a Latin American country whose government has been taken over by an anticlerical revolutionary party,... he administers the sacraments to the devoutly believing people while trying to stay one step ahead of the law, which has hunted down every other priest in the country,... what do you this movie will be like?

In the hands of the crusty but sentimental John Ford, you might expect this movie to be some kind of hagiography, showing the priest as he performs his pastoral labors with fierce courage as well as with patient devotion, and anticipates his fate with Christian resignation. (This would be particularly apt if Pat O'Brien or Spencer Tracy played the priest.) You might also expect the people he serves will be portrayed as simple God-fearing people with stout hearts and no illusions about the true intentions of their political leaders. The government and its agents will be portrayed as cruel and cynical tyrants, ever ready to beat on the simple folk in the name of the greater good.

Fortunately, this is not the movie that Ford made. The actual movie is a good deal more complicated (and much, much better) than that. This is a balanced, intelligent account of a tragic situation born of centuries of misrule and oppression by tyrannical government working, sad to say, hand in glove with the Church that is supposed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Pedro Amendariz in particular gives a great performance as the revolutionary government official, who, whatever his opinions may be, passionately loves his country, and sincerely wants the best for his beleaguered people. Henry Fonda, as the priest, gives at one point a stunning assessment of his motives for what he does which turns any picture of a heroic shepherd on its ear.

This is one of John Ford's lesser known pictures - an unknown masterpiece.