Two Rode Together (1961)

A corrupt marshal is pressured by his army friend into negotiating the release of white captives of the Comanches, but finds that their reintegration into society has its consequences.

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Frank S. Nugent (screenplay) (as Frank Nugent), Will Cook (novel)

Stars:

James Stewart, Richard Widmark, Shirley Jones

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Stewart	...	Marshal Guthrie McCabe
Richard Widmark	...	First Lt. Jim Gary
Shirley Jones	...	Marty Purcell
Linda Cristal	...	Elena de la Madriaga
Andy Devine	...	Sgt. Darius P. Posey
John McIntire	...	Maj. Frazer
Paul Birch	...	Judge Edward Purcell
Willis Bouchey	...	Mr. Harry J. Wringle
Henry Brandon	...	Chief Quanah Parker
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Ortho Clegg
Olive Carey	...	Mrs. Abby Frazer
Ken Curtis	...	Greeley Clegg
Chet Douglas	...	Deputy Ward Corby
Annelle Hayes	...	Belle Aragon
David Kent	...	Running Wolf

Storyline

The US Army is under pressure from the desperate relatives of white prisoners of the Comanches to secure their rescue. A cynical and corrupt marshal, Guthrie McCabe, is persuaded by an army lieutenant to assist in the negotiations with the Comanches; however, just two captives are released, and their reintegration into white society proves highly problematic.

---

Plot Keywords:

prisoner | captive | convict | perpetrator | cynic | 

---

Taglines:

TOGETHER...THEY RODE INTO A THOUSAND DANGERS! (original print ad - all caps)

---

Genres:

Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 July 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Misión de dos valientes

Filming Locations:

Rio Bavispe, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,John Ford Productions,Shpetner Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastman Color)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The dialog in the scene where James Stewart and Richard Widmark sit by the river was largely improvised.

---

Goofs

When the Indian boy is cut loose by the woman who thinks he is her boy, she uses a scissors. Later, a man says she cut him loose with a knife and the boy stabbed her in the heart with it.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[Jesus gives Marshal Guthrie a beer]
Marshal Guthrie McCabe: Thank you, Jesus.
Jesus: Senor, the widow Gomez has delivered a son this morning - a boy.
Marshal Guthrie McCabe: Bully for the widow Gomez!
Jesus: But senor, it has been more than a year ago since Senor Antonio Gomez has been buried in the church house.
Marshal Guthrie McCabe: Well, there are some men you just can't trust to stay where you put 'em.

---

Connections

Referenced in Stonewall Uprising (2010)

---

Soundtracks

Buffalo Gals
(uncredited)
Written by William Cool White
Sung by the men trying to get Marty to go to the dance

User Reviews

Stewart and Widmark ride together

I saw this film first in 1961 at the Riviera Theatre in Rochester, New York with my cousins and I loved it. I found out later that John Ford in his cantankerous dotage dismissed all of the work he did after Wings of Eagles as junk.

Well second rate John Ford is far better than first rate from 90% of directors. The film hasn't lost any charm for me even after 44 years.

Army Lieutenant Richard Widmark takes a patrol into Tascosa to fetch Marshal James Stewart back to the fort where Commandant John McIntire has an assignment for Stewart. It's to negotiate with Comanche Chief Quannah Parker for the return of white captives taken during the Indian wars. The rest of the film is what happens to both our leads during that mission and after.

To watch the chemistry between Stewart and Widmark is something to behold. There is a scene at the beginning of the film during the ride back to the fort where Stewart and Widmark sit on the bank of a stream while the horses are being watered. Ford has them engage in some bantering dialog where the characters are established. In the hands of these two consummate professional actors, the scene almost takes on a sublime quality. It's my favorite scene in the film.

As usual Ford rounds out his cast with a lot of his stock company. I have to single out Willis Bouchey. He plays Henry J. Wringle in this film who is along on this trip very reluctantly. He has the second best scene in the film with Stewart as he makes Stewart an offer that he'll pay him a thousand dollars to bring back any white captive around the age of his wife's son by her first husband. This is so he can get back to his business. Stewart's reactions to this offer are also something to behold. Willis Bouchey did so well in so many of Ford's later films, but here and in The Horse Soldiers I think his career peaked.

Second rate Ford is still good enough for me.