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Fort Apache

Play trailer Poster for Fort Apache 1948 2h 7m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
When arrogant and stubborn Civil War hero Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) arrives in Arizona with his daughter, Philadelphia (Shirley Temple), to assume command of the Fort Apache outpost, he clashes with level-headed Captain Kirby York (John Wayne). Viewing the local Native Americans through an ignorantly negative lens, Thursday is determined to engage them in battle for his own glory, despite the warnings of York -- an act of folly that will have dire consequences.
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Fort Apache

Critics Reviews

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Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Nov 20, 2017
The nonlinear narrative, with its infinite digressions and asides, is designed less to tell a story than to present a world-a world dense in physical detail and fraught with moral challenges. Go to Full Review Keith Phipps AV Club Nov 20, 2017
A
[Balances] a respect for classic American frontier virtues with a less generous assessment of how those virtues were applied. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety Sep 2, 2008
Cast is as tremendous as the scope achieved by Ford's direction. Go to Full Review Jacoba Atlas Los Angeles Free Press Nov 19, 2019
A particularly effective vehicle for Ford's vision of the world's conflicts. Go to Full Review Tony Sloman Radio Times Nov 20, 2017
5/5
One of the highlights of American cinema. Go to Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid Feb 24, 2012
It's an odd film, consisting more of sidetracks than of an actual story, but it showed a new restlessness in Ford. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Chris B @Papa13070 Jun 2, 2026 From John Ford comes a truly great western, and serves as a highlight for American cinema. Ford's direction is superb, his realisation of the life of the calvary is satisfyingly-rendered, and the story he tells is finely crafted. The script is intelligent and thought-provoking, and the scenery and cinematography are magnificent. The acting is absolutely wonderful too, Henry Fonda is especially outstanding in a difficult role and John Wayne gives one of his finest, more delicate performances(The Shootist also comes to mind) in this film too. The score is rich and somewhat grandiose, further adding to the elegiac tone of the film and superbly might I add. Overall, just a great western(one of the best of its genre actually) and a great film in general. See more John S @RT07700383 Mar 19, 2026 Great cast, great filming in Monument Valley, superb acting. One of Ford's very best. See more Neil P @RT30842889 Nov 29, 2025 Part of the classic Ford trilogy classic and its definitely a classic. John Wayne and Henry Fonda butt heads in a fort whilst dealing with Apaches. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Oct 13, 2025 Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Isaiah Y @zayman2 Aug 19, 2025 Classic John Ford western featuring great performances by Henry Fonda and John Wayne See more Alec B @Alec97 Feb 20, 2024 Much more complex than you might assume at first glance (the ending is a less obvious riff on the "print the legend vs. tell the truth" theme Ford would return to years later) and it has a constant and oppressive feeling of melancholy that robs any of the "heroics" on display here of the usual triumph you get from most other cavalry westerns. See more Read all reviews
Fort Apache

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Cast & Crew

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John Ford

Director

John Wayne

Capt. Kirby York

Henry Fonda

Lt. Col. Owen Thursday

Shirley Temple

Philadelphia Thursday

Pedro Armendáriz

Sgt. Beaufort (as Pedro Armendariz)

John Agar

2nd Lt. Michael Shannon O'Rouke

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Fort Apache

Fort Apache (1948) Fort Apache (1948) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When arrogant and stubborn Civil War hero Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) arrives in Arizona with his daughter, Philadelphia (Shirley Temple), to assume command of the Fort Apache outpost, he clashes with level-headed Captain Kirby York (John Wayne). Viewing the local Native Americans through an ignorantly negative lens, Thursday is determined to engage them in battle for his own glory, despite the warnings of York -- an act of folly that will have dire consequences.
Director
John Ford
Screenwriter
James Warner Bellah, Frank S. Nugent
Distributor
Universal Studios Inc., Turner Home Video, RKO Radio Pictures, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Image Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
Argosy Pictures
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 9, 1948, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Runtime
2h 7m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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