The finest 3-D film ever made, Hondo, unlike all the other 3-D movies (with the exception of Kiss Me Kate) which preceded it, was made with tremendous care by some of Hollywood's top craftsmen. Their idea was not to use 3-D merely as an exploitation gimmick with spears, lances, arrows and other menacing missiles thrown directly at the audience, but to get beyond the novelty value of the system into involving the audience more directly and excitingly in the story. A strong script with interestingly three-dimensional characters was worked up by James Edward Grant from a short piece by Louis L'Amour. The job then was to find suitable locations and to build sets to enhance suspense, build up atmosphere and increase audience rapport. Suitable terrain was found in Camargo, Mexico. These locations not only had the sweepingly rugged beauty necessary for the script and the further advantage of being previously unseen by most picturegoers, but the requisites for really effective 3-D presentation. The landscape had either to be reasonably flat but slightly undulating (a stream would help) with hills and mountains in the medium distance; or built up on multiple levels that were well-defined but reasonably close, like a series of ridges for example, or a plain with a number of flat foothills. The sets were constructed with painstaking ingenuity to utilize as many jutting angles as possible in an unobtrusive, seemingly realistic way. Rough-hewn fence rails were ideal for this purpose, as were roof posts and the slope of the roof itself, a balancing rod for the well, the corral, and other fairly lengthy, angular props likely to be found on a farm. Even clothing was chosen with both eyes firmly on the camera, - right down to the singularly effective brim on Wayne's hat.With all these "innocently" natural devices to enhance the 3-D effects, it was decided to minimize the number of objects hurled at the audience; not to eliminate this expected novelty altogether, but to confine the stratagem to moments that were dramatically effective. Forsaking his usual directorial style with its fluid camerawork and breathtakingly long takes, director John Farrow has worked on the script to enhance the 3-D effects. To take just one instance, the scene in which Lee Aaker shoots Rodolfo Acosta. Normally, Farrow would handle this sequence with a tracking shot holding Acosta's rapid advance on the boy. But here, to take full advantage of the 3-D potential, the shot is broken up. Knife raised, Acosta menaces a stationary camera. We cut to the boy, vulnerable and diminutive as he stands between two roof posts on the porch, - a superb 3-D shot. The whole film has been meticulously constructed in this same painstaking way. Every camera set-up has a 3-D punch that heightens involvement and dramatically increases tension. It all comes to a vigorously-staged chase-and-pitched battle climax with horses, stuntmen and wagons pounding across and pitching into the desert sands. In danger of being dwarfed or even pushed aside by 3-D, the players subtly make up for their disadvantage by giving performances slightly larger than life. Seen flat, all the acting, with the one exception of Lee Aaker, seems slightly exaggerated, but in 3-D it's exactly right. (Cleverly, Farrow does not have Aaker compete with 3-D, the comparative restraint of his performance increasing his vulnerability and thus heightening tension). The 3-D camerawork is divided between Robert Burks and Archie Stout. No doubt Stout did a great deal of the location work and 2nd unit vistas where the sun and the terrain itself dictated what 3-D effects could be obtained, whilst Burks had the equally difficult job of arranging his lighting not just to flatter the players but all the 3-D props as well! As said, a magnificent job all around, Hondo is absolutely first-class 3-D entertainment.

What I liked most about HONDO is the film's simplicity. It's this simple story set in a big, sprawling and rugged landscape in which the vistas are almost characters in themselves. The story is classically simple, about a woman and her boy trying to survive in a hostile landscape which is constantly under threat of Apache attack. Into this world comes the larger-than-life John Wayne, complete with his lovable dog companion, and he makes everything right again.HONDO is as simple as that and the end result is pure cinema. As a western, this is a great success, full of quality action scenes that build to a wildly impressive climax. Geraldine Page is fine as the put-upon mother and the kid actor isn't annoying for a change, but really this is Wayne's film and he knows it. He has it all here: the drawl, the swagger, and the endless and natural charisma. Ward Bond and James Arness play in support.

Army dispatch rider Hondo Lane (John Wayne) lost his horse to the warring Apaches. He wanders onto the homestead of Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) and her little boy Johnny. Her husband Ed is supposedly up in the hills rounding up strays, but Ed's actually been gone for a long time. She is certain that the Apaches are still friendly to her family. The new Apache Chief Vittorio (Michael Pate) claims the boy as a brave after he courageously defends his mother. He suspects the husband is dead and pushes her to choose a new mate. Meanwhile after leaving Angie, Hondo finds Ed at the fort playing cards having abandoned his family. After several confrontations and with Hondo coming to the rescue, Ed tries to kill him forcing Hondo to kill Ed. When Hondo is captured by the Apaches, Vittorio mistakes him for Angie's husband and Angie pretends that he's her husband. Now Hondo must keep secrets from both Angie and Vittorio.It's an old fashion John Wayne western. John Wayne is the John Wayniest of John Waynes. According to the trivia, John Wayne joked "I'll be damned if I'm not the stuff men are made of!" I don't know the truth of that trivia but it sounds very true. On the other hand, I didn't care much for Angie and Hondo together. Her character swings wildly with Hondo. It doesn't put her character in good stead. Sometimes she's played as a joke. The romance doesn't work that well. As usual for the era, Michel Pate is playing brown-faced. It's a very traditional old western. The most fascinating character is actually Vittorio but he doesn't get that much screen time. There are lots of action, some stunts, and some attempted 3-D. It's old fashion popcorn fun but just not very compelling drama.

Army scout Hondo Lane (John Wayne) and his trusty dog Sam protect a woman (Geraldine Page) and her son from Apaches. Good western but not without flaws. Duke is excellent in a particularly talky role. This is one of those types of parts you expect the hero to be the strong, silent type. But Wayne's Hondo is quite talkative. That isn't to say he's not a man of action, because he is. He just talks a lot in between the action. Film debut of Geraldine Page and she was nominated for an Academy Award. I gotta say, I wasn't a big fan of her performance. There's something stiff and unnatural about it. Ward Bond is fun as Wayne's crusty army buddy. Michael Pate is good as the Apache chief Vittorio. It's not one of my favorite Wayne westerns but it's still worth trying out.