Good concept, poorly executed.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

FORT APACHE is a film about realistic and beautiful desert landscapes, the Indians, the American cavalry, dust, stubbornness, passion, revenge, ignorance and romance in trace. Those who love to watch this movie as part of the history and traditions will definitely enjoy. I'm quite keen sets. A little less'm thrilled aspects of US - Native American wars. The story is moderate and there are no extremes. It's good. "White man" in relation to the Apache is moved in a negative way, but it does not cause the film a lot of damage. Where a man can take a passion for the rule and ignorance of war circumstances or customs!? This is an exciting western or subgenre war drama that mainly describes the life of a stubborn and uncompromising Colonel. The battle at the end of the film is the culmination of misunderstanding of human relations.It is interesting to see how a grumpy person can bring tension and despair at the seemingly harmonious environment. It is expected totally just the opposite personality. In this case it is the captain. In this respect is based all psychology of the film.Director Ford again afford viewers some striking scenes. From the training of new recruits to battle or rather massacre. Simply hell in the desert through which they penetrate the horse's hooves, gunfire and war cries.Acting is so ... solid.Henry Fonda as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday is quite good as the moody, stubborn, fierce, and I would add ignorant colonel. Gallantry is what Henry Fonda in this character brought to the very end. John Wayne as Capt. Kirby York as usual dominant. Although this film is not in the foreground until the very end. The captain was honest and brave character.A chilling, scenery is really impressive and I'm happy for mild feelings of sympathy with the Apaches.

Henry Fonda plays a Custeresque lieutenant colonel who forces a conflict with the Apaches, against the warnings of cavalry captain John Wayne. The first of Ford and Wayne's cavalry trilogy. Many would argue it's the best. Beautiful location scenery that's wonderfully photographed. Ford's direction is brilliant, as it almost always was during this decade. Backing up Fonda and Wayne, who are both superb, is a fine stable of character actors, many of whom are Ford regulars. Also, John Agar in one of his best roles as well as a young adult Shirley Temple doing fine in her limited part. Slow-going for awhile but never dull. Fort Apache is an excellent, thought-provoking film that is definitely a feather in the cap for director Ford and his two stars.

Having loved the Ford/Wayne collaboration The Searchers and in general become more positive towards "classic movies" since I last saw Fort Apache, I was hoping it would have something of a renaissance now, but no, it's still pretty lame. It's not downright bad, just very…not interesting in any way. The barren Arizonan landscapes are cool when they don't look too much like a set, although the colorization I watched looked slightly cheap. Henry Fonda is pretty good as the overzealous colonel, determined to gain glory despite having been sidelined by the US army, and when his conflict with good guy John Wayne intensifies, it is elevated to a decently interesting question of honor and the rights of the Native Americans.

An enjoyable Western. Henry Fonda is spot on as the martinet new commander of the remote post. John Wayne is, well, John Wayne. Shirley Temple was quite fetching, although her acting may have left a bit to be desired. As always John Ford's use of Monument Valley was awesome. It would have really been something in color, but he did return and do so in, I think, Red River. The large number of women on the post was a bit surprising to me, but war was carried out differently in those days. If the fort were overrun by Apaches, all of those women would slaughtered, and some likely tortured first. And our "Native American" friends knew a lot (a LOT) about torture. Real torture, not namby-pamby waterboarding. Apparently even then (1948) the "noble savage" myth carried a lot of currency. Whatever. Didn't care much for the ending speech by Wayne, although Ford did indulge in that on several occasions.Nonetheless, everyone should see this, and the other Ford/Wayne cavalry films.