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Pretty Good

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

. . . exclaims Leni Braun at her first glimpse of John Wayne's bachelor pad in THREE FACES WEST. This flick has three screenwriters, since Republic Pictures decided to combine key elements of the scripts then circulating for GRAPES OF WRATH, CASABLANCA, and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS into one 79-minute low-budget show, giving each of the plot lines a happy ending. John Wayne takes on the future Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, and Charlton Heston roles, with one are tied behind his back. This film made Sigrid Gurie's career, as she proves that she possesses all the talents of Ingrid Bergman. Paul Henreid's role as the courageous Resistance Fighter is greatly shortened, as he reveals himself to be a Nazi convert during his minute on screen. This, of course, allows Wayne's Rick-like character to marry Gurie's Ilsa stand-in for this feature's Grand Finale. Simultaneously, John's Moses gets to put down roots in the Promised Land, renamed "Oregon" here, which welcomes all the Dust Bowl Okies with open arms. There's no need for any women to wet-nurse grown men named "Joad," No Siree, Bob! Not so much as a turtle dies in THREE FACES WEST, as Wayne only punches out a few old-timers.

In a subdued and understated role, John Wayne is excellent.Other commenters have placed the action in North Dakota and in Oklahoma, but I never heard a home stated. In fact, I thought the script specifically avoided mentioning one. (Maybe like the Simpsons' Springfield?) The situation and the timing would seem to indicate Oklahoma, but in truth it really doesn't matter, and the film can be seen as somewhat of an allegory, as representative of the dilemma many poor farmers faced during the Dust Bowl and Depression days.Regardless, it is worth saying again that John Wayne gave one of his best performances, that his character was a different one from what he so often played and he demonstrated that he was by gosh an actor! The chief bad guy also stood out, and should have, being played as it was by the great Trevor Bardette.The subplot, the almost thwarted love story, was poignant and timely, and there was a wonderful line spoken by the Wayne character: "We get all tangled up in other people's feelings and duties and obligations," a fact that gets so many people, and even nations, into trouble."Three Faces West" is a very good movie, with great direction, some superior camera angles, and possibly some great stock footage, as well as great acting, from Wayne to the atmosphere players.All of that with an intelligent script makes it well worth watching.

Well, if this isn't one of the more unusual films for John Wayne, I don't know what is! The film begins with a radio program in America where the host is encouraging small American towns to sort of 'adopt' doctors displaced by the war in Europe. While the US would not enter the war officially until almost 1942, this film had a very anti-Nazi tone--something new to Hollywood films.One of the doctors is Charles Coburn who plays an Austrian (!) and he has a daughter who is a nurse (Sigrid Gurie). They are offered a job in North Dakota and when they arrive they find that it is nothing but dust and misery. The two want to leave immediately, but the townspeople need them so much that they agree to stay. However, in the meantime two important things happen. First, the dust problem becomes so severe that the town decides to relocate to Oregon. Second, Sigrid falls in love with John Wayne. While her love for Wayne is no surprise, their impending marriage is scuttled when they learn that her long-dead fiancé is actually alive and coming to America. It seems that the Nazis didn't kill him after all. So we are facing two dilemmas. How to get everyone in town to move en masse to Oregon (especially when there are a couple hot-heads in the group) and how will Wayne and Gurie be able to marry? Tune in and see.I liked this film a lot more than I expected--much of it because of the historical aspects of it. Other than THE GRAPES OF WRATH and IT'S A GIFT (to a lesser extent), I can't think of any films that talked about the dust bowl years. And it was nice, also, because THE GRAPES OF WRATH offer a view that is a bit biased--as Steinbeck was trying to make more of a political statement in his writings (so the true historical nature of the Joads are sensationalized quite a bit). Here, it's a more optimistic view of this upheaval. Additionally, it was a nice change of pace for Wayne--who before this had done mostly Westerns. Overall, a surprisingly good film.PS--In a rather poorly done scene, a US Department of Agriculture representative is talking to Wayne and he points to the map where supposedly Wayne's town in North Dakota is located. The pointer actually appears to be about 1000 miles off!!

Several reviewers have a made the point that this film ought to be compared to The Grapes of wrath. Perhaps it should be better viewed as a companion piece rather than a lesser effort. It happens to be a perfectly fine film that is less maudlin than the Grapes of Wrath and may be the far better exemplar. The John Wayne character's explanation of why Oregon should be the destination was exactly right. The message that resonates is that being free and independent is the point of it and choosing a destination that affords freedom is the better choice. Further, it is heroic to choose the more difficult path and that it is at least sometimes the smarter choice as well. Let the lemmings complain and whine. Let those willing to make the effort win. On the Duke's 101st birthday, I for one say thank you for this reminder and all the others of American exceptionalism.