A Reel Retro Review: 3 GODFATHERS (1948)

Reel Speak’s Retro Reviews will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week, with the intention of introducing some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

Taking inspiration from Bible stories for a film can always be a good start. Biblical stories have those common themes and plots that reach us on a primordial level, and can make any piece of cinema have familiar territory. One such example is John Ford’s 1948 Western, 3 GODFATHERS. 

 

Three outlaws; Bob Hightower (John Wayne), Pete (Pedro Armendariz), and The Abilene Kid (Harry Carey Jr.), rob a bank and flee into the desert. They come upon a ransacked wagon, where a dying woman gives birth. Pursued by a posse and with miles between them and a water source, the three new godfathers try to fulfill their promise to be guardians to the child. 

 

Directed by John Ford and based on the 1913 novelette The Three Godfathers by Peter B. Kyne, 3 GODFATHERS is a loose retelling of the story of The Three Wise Men in the American Old West. The film is not shy about its inspiration; the characters directly reference their similarities to the Wise Men, and the town they decide to seek refuge has the on-the-nose name of New Jerusalem. While the three outlaws bumble about trying to figure out how to do basic care such as changing, dressing, and feeding a baby…they face the harsh Arizona desert with a posse blocking their way to any water source. 

 

While the plot is basic (save the baby), the film moves thanks to the strong personalities of the godfathers. Hightower is the rough and tough leader of the trio, Pete is the only one with any experience with babies, and the Kid has an innocent streak in him which pushes him to do the right thing. Conflicts and dire circumstances arise, and the simple stakes of saving the child are elevated with each passing scene. 

 

Director John Ford, who made a career out of the Old West, films a great looking movie and keeps the pacing tight. Humor and drama are nicely balanced, and the score by Richard Hageman is excellent. Ford gets great performances out of his cast; Wayne is his usual tough-guy self, and Harry Carey Jr., in only his sixth picture, nearly steals the show. 

 

Most modern film fans will immediately compare 3 GODFATHERS to the 1987 comedy classic         THREE MEN AND A BABY. Which is fair, even though the former film strikes a much more serious tone. Its Biblical inspirations are worn heavily on its sleeve and may draw a groan or two, but overall the film shows just how well an old story can be made anew. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

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The film is dedicated to Harry Carey (father to Carey, Jr.), who starred in John Ford’s earlier films…including the first version of the story for the screen; a 1916 silent film. Ford remade that film in 1919 with Carey; another silent version which is lost today.