The Horse Soldiers

One of Ford's three grand cavalry movies. This film is set during the civil war and based on a Union raid deep in Confederate territory. John Wayne (Col.Marlow) and William Holden (Major Kendall) are both Union officers but adversaries throughout the movie. Marlow is the officer in charge of a daring mission into the Deep South. Kendall is the physician accompanying the raiding troops. Both are honorable men but Marlow is focused on his mission while Kendall is concerned with helping people, regardless of uniform or color. Often the two personalities collide as they conduct their respective duties. Along the way, a lovely southern belle (Constance Towers) and her attendant must be taken prisoner. Towers character, Ms. Hanna Hunter could fall for either of the Union officers but it is the tough loving Marlow that eventually wins her heart.

This is a tidy story with the spectacular scenery that you'd expect from Ford. There are many large scale cavalry scenes that are a delight to watch. And the David Buttolph score is loaded with regional military gems.

Director: John Ford
Cast: John Wayne....Col. John Marlowe
William Holden....Major Henry "Hank" Kendall, Regimental Surgeon
Constance Towers.... Miss Hannah Hunter of Greenbriar
Judson Pratt.... Sgt. Major Kirby
Hoot Gibson.... Sgt. Brown
Ken Curtis .... Corporal Wilkie
Willis Bouchey....Col. Phil Secord
Bing Russell....Dunker
O.Z. Whitehead....Otis 'Hoppy' Hopkins, medical assistant
Hank Worden....Deacon Clump
Chuck Hayward....Union captain
Denver Pyle....Jackie Jo, Rebel Deserter
Strother Martin.... Virgil, Rebel Deserter
Basil Ruysdael.... The Reverend, Jefferson Military Academy
Carleton Young.... Col. Jonathan Miles CSA
Date: 1959 119 mins.
Theme Song: The Horse Soldiers ~ Stan Jones. Music by David Buttolph