Two Flags West
Two Flags West is loosely based on historical characters and events occurring in the civil war west. Ideas for the film owe their origin to research done by screen writer Frank Nugent while working on the screen play for, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, the second film in John Ford’s cavalry trilogy with John Wayne. The plot elements are something of a mosaic, gathered and arranged from dispirit sources.
In late 1863 President Lincoln issued an order allowing release of Confederate prisoners of war who agreed to join the Union army for peace keeping assignments against hostile Indians on the western frontier. Given the deplorable conditions of civil war prison camps, the president’s offer soon produced the service of “Galvanized Yankees”. Now add Fort Thorn a remote cavalry post on the New Mexico frontier, a plot to unite California to the Confederacy, and a Kiowa band lifted from Texas, and Hollywood has all the historical elements it needs for Two Flags West.
Union Captain Mark Bradford (Cornel Wilde) recruits a unit of Confederate prisoners from the Georgia 5th Cavalry. The unit under the command of Colonel Clay Tucker (Joseph Cotton) accepts Bradford’s offer. They are assigned to Fort Thorn, under the command of Major Henry Kenniston (Jeff Chandler). Kenniston is no fan of the Georgians, courtesy of a wound sustained early in the war. Tucker, now a Union Lieutenant is put off by the major’s condescending treatment of his men. The widow of Kenniston’s brother, Elena (Linda Darnel) is the Major’s uneasy guest following her husband’s death.
Conflicts develop over Kenniston’s order for Tucker to execute convicted gun runners who turn out to be confederate agents and a mission to escort a wagon train through hostile territory. On the wagon train Tucker meets a Confederate agent who recruits Tucker to a plot to unite California to the Confederacy. Back at Fort Thorn, Kenniston executes the son of a Kiowa chief bringing about an attack on the fort. Tucker, conflicted by duty, fights his way back to the fort. The siege is broken when Kenniston gives himself up to the chief. Two Flags West ends on the news Sherman has completed his march to the sea, cutting the confederacy in two, sealing the prospect of Union victory.
How did John Ford miss this one?
Next Week: One Foot in Hell
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
In late 1863 President Lincoln issued an order allowing release of Confederate prisoners of war who agreed to join the Union army for peace keeping assignments against hostile Indians on the western frontier. Given the deplorable conditions of civil war prison camps, the president’s offer soon produced the service of “Galvanized Yankees”. Now add Fort Thorn a remote cavalry post on the New Mexico frontier, a plot to unite California to the Confederacy, and a Kiowa band lifted from Texas, and Hollywood has all the historical elements it needs for Two Flags West.
Union Captain Mark Bradford (Cornel Wilde) recruits a unit of Confederate prisoners from the Georgia 5th Cavalry. The unit under the command of Colonel Clay Tucker (Joseph Cotton) accepts Bradford’s offer. They are assigned to Fort Thorn, under the command of Major Henry Kenniston (Jeff Chandler). Kenniston is no fan of the Georgians, courtesy of a wound sustained early in the war. Tucker, now a Union Lieutenant is put off by the major’s condescending treatment of his men. The widow of Kenniston’s brother, Elena (Linda Darnel) is the Major’s uneasy guest following her husband’s death.
Conflicts develop over Kenniston’s order for Tucker to execute convicted gun runners who turn out to be confederate agents and a mission to escort a wagon train through hostile territory. On the wagon train Tucker meets a Confederate agent who recruits Tucker to a plot to unite California to the Confederacy. Back at Fort Thorn, Kenniston executes the son of a Kiowa chief bringing about an attack on the fort. Tucker, conflicted by duty, fights his way back to the fort. The siege is broken when Kenniston gives himself up to the chief. Two Flags West ends on the news Sherman has completed his march to the sea, cutting the confederacy in two, sealing the prospect of Union victory.
How did John Ford miss this one?
Next Week: One Foot in Hell
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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