In the next to last film he completed as a director, John Ford returned to the Western genre he had long ago mastered. Based on a true story, Cheyenne Autumn concerns the arduous journey home some 200+ Cheyenne undertook in 1878, after the U.S. government relocated them to a barren reservation 1500 miles south, then backed away from their promises to let them return to their native lands. Pursued by a military force tasked with their capture, the Cheyenne bravely soldier on through imposing terrain and harsh weather, fighting off those who chase them along the way. With an all star cast and some of the most breathtaking widescreen cinematography you’re ever likely to see on the big screen, Ford goes out with a bang with this epic, late career Western masterwork. Print courtesy of Lowell Peterson, ASC.
“Cheyenne Autumn is a strong film, grandly directed and expertly played by a large cast” – Bosley Crowther, The New York Times
“Imbued with moments of true poetry, thanks largely to William Clothier’s magnificent Panavision landscapes.” – Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Mark Ayala discusses Cheyenne Autumn on the New Beverly blog.
