Wagon Master (1950)

 
BACKGROUND
 

One of Wagon Master’s most distinguishing characteristics is its modesty which is especially embodied by the lead actor Ben Johnson who plays Travis Blue. As a real-life cowboy and rodeo rider who had transitioned to the film industry as a stunt man and horse wrangler, Johnson brought an authenticity to his western characters that was becoming increasingly rare in Hollywood by the 1950s. The film’s ability to be both humble and majestic likely explains why Ford most frequently sighted it as his favorite. 

 

Travis asserts his authority in a low-key unobtrusive manner that contrasts both Henry Fonda’s stern condescension as well as John Wayne’s gregarious bravado. Wagon Master’s relaxed pace relies upon a thematic symmetry, a character driven atmosphere and an undercurrent that conveys the power of communal resilience. The dynamic of juxtaposed archetypes achieves an elusive structural integrity that is reminiscent of luminaries such as Tolstoy, Balzac, DeVinci and Rembrandt. Yet because Ford was a director of motion pictures, kinetic energy drives his story as the wagon train eases its way through life's great procession. 

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PLOT SUMMARY

Two horse traders lead a Mormon wagon train to the San Juan Valley and are taken hostage by outlaws attempting to avoid detection from a pursuing posse.