Movie |
Tortured To Death | Captain
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Best Written American Western | 1949
Budget 2,500,000 USD
Box Office Collection 3,000,000 USD
The cast member who had the hardest time with John Ford was John Agar, making his film debut. Whether it was because Agar was newly married to Ford's beloved Shirley Temple or because he wanted to test him, the director rode him mercilessly, calling him "Mr. Temple" in front of everyone, criticizing the way he delivered lines, chastising him for his lack of expert horsemanship. One day Agar stormed off, vowing to quit the picture, but John Wayne took him aside and helped him with some of the more difficult aspects of his job.
Shirley Temple, in one of her first adult roles, was pregnant during shooting and worried that riding horses or wearing her corset too tight would induce miscarriage.
Although this and the others in the Cavalry Trilogy are now considered important films, John Ford once described them as "potboilers" made primarily for money.
Movie censor Joseph Breen had some problems with the script. He was concerned about a scene of the men working at a manure pile as possibly offensive and insisted that a shot of two dead troopers be handled discreetly without any overt gruesomeness. He also gave orders that no toilet should be shown on screen and that drinking scenes be kept to a minimum. Breen also instructed John Ford to keep constant contact with Mel Morse, regional director of the American Humane Society, regarding any scenes involving horses or other animals.
The film's original budget was $2.8 million, and for their work, Shirley Temple, John Wayne and Henry Fonda were each paid $100,000, while Victor McLaglen received $75,000.
"Lt. Col. Thursday: This Lt. O'Rourke - are you by chance related? RSM Michael O'Rourke: Not by chance, sir, by blood. He's my son. Lt. Col. Thursday: I see. How did he happen to get into West Point? RSM Michael O'Rourke: It happened by presidential appointment, sir Lt. Col. Thursday: Are you a former officer, O'Rourke? RSM Michael O'Rourke: During the war, I was a major in the 69th New York regiment... The Irish Brigade, sir. Lt. Col. Thursday: Still, it's been my impression that presidential appointments were restricted to sons of holders of the Medal of Honor. RSM Michael O'Rourke: That is my impression, too, sir. Will that be all, sir?"
"Newspaper reporter: [speaking of Col. Thursday] But what of the men who died with him? What of Collingworth and... Captain Yorke: Collingwood. Newspaper reporter: Oh, of course, Collingwood. Reporter: That's the ironic part of it. We always remember the Thursdays, but the others are forgotten. Captain Yorke: You're wrong there. They aren't forgotten because they haven't died. They're living - right out there. [points out the window] Captain Yorke: Collingwood and the rest. And they'll keep on living as long as the regiment lives. The pay is thirteen dollars a month; their diet: beans and hay. Maybe horsemeat before this campaign is over. Fight over cards or rotgut whiskey, but share the last drop in their canteens. The faces may change... the names... but they're there: they're the regiment... the regular army... now and fifty years from now. They're better men than they used to be. Thursday did that. He made it a command to be proud of."
