This is the second of John Ford and John Wayne's cavalry trilogy (Fort Apache and Rio Grande are the other two). The yellow ribbon in the title refers to a tradition that the girls would wear a yellow ribbon to indicate that they were faithful to a lover in the cavalry. But the girl in the story manages to get three men to each believe the ribbon is for him. Neat trick, the little hussy!

Anyway, John Wayne plays an officer who is one week away from retirement as the movie opens. He was actually pretty young at the time, but the makeup people did such a credible job that he really looks like he really did look when he got old -- except, as I recall, he was heavier than in this movie.

The movie opens with a narrator who says "Custer is dead." This was the news of the day, and the Indians are teaming up, all the different tribes -- at least the young warriors -- to fight the white man, because the buffalo came back as Custer died, so they figured it was a sign from the Great Spirit. You know, when these religious fanatics take a notion . . .

Anyway, the thing is a pretty typical cavalry versus Indians, with Wayne taking time out to talk to an old friend, one of the chiefs, who explains that he cannot control the young bucks because they don't listen to him anymore, since they got this sign from the Great Spirit. Nevertheless, Wayne and his soldiers (in the last hour or so of his command) stampede the Indian's horses right through their village and so make it impossible for them to make war.

Frankly, I don't believe it. I love John Wayne, but this was a very boring movie.
This is the second of John Ford and John Wayne's cavalry trilogy (Fort Apache and Rio Grande are the other two). The yellow ribbon in the title refers to a tradition that the girls would wear a yellow ribbon to indicate that they were faithful to a lover in the cavalry. But the girl in the story manages to get three men to each believe the ribbon is for him. Neat trick, the little hussy! Anyway, John Wayne plays an officer who is one week away from retirement as the movie opens. He was actually pretty young at the time, but the makeup people did such a credible job that he really looks like he really did look when he got old -- except, as I recall, he was heavier than in this movie. The movie opens with a narrator who says "Custer is dead. " This was the news of the day, and the Indians are teaming up, all the different tribes -- at least the young warriors -- to fight the white man, because the buffalo came back as Custer died, so they figured it was a sign from the Great Spirit. You know, when these religious fanatics take a notion. . . Anyway, the thing is a pretty typical cavalry versus Indians, with Wayne taking time out to talk to an old friend, one of the chiefs, who explains that he cannot control the young bucks because they don't listen to him anymore, since they got this sign from the Great Spirit. Nevertheless, Wayne and his soldiers (in the last hour or so of his command) stampede the Indian's horses right through their village and so make it impossible for them to make war. Frankly, I don't believe it. I love John Wayne, but this was a very boring movie.