Two Rode Together

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Two Rode Together
Directed by	John Ford
Written by	Frank S. Nugent
Starring	James Stewart Richard Widmark Shirley Jones Linda Cristal
Release date(s)	1961
Country	USA
Language	English

Two Rode Together is a western film directed by John Ford. The 1961 film stars James Stewart, Richard Widmark, Shirley Jones, and Linda Cristal. The film was shot on location in Brackettville, Texas, USA.

1 Overview
2 Plot
3 Quote
4 External links

[edit] Overview

Jimmy Stewart plays Marshal Guthrie McCabe, a gruff, old, drunken sheriff (he's not a drunken sheriff, he's a smart manipulator) who can speak Comanche. Richard Widmark plays First Lieutenant Jim Gary, a cavalryman assigned to accompany him on a mission to buy white captives away from the Comanches.

McCabe is reluctant to take on this mission, explaining that anyone taken as a child will not remember their birth family and will see see themselves as Comanche. But for the right price, he is willing to attempt to ransom the captives.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Marty Purcell (Shirley Jones) cannot let go of the memory of her lost younger brother Steve, who was abducted by the Comanche. She keeps a music box that belonged to him. McCabe (Jimmy Stewart) warns her that the brother will not remember her, but he goes along with the mission to ransom the boy because he expects it to pay well. McCabe will be searching not just for Steve Purcell, but also another boy taken by the Comanche. This boy's wealthy stepfather has offered a large reward for the return of his wife's son. First Lieutenant Jim Gary (Richard Widmark) is offended by McCabe's cynicism, but also hopes to do some good with his help.

They find four white captives among the Comanches. One is a young woman who is now married to a Comanche and has children. She does not want to come back, nor does an old woman who was believed dead and regards herself as being as good as dead. There is also a young man who McCabe hopes is the lost son of the wealthy family. The fourth captive is a Mexican woman, Elena de la Madriaga, (Linda Cristal,) whom McCabe takes charge of. She is the wife of 'Stone Calf', a militant rival of Chief Quanah Parker, the Indian that McCabe does business with.

The young man, named Running Wolf by the Comanche, is hostile towards other white people. He does not remember his origins, and McCabe’s rich employer won’t accept him. It is suggested that Running Wolf be released and allowed to return to the Comanches, where he feels at home. But another man does claim him, hoping to please his wife. She is convinced that Running Wolf is her own lost son. When the woman tries to cut Running Wolf's hair, he kills her. The settlers decide to hang Running Wolf, despite Lieutenant Gary’s protests.

As they are dragging him to be lynched, Running Wolf knocks over Marty's music box. He hears it play, and claims it as his own. Running Wolf is Marty’s lost brother Steve, but it is too late to save him. Marty accepts that nothing could have been done to bring back the brother she remembered. She marries Lieutenant Gary.

Elena meantime wants nothing more than to re-assimilate, but finds herself rejected as a woman who submitted to savages. She decides to try her luck in California. McCabe learns that he was reported dead and has been replaced. He complains "I didn't get a chance to vote for myself - not even once." But he has fallen in love with Elena, and admires the courage she showed just by surviving. "You know, sometimes it takes a lot more courage to live than it does to die." He decides to go to California with her.