3 Godfathers

A group of outlaws (John Wayne, Pedro Armendáriz, and Harry Carey Jr.) adopts a dying woman’s baby in the desert and vows to bring it to safety.

3 Godfathers has a few problems. The largest of which is that the titular characters don’t feel like outlaw bank robbers. They’re too nice and too self-sacrificing, and thus it’s hard to see them as criminals, which in turn, makes the story’s central redemption arc less powerful.

Fortunately, the film has enough going for it to overcome these shortcomings. While the leads may not be menacing, they do command the screen. John Wayne carries the film, and Pedro Armendáriz and Harry Carey Jr. both play off him nicely, while Ward Bond leads a fine supporting cast including a very young Ben Johnson.

Director John Ford makes great use of the Death Valley locations, and stages some very realistic looking sand storms. While he may overdo the biblical analogies, Ford does have a knack for delivering good endings, and 3 Godfathers is no exception. The ending, though a bit trite, nonetheless makes the film and almost, almost, makes up for the film’s other missteps.