The Big Picture
- John Farrow used the emerging 3-D format in his film Hondo starring John Wayne, taking advantage of its popularity in science fiction and western genres.
- The 3-D technology used in Hondo was cutting-edge at the time, despite its challenges and limitations during the shoot.
- Geraldine Page's performance in Hondo earned her an unexpected Academy Award nomination, adding credibility to the film.
John Wayne managed to monopolize the western genre due to his consistent inventiveness. While Wayne starred in countless westerns, he was able to keep the genre interesting by keeping audiences on their toes. When Wayne disapproved of the way that western characters were interpreted in High Noon, he created Rio Bravo in response; when he sensed that the genre was dying, he appeared in John Ford’s subversive classic The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Wayne wasn’t above using new filmmaking gimmicks in order to spice up the genre and make it feel fresh again, and given the countless westerns that he appeared in, it makes sense that Wayne would want the genre to keep being inventive. While it isn’t necessarily remembered as one of his best films, Wayne’s 1953 film Hondo was actually shot in 3-D.
Hondo
PGWesternDramaRomanceWarArmy dispatch rider Hondo Lane discovers a woman and young son living in the midst of warring Apaches and becomes their protector.
- Release Date
- November 27, 1953
- Director
- John Farrow
- Cast
- John Wayne , Geraldine Page , Ward Bond , Michael Pate
- Runtime
- 83 minutes
‘Hondo’ Was One of the First Western Movies Shot in 3-D
Hondo was one of the first films released by Wayne-Fellows Productions, which was later renamed Batjac Productions. Wayne’s intention was to shoot the film in 3-D, an emerging format that had been growing increasingly popular thanks to the success of science fiction films like Creature From The Black Lagoonand It Came From Outer Space. The popular 3-D films at the time were primarily in the science fiction and western genres. Wayne had the chance to capitalize on the trend and be one of the first western stars to adjust to the emerging format. Although the 3-D format made the film feel more exciting for a general audience, it did present some challenges throughout the shoot.
Wayne’s daughter Gretchen said in an interview with the Smithsonian Magazine that Hondo’s production was “a challenge when they were making it, because the cameras weren't perfected like they are now.” The 3-D cameras used for Hondo were the size of a truck, which made shooting in the sweltering desert of Chihuahua a challenge for the entire crew. The weather created numerous obstacles and damaged some of the finely crafted sets that were created to resemble Apache villages. The production was also under a strict timetable, as director John Farrow had been set to start another film a few months later. Warner Brothers head Jack Warner reportedly complained that several valuable shooting days were lost due to the constraints with the technology. It was a considerable amount of work put into a film that doesn’t necessarily rank among Wayne’s best.
These 3-D “All Media Cameras” utilized two lenses, and maintaining the functionality of both led to numerous delays in the shoot. Transportation was also an issue, as cinematographer Robert Burks was unfamiliar with the technology and had a hard time adjusting to the new format. Farrow’s approach was also quite different compared to other 3-D films. Farrow put less emphasis on 3-D “gimmicks” and pop out gags. He used the technology to capture a more immersive sense of landscape; there are only a few instances when gunfire or debris flies directly in the audience’s face. The de-emphasis on gags was a notable stylistic advancement in 3-D that other filmmakers would later use to their advantage. It’s fascinating how cutting edge the technology used for Hondo was in comparison to the many odd films that have been released in 3-D.
‘Hondo’ Was One of the Biggest 3-D Movies of Its Time
Although the 3-D trend was very popular when Hondo first went into production, interest in the format was beginning to decline as the film reached its tentative release date. Warner Brothers noted that the successful 3-D films at the time, such as House of Waxand Dial M for Murder, were using a broader scope of vision, and did not rely on gimmicks. Releasing a film in 3-D was also not an easy process; theaters needed a lighter, reflective screen in order to make the film’s 3-D effects stand out. In order to ensure that a wide audience got the chance to see the 3-D version, Warner Brothers laid out an extensive advertising campaign that included newspaper spots and public screenings. Jack Warner arranged for a series of select preview screenings of the film in major cities, including Detroit, Atlanta, Boston, and Washington.
The early screenings held to get the word out ended up being an advantage for Warner Brothers. The film earned an impressive $55,000 within its first week in New York's Paramount Theater alone; the success inspired Jack Warner to expand the film's release to encapsulate other major markets, including the Bronx, Westchester, and Manhattan. The film became an overseas hit when the film debuted to a record-breaking debut in London. While not every market was able to screen the 3-D version, a stereoscopic release of Hondo still did very well in many smaller markets, including drive-ins. The stereoscopic screenings continued to perform well when after the 3-D version was pulled.
A remastered 3-D version of the film was eventually released at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. Wayne claimed that he had personally “looked for locations and picked the locations where each scene would be shot” in order to emphasize the 3-D effects. He stated that he had found “white molten rock, blue pools of water, black buttes, big chalk-white buttes” that would pop out in 3-D. However, the process was still not an easy one, as Wayne had clashed with Farrow on set. While Farrow’s more artistic approach to 3-D may have benefited the film’s quality, it led to some creative differences with Wayne on set. Wayne told Film Commentthat Farrow "didn't really have a great deal to do with" the film’s creative inception, it was Wayne who had obtained the rights to Louis L'Amour's short story "The Gift of Cochise,” which served as the inspiration for Hondo. Although Farrow was an accomplished director, he wasn’t one of Wayne’s regular collaborators like John Ford, Howard Hawks, or Andrew McLaglen. Despite some of the issues that they had with each other, Wayne and Farrow teamed up once more in 1955 for the World War II drama The Sea Chase.
‘Hondo’ Earned Geraldine Page Serious Acclaim
Hondo received significant attention at the time of its release due to the performance by Geraldine Page as Angie Lowe, the young homesteader that falls in love with Wayne’s character. Page had been a popular star on Broadway, and the notion of a prestigious actress joining a blockbuster adventure film like Hondo lent the film more credibility than it may have received otherwise. Page’s performance earned her a surprise Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, but lost to Donna Reed’s role in the Best Picture winner From Here To Eternity.
The recognition for Hondo was surprising considering that the Oscars have generally been less receptive to westerns. Although Cimarron won Best Picture in 1931, no other western won the top prize until Dances With Wolves and Unforgiven's victories in the 1990s. In recent years, neo-westerns like Brokeback Mountain, Hell or High Water, and The Power of the Dog earned Best Picture nominations, but were ultimately snubbed of the top prize.
Hondo is available to stream on Pluto TV in the U.S.
