3 Godfathers put John Wayne in the memorable yet surprising role of a bank robber. Known as “The Duke,” Wayne played a wide range in his career, contributing some of the best Westerns ever made to the storied genre. Among his most memorable Westerns saw the actor play some sort of lawman or military figure, whether it be a U.S. marshal, an Army captain, or a sheriff. He often played heroic drifters, like the Ringo Kid in Stagecoach. But there were also instances where Wayne would take on the role of a character placed firmly on the opposite side of the law.
Such was the case with 3 Godfathers, a Western directed by John Ford in 1948. One of many John Wayne-John Ford collaborations to come out of the 1940s, 3 Godfathers follows the story of the three тιтular outlaws, played by John Wayne, Pedro Armendáriz, and Harry Carey, Jr. In the movie, John Wayne’s character begins the movie as anything but the hero he is in most of his films, but ends the story as likable as any of his Western protagonists.
John Wayne Plays A Bank Robber Trying To Save A Child In 3 Godfathers
3 Godfathers Is A Remake Of A 1916 Silent Film
In 3 Godfathers, Wayne, Armendáriz, and Carey take on the roles of Bob Hightower, Pedro Roca “Pete” Fuerte, and the Abilene Kid, a trio of notorious outlaws. What ultimately sets the story in motion is a bank heist that goes terribly wrong. In their attempt at a getaway, the three steal a wagon, unaware until after their escape that it carries a pregnant woman about to go into labor. While stranded in the desert together, the three wind up ᴀssisting in the baby’s birth. The mother dies due to complications of childbirth, but not before anointing the three men her son’s “godfathers.”
Ward Bond, one of John Wayne’s most frequent co-stars, plays Pearly “Buck” Sweet, the uncle of the missing child.
For the three main characters, this is a turning point, as it’s what starts the shifting of their top priority from mere survival to the safety of their new charge. 3 Godfathers explores the efforts of the three men as they seek to elude the law, survive the dangers of the wilderness, and get back to civilization – hopefully in one piece. Along the way, 3 Godfathers throws a mulтιтude of obstacles at the characters, testing their resolve to safeguard the child throughout the film.
3 Godfathers Is John Wayne’s Most Heartwarming Western
3 Godfathers Is Very Different From Most John Wayne Westerns
3 Godfathers distinguishes itself from most John Wayne movies, via its tone. There’s a deep-rooted, spiritual theme that drives Bob Hightower’s personal arc. The movie establishes early on that Bob isn’t a believer in God, but in overcoming the challenges he’s faced with in the film, Bob discovers his faith, and it helps power him through the harsh desert so that he can save the baby. The religious aspect of the story, combined with its Christ-like allusions, makes 3 Godfathers feel like a Christmas Western.
The actor that plays the Abilene Kid – Harry Carey, Jr. – is the son of Harry Carey, who starred in the original version of 3 Godfathers, which released in 1916.
Adding heart to the film is the comedic moments between the three characters. Three outlaws who naturally know little about parenting having to care for newborn baby was obviously an opportunity ripe for humor, and it was one that John Ford did well to take advantage of. 3 Godfathers never went far enough to become a full-fledged comedy, but infused enough light-hearted moments to make all three of its protagonists easy to root for and at times, even relatable.
The grit displayed by Bob and the emotional and spiritual evolution of the character allowed Wayne to deliver one of his most spirited and nuanced performances of his Western career. Bob may be a bank robber at the start of the film, but by the end of the film, he’s become one of the most memorable Western heroes ever portrayed by John Wayne.
