3 Godfathers (1948)

My Review

“3 Godfathers” is a western film telling the story of three bank robbers who “adopt” a newborn baby from a dying woman and promise to deliver him to safety. They are on the run from the law at the time, struggling for survival in the desert while caring for the infant. Director John Ford (“Stagecoach” 1939) put together this loose retelling of the three Wise Men from the New Testament. The excellent screenplay by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings was adapted from a 1913 short story “The Three Godfathers” by Peter B. Kyne.

The three principals are John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, and Harry Carey Jr. as the godfathers (or wise men). They keep viewers engrossed and enthralled for the entire 106 minute running time. Co-stars include Jane Darwell, Mildred Natwick, Ward Bond, Guy Kibbee, Ben Johnson, Mae Marsh, Dorothy Ford, and Hank Worden as the deputy sheriff. “3 Godfathers” was a commercial success for producer John Ford and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was primarily filmed in Death Valley and other location around California.