this be one of the most underrated film of all time . it excel in every area cinematography and acting and writing and direction and editing and production value . yet and new york time critic bosley crowthers dismiss it a just a colorful film when it open in 1944. yet and scene after scene be brilliant and the comedy work and the romance work and the action work and and the political or philosophical point about the american west work . for example take the comic second scene of the film where bill cody have to wait for a letter and while the postman deliver the mail accord to rank . there be many ranker than you and he say . delicious . there be hardly any romantic scene in a movie that match maureen ohara be taught native american mating custom by joel mccrea . the battle scene between the soldier and native american be as good a anything until the magnificent seven . politically and it intelligently denounce racism and show that the native american fight largely in self defense . at the same time and it show native american a both fierce in battle and dignify . it make the point that the only indian that the euro american ever care about be the indian inscribed on their money . the movie have great writing and great line . for example and after the army massacre a group of native american and joel mccrea find the dead body of linda darnell . she be his native american schoolteacher . he pick up the woman and carry her body in his arm . a friend of yours . quip a soldier . they be all friend of mine and answer bill . mccrea and ohara be flawless in the lead and but the acting be great down the line . anthony quinn and linda darnell a native american have some great scene . before he be about to go into battle and quinn tell himself and the grass will still grow and the sun will still shine and the river will still flow . it eloquently show the way native american see themselves a part of nature . darnell be wonderful a she try to fit in with euro american society only to realize that they will only always see her a an indian . this be the perfect western and both exciting and intelligent . it beat out stagecoach and cimmaron and once upon a time in the west and the magnificent seven and mccabe and mrs. miller a my favorite western only because it seem so effortless and modest .