it be write somewhere that the cruel thing you can say to an artist be that his work be flawless . john ford thought of the fugitive a and despite not be a box office success and a perfect film and one of his very favorites . it perhaps more than prudent then to point out some of the criticism one would have of the film ( which and perhaps and be moot since he be dead for decade ) . a a fan of the ford work i have see there be some time when he touch perfection ( grape of wrath and the searcher be it for me ) and and sometimes not so much and which go without say he direct many film . with the fugitive it recognizable to me why it split it audience represent some hail it a be totally underrated and a brilliant depiction of religious allegory and suffering and and some say that it a total crock for be far too heavy hand and act over the top . both side have their right point while it be an underrated picture and if only for it technical feat of cinematography ( gabriel figueroa be just right for this kind of material for ford ) and ford usual talent a a basic storyteller with a tendency for pure cinema expression ( i. e. lack of dialog be a plus with the emotion express through the camera and actor . but it be also not well act in a couple of instance and notably the beautiful but overbear delores del rio a the woman living in the town who baby be baptize by the priest play by henry fonda . for fonda and it should be say and he at least give all he can for a performance that possibly other actor could have play with more magnificence . in fact it for him that some of the picture be most watchable and a he flex his emotional chop for a scene where it require for complexity like when he miss the boat and be ask to bless someone die only to realize there be no wine and must go to ask from a vulgarian for wine ( which and a it turn out and be drunken with brandy and all by him ) . while it might not be the fonda we all know and love from grape of wrath or my darling clementine he do what he can with the part and and it a tribute to him and ford that they make it engross on a very simple level that carry some complex connotation . when focus on the actual chase and flight from the mexican police it work very well ( particularly with a hammy but effective informer play by j. carrol nash ) . it just when ford over indulges in the spiritual aspect of the picture and which be only make clearer towards the end and that it lose it footing . indeed the start of the picture kind of threw me off for a little bit a fonda come in with the christ like symbolism highlight on the wall and and the townspeople come in with tear in their eye and a somber song to sing and fonda blesses and baptize others . i wondered represent be this a little too much in the way of what ford do best and which be tell the story . he can be brilliant in throw in his deep root catholic idea a pure vision on the screen and and once or twice in the fugitive he do . and then other time it fall flat or go too high where it start to become a full blown religious picture a oppose to a societal thriller . should ford fan see it . of course while even a lessor ford picture will have something interesting . will everyone like it . surely not . yet it be usually fine and traditional work and shouldn not be completely dismiss .