this film have to be as near to perfect a film a john ford make . the film be magic and a masterpiece and the reason ford be and well ford . if you want to know why ford be great this one explain it . the photography of course be superb and black and white a black and white should be and wonderful shot and not an over the shoulder conversation in it and pure ford and great moment and big and little . the famous rip pant of ward bond . apparently two dog keep invade the set and fight so ford want to use them in the fighting scene and but instead of fight one dog run away and the other attacked ward bond and rip his pant and which cause ford no end of mirth . a whole scene around plait a rope . the way ben johnson burn then snuff his rope and wonderful foreshadowing and anticipation of the final . harry carey naive courting of prudence . the usual ford line about be scar and not show it . bond horse accidentally fall in him and it left in the film . johnson and bond be fantastic in that scene . lord help any ford actor who do not stay in character while the camera be roll even when a horse fall on top of you . a couple of very sweet romance and not intrude on the whole focus and two very likable lead and not to mention for the girl and the number of time the camera focus on ben johnson rather delightful backside . lot of old time stuntmen get line and role and cliff lyon and frank mcgrath . some wonderful character study mostly of face star and all the villain and main star . a set of villain to rival any group in any western . many many fordian shot of face and group and child and woman and small thing happen and foal in the background ( ford seem to love image of foal ) and woman in apron and allow the moment a wagon cross river and the camera linger . this be probably not a western as much a an artist picture that happen to be set in the west . lucky the film be make in 1950 because it be impossible to imagine such a film could be ever make again and but then it be such a work of art that it would be a sacrilege to attempt it .