Directed by:
John FordCinematography:
Bert GlennonComposer:
Howard JacksonCast:
Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Billie Burke, Woody Strode, Juano Hernandez, Willis Bouchey, Carleton Young, Judson Pratt, Estelle Winwood, Mae Marsh (more)Plots(1)
At a U.S. Army fort in the Arizona Territory in the late 1800s, Army lawyer Tom Cantrell defends Braxton Rutledge, a Black sergeant formerly under Cantrell’s command, in his court martial for murder and rape. Under questioning by Cantrell and the prosecutor, multiple witnesses piece together what happened at the fort on the day of the crimes. The film remains notable for its frank treatment of racism and as the first major studio Western to cast a Black actor in the lead. (RiverRun International Film Festival)
(more)Reviews (1)
An excellent western that deals with an interesting subject - racism. It is presented through a single case, making it more of a courtroom drama than a western. But it works very well because there are great characters, primarily Woody Strode, who shows what a great and underrated actor he was.
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Gallery (16)
Photo © Warner Bros.
![Sergeant Rutledge - Lobby Cards](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/165/805/165805033_9c56ee.jpg)