Fightin' Irish

Rio Grande

(1950)

The last and least of the Ford-Wayne cavalry triad, but in one respect by far the best: the love story, involving not annoying virginal pups but grown-ups who know that love is not just a thrill but also a constant negotiation and a sometime battleground, is easily the strongest of the three films, one of Ford's strongest overall. Of course, Maureen O'Hara is no Shirley Temple, and the Duke is no John Agar, and that helps.

Bonus note for my niece Angie: the song "San Antone" was written by one of your idols, Dale Evans. And if you're interested in a fine full-length academic study of the music in Ford's westerns, my old pal Kay Kalinak has just the book for you.