Fort Apache (1948): Cast, Box Office, Plot & Where to Watch
Fort Apache is a 1948 western directed by John Ford, starring Miguel Inclán as Cochise, Henry Fonda and Shirley Temple. It runs 2 hours 8 minutes and earned $11,928 worldwide. Stream it on Fawesome, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 8m (128 min)
- Director
- John Ford
- Genre
- Western
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Argosy Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Fort Apache About?
The premise of Fort Apache without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
John Ford’s acclaimed frontier drama follows Lieutenant Owen Thursday, newly assigned to the isolated Fort Apache, who sees the post as a chance to claim the honor he believes is his. Rigid and self‑destructive, he defies his men’s counsel, lures Apache chief Cochise across the Mexican border and attempts to destroy him, igniting a deadly conflict.
Fort Apache Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- arizona
- apache indian
- military uniform
- fort apache arizona
- u.s. cavalry
- u.s. military
- civil war veteran
- reference to alexander the great
- tortured to death
- tied to a wagon wheel
- massacre
- discipline
+38 more Show fewer
- ambition
- scene during opening credits
- classical western
- bare chested man
- captain the military rank
- colonel the military rank
- reference to napoleon bonaparte
- apache tribe
- reference to fort apache
- wayne and bond
- wayne and agar
- wayne and mclaglen
- ford and wayne
- ford and h.fonda
- ford and mclaglen
- ford and bond
- fonda and bond
- wayne and fonda
- horse
- ford and worden
- singing
- father daughter relationship
- reference to philadelphia pennsylvania
- song
- reference to west point
- military training
- singer
- irish american
- cigar smoking
- father kisses his daughter on her forehead
- ford and temple
- falling off a horse
- monument valley
- collapsing chair
- horseback riding
- pipe smoking
- reference to jeb stuart
- mustached man
Where to Watch Fort Apache
Stream it on Fawesome, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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Fort Apache Cast & Characters
Miguel Inclán leads the cast as Cochise, with Henry Fonda as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday and Shirley Temple as Philadelphia Thursday. Directed by John Ford; 42 actors are credited in all.
-
Director John Ford
- Miguel Inclán as Cochise
-
Henry Fonda as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday - Shirley Temple as Philadelphia Thursday
- John Agar as 2nd Lt. Michael Shannon O'Rourke
Also Starring in Fort Apache
· 38 more- Irene Rich Mrs. Mary O'Rourke
- John Wayne Capt. Kirby York
- Ward Bond Sgt. Maj. Michael O'Rourke
- Victor McLaglen Sgt. Festus Mulcahy
- Dick Foran Sgt. Quincannon
- Jack Pennick Sgt. Daniel Schattuck
- Pedro Armendáriz Sgt. Beaufort
- Grant Withers Silas Meacham
- Guy Kibbee Capt. Dr. Wilkens
- Mary Gordon Ma (barmaid)
- Harry Tenbrook Tom O'Feeney (uncredited)
- Brick Sullivan Officer at Dance (uncredited)
- Frank Ferguson Newspaperman (uncredited)
- Cliff Clark Stage Driver (uncredited)
- William Forrest Reporter (uncredited)
- Mae Marsh Mrs. Gates
Show all 42 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Francis Ford Fen - Stage Guard (uncredited)
- Hank Worden Southern Recruit
- Fred Graham Cavalryman (uncredited)
- Archie Twitchell Reporter (uncredited)
- Anna Lee Mrs. Emily Collingwood
- Mickey Simpson NCO at Dance (uncredited)
- George O'Brien Capt. Sam Collingwood
- John Rice Officer at Dance (uncredited)
- Danny Borzage Recruit With Mustache / Accordionist at Serenade (uncredited)
- Phil Schumacher Soldier (uncredited)
- Allen D. Sewall Officer at Dance (uncredited)
- Frank McGrath Cpl. Derice (uncredited)
- Al Murphy Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
- Russell Meeker Officer at Dance (uncredited)
- Leslie Sketchley Officer at Dance (uncredited)
- Jane Crowley Officer's Wife (uncredited)
- Movita Guadalupe
- Ray Hyke Lt. Gates
- Philip Kieffer Cavalryman
- Abdullah Abbas Officer at Dance (uncredited)
- Clyde McLeod Officer at Dance (uncredited)
- Eleanore Vogel Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Fort Apache Plot Summary
What happens in Fort Apache from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
A stagecoach races across the Southwestern desert, carrying widower [Lt. Col. S. cavalry post on the Arizona frontier. Thursday is blunt, impatient, and quick to voice his dissatisfaction with the country and its people, a veteran of the Civil War who has spent years in Europe and resents being recalled to a rail-thin frontier assignment that feels like a career setback. Along the way, the coach picks up a new arrival, newly minted Second Lieutenant Michael Shannon O’Rourke, a West Point grad whose presence unsettles Thursday and who quickly attracts the attention of Philadelphia. The sergeants escort Michael as they roll into the fort, and Thursday’s grumbling mood deepens when four seasoned sergeants arrive with a vehicle to greet him, amplifying the clash between old-school discipline and new blood.
Full summary
The whole story of Fort Apache, scene by scene
Fort Apache Box Office
Fort Apache grossed $11,928 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$11.9K
- International
- $11.9K
Fort Apache Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 1 trailer and 2 clips.
- Clip Escape from Diablo's Band
- Clip Thursday's Charge Into an Apache Ambush
How Well Do You Know Fort Apache?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
Which actor portrays Lt. Col. Owen Thursday?
Seen Fort Apache?
Movies Like Fort Apache
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Rio Grande, Apache Rifles and Apache Fury.
Fort Apache FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office and post-credit scenes of Fort Apache, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Fort Apache?
Fort Apache runs 2 hours 8 minutes (128 minutes).
When was Fort Apache released?
Fort Apache was released on March 27, 1948.
Who directed Fort Apache?
Fort Apache was directed by John Ford.
More films by John Ford Who is in the cast of Fort Apache?
Fort Apache stars Miguel Inclán as Cochise, Henry Fonda as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday and Shirley Temple as Philadelphia Thursday, among 42 credited actors.
Where can I watch Fort Apache?
In the US, Fort Apache is streaming on Fawesome and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did Fort Apache make at the box office?
Fort Apache grossed $11,928 worldwide.
Does Fort Apache have a post-credit scene?
No. Fort Apache has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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