Three Faces West

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Steve D 06/11/2023 Wayne is unconvincing. See more 03/27/2014 "An unusual contemporary Western featuring a compelling theme about refugees making a go of it in their new country among pioneers." See more 03/12/2011 fun enough film about John Wayne trying to lead a group of farmers to Oregon as well as romance a woman who fled from nazi germany See more 11/24/2009 Simply a 'western' narrative under the guise of the modern day. Is both patriotic and semi-political for the time it was made. The love interest which dominates is a paint by numbers job. See more 08/20/2009 Hmmm... there is an interesting amalgam of themes in THREE FACES WEST, which is part anti-nazi propaganda set within the Dust Bowl but plays out like a modern western. During a radio program called WE THE PEOPLE a group of doctors are introduced to the american public. The doctors are all refugees from Europe and hope to gain employment in the United States but do not want to compete for jobs with existing american doctors. A message is broadcast. Any place looking for a doctor can contact the show. Soon after the broadcast, a telegram is received from a small town in North Dakota seeking the services of one of the doctors - specifically Dr. Karl Braun (Charles Coburn) who had fled Vienna along with his daughter Leni (Sigrid Gurie). The townsfolk had even pooled their money for train fare for the two. During their journey from New York City, Dr. Braun and Leni enjoy the view out of the train window. Dr. Braun reflects, "2,000 miles we've travelled...no soldiers to be seen...no frontiers to be crossed...no custom houses...no guards...America." But their high optimism for a bright future is tempered when they arrive at their destination of Ashevile Fork in the middle of the night during a raging dust storm. There to greet them at the train station is the defacto head of the town, John Phillips (John Wayne) along with his grumpy side-kick, "Nunk" Atterbury (Spencer Charters), the acting doc of the town (though he really is the veterinarian). "Cow Doc" as Phillips calls him. Before Phillips can even drive Dr. Braun and Leni to their new home, they make 3 emergency house calls along the way. A mother suffering from pneumonia, an old farmer with a dislocated shoulder, and someone whose illness was just too far along for the doctor to do any good. The dedicated doctor is exhaused but willing to stay - unlike the disillusioned daughter - who wants to leave the very next morning. The last straw being when Phillips shows her the dilapidated home where she and the doctor is to live. This movie has a good premise IMO. It's interesting to see the change in Leni's personality as she becomes used to living in the town which shows sign of recovery when the townsfolk start helping each other out. Leni soon finds herself falling in love with Phillips. The problem arises during the last third of the flick when the writers IMO just appeared to run out of ideas on how to resolve the story in any likely satisfactory matter. The town is hit by another dust storm and the townsfolk decide to up and move. They all pack up their belongs into their cars and trucks - and the caravan heads for Oregon. There is a malcontent among them who rebels against Phillips because he wants the caravan to move to California instead. There is also a most unlikely subplot involving Leni's former fiancé which just ruins this further...oh well. 5.5 - mostly for the first half of the film See more 03/11/2009 Outstanding movie John Wayne is my family favorite actor See more Read all reviews

Three Faces West

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