Sergeant Rutledge - 7

I didn't grow up watching westerns and I don't know a whole lot about the films of John Ford. Lucky for me Jason does. So when he recommended The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, which I loved, I started paying attention. And while I was less impressed with Ford's Stagecaoch, Sergeant Rutledge revived my love of Westerns and Ford. This film is actually more courtroom drama than traditional western. Sergeant Rutledge (a black officer in the Army- played by Woody Strode) is charged with a crime that takes most of the first half of the movie to even find out as accounts are given by many different witnesses to finally get at the truth of the situation. I don't want to give to much away, but you should see this film. It is ahead of its time (1960) on issues of race- this is the first film to have an African-American for a namesake and main character.