I'm currently at the point where I've seen so many westerns about the cavalry fighting Native Americans that they are all blending together now. I honestly did not care about the plot of "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" because it has been done to death. What makes westerns of this caliber stand out among the vast range of competing films is not plot or characters, but anything else eye-catching. Something unique that the viewer will remember long after the movie is finished.
For "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon," that would be its use of Technicolor. There is a distinct charm to Technicolor films that you do not see in today's films, where certain colors feel drained and others practically pop off the screen. If there is one color that was made for that type of camera work it would be red. The setting sun and its reach across the tall clouds was mesmerizing in this movie. I could have stared at the backgrounds for hours. Though it certainly helps that the film was mostly shot in Monument Valley, which John Ford always knows how to capture perfectly.
Overall, "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" is an average western tale that is bolstered by some colorful cinematography. I found myself being more entertained when the film did not focus on its characters and instead let the calm feeling of Monument Valley set in. The film does not do anything terrible, so if you're bored and want to watch an okay John Ford western, then give this one a shot.
Final Grade: C
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