She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

Set in 1876, shortly after the destruction of Custer's regiment, this Western follows Captain Nathan Brittles, a veteran cavalry officer only days away from retirement. With Indian tribes preparing for war, Brittles is sent on one last patrol. He is also ordered to evacuate the fort commander's wife and her niece, and he becomes aware that a trader intends to sell guns to the tribes. Olivia Dandridge, the niece, has drawn the attention of two young officers, and the yellow ribbon she wears in her hair signals a suitor in the cavalry, though she will not say which man she favors.

John Ford directed, working from a screenplay by Laurence Stallings and Frank S. Nugent, with Merian C. Cooper producing. It was Ford's thirteenth film as director in chronological order, following 3 Godfathers and preceding Rio Grande. John Wayne plays Brittles, heading a cast that includes Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr. and Victor McLaglen.

Made for about two million dollars, the film returned roughly five million worldwide. It holds a 7.2 rating on IMDb from around 21,000 votes and a 6.9 on TMDB from 418 votes, while a critics' rating of 7.9 from 24 reviews places it above both audience scores.