Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

dropdeademail The premises of this movie are hokey Hollywood nonsense. No medical staff would be insubordinate like Holden portrays, and in the field he'd be required to keep to his assignment and jump to when ordered. Nor would his commanding officer be fetching his bag upon orders, etc. Utter nonsense. The female lead, knowingly spying, if not shot would have been tied up and gagged and never gotten away with the rubbish she carries on in this movie. And the politician was so overly bad as to be something from a Laurel and Hardy slapstick comedy. Ugh.

TheLittleSongbird John Ford was a truly great director, even one of the finest, where even minor or lesser works still had interest value and were much better than a lot of directors at their best. While whether John Wayne was a great actor or not has always divided people, he was definitely a great star and very charismatic.'The Horse Soldiers' is not their best collaboration, my personal favourite is 'The Searchers' and not quite among their best. This said it is very hard to say that, because they made so many great films together, and their best efforts being masterpieces. In no way though is that knocking the quality of 'The Horse Soldiers', because regardless of any inaccuracies it is stirring enough, often the very meaning of epic and while very fondly remembered here it deserves to be better known and it is quite a shame that apparently it wasn't particularly well-liked on release.It isn't perfect by all means, at least to me. Constance Towers is radiant and the chemistry with her fellow actors is good, but she does have a tendency to overplay the feistiness so the character can come over as irritating. The romantic elements weren't as interesting as the rest of the film and elements, and felt shoe-horned in, and while almost all the music is sensational the opening song is an ill-fit, both in the context of the film and doesn't come over as a particularly great film now.However, 'The Horse Soldiers' is a visual wonder. Throughout there is stunning use of landscape and even more stunning cinematography that make for so many striking, rousing and sometimes poetic images. Ford's direction is exemplary and a strong example as to what made him so revered as a director. David Buttolph's music score couldn't have been more superbly fitting, and it is an absolutely outstanding music score in its own right with rousing and affecting use of army choruses that capture the film's mood wonderfully.Scripting is literate and thoughtful, if occasionally a little talky, and dramatically 'The Horse Soldiers' is convincing and the characters are ones that are developed nicely and ones that are easy to care for. Seeing Wayne and William Holden together is particularly well-realised, their contrasting personalities are incredibly interesting, when it could easily have been an awkward mismatch, and adding a nostalgic value. The story, not a western despite being what Ford and Wayne were particularly famous for, rarely feels dull and has enough marvellous set pieces and emotional impact to satisfy. The most memorable sequence is the one with the southern military cadets laying down their young lives on order. The whole ending is powerful and very poignant.Wayne is very charismatic in his role, but brings more than just that and star power, there is also complexity and nuance. Holden is more subdued than usual, and while not one of his best performances it is a suitably nuanced turn that fits the character perfectly and makes him mesh well with everything else. Towers aside, the rest of the cast are fine though some Ford regulars are sadly missed.Overall, a stirring, underrated and very watchable epic, even if there are better Wayne/Ford collaborations around. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Edgar Allan Pooh . . . William Holden demands of John Wayne halfway through THE HORSE SOLDIERS. I've always wondered what the technical term is for the odd-looking "Dagwood Bumstead"-style chest garments Mr. Wayne seems to affect for most of his flicks (whether he's supposed to be a civilian, or again if he's supposedly in the Pre-"Don't ask, don't tell" U.S. Military, as in THE HORSE SOLDIERS). The closest that I've seen any other actor come to Mr. Wayne's iconic upper body costumes has been George Lazenby as "James Bond," in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. While Mr. Lazenby's top may have had an extra flourish compared to "Il Duce's," Mr. Holden's word "blouse" certainly seems an apt description of both men's upper garments. There's probably enough thanks to split between Mr. Holden, the HORSE screenwriters, and director John Ford for finally setting the world straight about Mr. Wayne's orientation. Even many of today's commentators won't touch this topic with a ten-foot pole, fearing that the reach of Hollywood's most famous Bully Boy (see TRUMBO) may even extend from the Grave. However, a lot of sound bites have been released recently from another of "Il Duce's" directors, William A. Wellman, which back up William Holden's insinuation in HORSE.

SanteeFats I think that this is one of the best U.S. Cavalry movies made, at least concerning one plot line. The fact that it is based on an actual raid makes it that much better. Of course the captured Southern belle and all the drama that entails plus the scenes with the Rebel deserters at the barn and at the saloon turned into a hospital after the not a surprise attack by Rebels from the train had to have been put in for effect. There is some good humor in the movie from the two sergeants who can not seem to keep the woman who must accompany the regiment when she learns the Union plans from trying to run for it to the reactions when the boys military academy charges the resting troops. William Holden plays the smart ass doctor. He does it very well and shows good character by staying with the wounded from both sides when the Union troops have to get across and blow the bridge to get away from Bedford Forest's pursuing cavalry.