John Ford Scrapped Planned Battle Ending for John Wayne's 'The Horse Soldiers' After Tragic Onset Death

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In the 1959 Civil War film The Horse Soldiers, starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford, the original plan was to end the movie with a climactic battle sequence. However, after a tragic onset accident resulted in the death of a longtime Ford collaborator, the director decided to scrap the battle ending and instead conclude the film on a more somber note, with the Union forces retreating to fight another day.

Why it matters

The Horse Soldiers is considered one of the lesser-known collaborations between Wayne and Ford, two of the most iconic figures in Hollywood's Golden Age. The director's decision to alter the film's ending in the wake of the onset tragedy provides insight into Ford's filmmaking process and his personal investment in the well-being of his crew, as well as the ways in which real-life events can shape the creative decisions behind a classic movie.

The details

Based on the Harold Sinclair novel, The Horse Soldiers follows a Union cavalry unit led by Captain John Marlowe (Wayne) as they venture behind enemy lines to disrupt the Confederacy's supply chain. Along the way, they encounter and take captive a young woman named Hannah Hunter (Constance Towers), who becomes vital to the mission. The original plan was for the film to culminate in a grand battle sequence as Marlowe's forces raced toward Baton Rouge. However, during the filming of an action scene prior to the location shoots, stuntman Fred Kennedy was killed in a tragic accident. Ford, who had worked with Kennedy for decades, was deeply affected by the loss and decided to scrap the planned battle ending, opting instead for a more somber conclusion where Marlowe retreats to fight another day, leaving some of his comrades behind.

• The accident that killed stuntman Fred Kennedy occurred shortly before the filming of the final battle sequence.
• The Horse Soldiers was released in theaters in 1959.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Horse Soldiers remains one of the lesser-known collaborations between John Wayne and John Ford, but the director's decision to alter the film's ending in the wake of a tragic onset accident provides valuable insight into his filmmaking process and personal approach to working with his crew. As Ford's biographer Scott Eyman noted, the director felt a deep sense of responsibility for everyone on set, and the death of stuntman Fred Kennedy deeply affected him, leading to the more somber conclusion of The Horse Soldiers.