TRIVIA CORNER
In the late 1950's, this film project was originally intended for director Andre De Toth.
De Toth
later directed Jeff in Gold for the Caesars (1963).
SERGEANT RUTLEDGE .... 1960
(Lt. Tom
Cantrell, counsel for the defense) In his last film for director John Ford, Jeff is stalwart and sincere
as a U.S. Cavalry legal officer defending a black sergeant wrongly accused of
the rape and murder of a white girl. Woody Strode gives a strong
performance as the accused in this ground-breaking Western focused on the (at
the time) rarely-touched subject of racism. Also with Constance Towers, Juano
Hernandez, Willis Bouchey, and Billie Burke.