Which John Ford film stars Woody Strode as Sergeant Braxton Rutledge?

John Ford’s film starring Woody Strode as Sergeant Braxton Rutledge is Sergeant Rutledge.

Released in 1960, Sergeant Rutledge is a Technicolor Western directed by John Ford and set in the early 1880s. Strode plays First Sergeant Braxton Rutledge, a Black cavalryman in the 9th United States Cavalry, one of the regiments popularly known as the Buffalo Soldiers. The story centers on his court-martial after he is accused of raping and murdering a White woman and killing her father, an Army officer.

The film unfolds largely through courtroom testimony and flashbacks. Lieutenant Tom Cantrell, played by Jeffrey Hunter, defends Rutledge, while Constance Towers plays Mary Beecher, whose testimony helps reveal Rutledge’s character and courage. The narrative ultimately exposes the weakness of the case against him.

A common mix-up is confusing this title with Ford’s cavalry films Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, or Rio Grande. Sergeant Rutledge is a separate film and is especially notable for giving Strode a major dramatic leading role while confronting racism and prejudice in the American West.