3 Bad Men

3 Bad Men (1926) is a Western. Its first half is mainly comedy and romance; its second half is full of drama and action. The men of the title are three outlaws, who look after the heroine of the movie. The three outlaws are treated both comically and sympathetically. Their rich characterizations are terrific. They anticipate the comic, good natured crooks that will show up in Ford's prison comedy, Up the River (1930). Both films have a complete lack of realism in dealing with crooks: real life criminals are a pretty sorry lot. But both films' crooks are a swell bunch of ordinary guys, whose villainy takes place off screen, prior to the films' beginnings. Both get involved in much irresistible comic and sentimental business. In both films, the rowdy crooks protect and look after a young, refined romantic couple.

Why have you made so many Westerns?
<i>For health reasons. Westerns are a chance to get away from Hollywood and the smog. Its a film in which you work with nice people and in nature. You live in the open, sleep unter a tent, eat delicious things from chuck wagon, barbecue your meat. Its great fun. At night you get together and sing songs.</i>
John Ford talking with Bertrand Tavernier, 1966
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</i> im Gespräch mit Bill Libby, 1964