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Two Rode Together is a 1961 Western film based on the novel Comanche Captives by Will Cook. The movie is directed by John Ford and stars James Stewart, Richard Widmark, and Shirley Jones. Two Rode Together tells the story of Marshal Guthrie McCabe (Stewart), a cynical and bored lawman stationed in a small town in Texas. He is tasked by a wealthy and influential businessman, Fergus McClelland (John McIntire), to accompany him on a mission to rescue white hostages captured by the Comanche Indian tribe. McCabe's reluctance to take up the job is evident, as he is convinced that the hostages have been so corrupted by their captors that they are no longer fit for civilized society.

Despite his misgivings, McCabe sets out with McClelland and Lieutenant Jim Gary (Widmark), the only survivor of a previous rescue mission, to find the hostages. They soon find the captives, a group of women, children, and one man, who have been living with the Comanches for years. Among them is Elena de la Madriaga (Jones), a beautiful Mexican woman who has become the wife of the Comanche chief, Quanah Parker (Woody Strode).

McCabe and McClelland manage to purchase the hostages from the Comanches, but their return journey is fraught with danger and uncertainty. The hostages are genuinely happy and content with their captors, and the two men soon realize that they have underestimated the strong bond that has formed between them and the Comanches. They are also faced with hostility from the townspeople, who are unwilling to accept the hostages back into society, and instead treat them as outcasts. McCabe and Gary must navigate through these complex emotions and situations to try to find a way to solve the problem.

Throughout the movie, the themes of cultural myths and the harsh realities of life on the frontier are explored. The Comanches are portrayed as ruthless and uncivilized, but the film also highlights their rich and complex culture, their relationship with nature, and their fierce loyalty to their tribe. The hostages, on the other hand, are initially seen as being saved from a savage existence to a civilized one, only to discover that they have become outsiders and are no longer capable of rejoining their former lives.

Two Rode Together is a character-driven film that features strong performances from its lead actors. Stewart displays his versatility as he deftly maneuvers through the various emotions of his cynical and unscrupulous character. Widmark, as his assistant, showcases his trademark intensity, while Jones gives a sensitive portrayal of a woman torn between two cultures.

Ford's direction brings out the best in his actors, and the movie's cinematography is another highlight. Shot on location in Arizona and Utah, the film captures the vastness and beauty of the American Southwest.

However, Two Rode Together was not well-received upon release, and critics largely dismissed it as flawed and disjointed. The film's dark themes, ambiguous ending, and portrayal of Native Americans were not popular at the time, and some viewed the movie as an uncomfortable reminder of the gulf between white settlers and Native Americans.

Despite its lukewarm reception, Two Rode Together remains an important film in Ford's oeuvre, and a fascinating example of the Western genre in transition. It highlights the complex and nuanced themes that would come to define the Westerns of the 1960s, which often dealt with the harsh realities of the frontier and the moral ambiguities of Manifest Destiny.

Two Rode Together is a 1961 western with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7.