They Came to Cordura

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

2.5K

YOUR RATING

Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, Michael Callan, and Dick York in They Came to Cordura (1959)

An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.

Play trailer2:41

1 Video

30 Photos

Classical Western Adventure Drama History War Western

An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

2.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total

Videos1

Trailer 2:41

Trailer

Photos30

+ 23

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Although Gary Cooper was 57, his character Major Thorn was forty years old according to the novel. Early in the film it is mentioned that Thorn's father had recently been killed while still on active service.

Goofs
Major Thorn improperly salutes Colonel DeRose in the opening scene when he is dismissed. He should have saluted and held his salute until it was acknowledged. Instead, he lowers his arm even before Colonel Rose acknowledges it.

Quotes
Major Thomas Thorn: Did you ever see the Medal of Honor?
Private Renziehausen: No, Sir.
Major Thomas Thorn: It's the most beautiful decoration of all, as it should be. I'd trade an ear for one any time, two in fact.
Private Renziehausen: Excuse me, Sir, but I'd rather have the ear.

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue:

On the night of March 8th, 1916, a large mounted force of Mexican rebels under Pancho Villa crossed the American Border and attacked the town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing and wounding both American civilians and soldiers.

As a result of this action,the United States Army sent an expedition into Mexico with orders to capture Villa and disperse his forces.

It was during this campaign that one man, an United States Army officer,was forced to come face to face with two of the great fundamental questions that affect mankind:

What Is Courage? What Is Cowardice?

This is the story of his search for an answer.

Connections
Featured in Stars of the Silver Screen: Rita Hayworth (2011)

User reviews47

Review

Featured review

6/10

faux flaws?

This is in response to comments on 'They Came to Cordura' regarding its dramatic weakness and flawed camera work and editing.

The flaws may be real, but they might not be the fault of the filmmaker (writer-director Robert Rossen).

Reportly, the film was taken out of Rossen's hands by the studio and drastically cut and re-cut. The director's original version, about 1/2 hour longer, was apparently much better, making much more dramatic sense.

Further, the movie was shot in CinemaScope, and comments on its poor cinematography and editing are likely based on viewing a crude pan & scan video copy. Such artificial flaws are common with panned & scanned widescreen movies.

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