Cast
What it is about
Cheyenne Harry, the owner of a prosperous ranch in the American West, marries Aileen Judson-Brown after his cowboys place a newspaper advertisement looking for a wife for him. The couple begins their life together in the home of Aileen's mother, an ambitious woman who soon turns everyday family life into a field of schemes. The comedy relies on domestic tensions and on the misunderstandings that arise among the characters.
How it was made
Roped was directed by John Ford and starred Harry Carey, with whom Ford worked on at least twenty-five films between 1917 and 1921. Ford regarded Carey as a mentor, and the two developed story ideas together for several of their pictures. According to the sources, Carey earned considerably more per film than Ford; in 1919 Ford was making about 300 dollars a week, while Carey made 1,250, a gap that created tension between them. The sixty-minute film blends Western and comedy.
Reception and legacy
Roped is considered a lost film today, so its reputation rests largely on the documentation of its period. It belongs to the early phase of John Ford's career, before the works that established his reputation, and it offers a window into his partnership with Carey.
Stills
Trivia
Pay gap
In 1919 Carey earned about 1,250 dollars a week, while Ford made around 300. The gap was a source of tension between the two.
Lost film
Roped is now considered lost, which makes it a difficult case for studying Ford's early period.
More films by John Ford
How Green Was My Valley
The Grapes of Wrath
The Quiet Man
The Informer
Stagecoach
How the West Was WonOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.