MOVIE

Three Jumps Ahead

1923 · 50 min · Western

A tale of the western plains where the best man wins. Wild rides down steep mountains, and a mad plunge in a careening stage coach lead up to a thrilling leap over a canyon 20 feet wide and 90 feet deep.

John Ford both directed and wrote the story (based on his published work The Hostage), a typical western romance in which Mix falls for the daughter of an imperiled rancher. This above-average Tom Mix western contains one of the star's more spectacular stunts -- a jump on horseback across the 20-foot Beale's Cut. Truth be told, the star, who frequently did his own stunt work, was forced to use a double this time