Reviews of movies directed by John Ford.
Grade: C-
Synopsis: During the Civil War, a Union Cavalry Colonel (John Wayne) clashes with a pacifist surgeon (William Holden) assigned to his outfit for a raid deep into confederate territory.
Despite the combined talents of director John Ford and stars John Wayne and William Holden, The Horse Soldiers is a disappointment, and if anyone’s to blame, it’s likely Ford. MORE »
Grade: C+
Synopsis: A marine captain (James Cagney) rivals a sergeant (Dan Dailey) for an innkeeper’s daughter in World War I France.
What Price Glory shouldn’t work. It’s an awkward mix of comedy and drama that never finds the right voice or balance. To top it off, it was originally conceived and planned as a musical. But it’s a testament to the strength of James Cagney that the film does work, as his larger-than-life performance eclipses most of the film’s shortcomings. MORE »
Grade: C+
Synopsis: A mild-mannered office clerk (Edward G. Robinson) discovers that he’s a dead ringer for a notorious gangster (Edward G. Robinson).
The Whole Town’s Talking is a rare example of a 30’s comedy that doesn’t rely on broad physical comedy, or inane characterization. Instead, director John Ford melds a gangster thriller with a refreshingly original case of mistaken identity for an enjoyable ride. MORE »
Grade: C+
Synopsis: A Mormon leader (Ward Bond) hires a pair of horse traders (Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr.) to lead his followers to a colony across the Utah desert.
Wagon Master, with its Monument Valley exteriors, looks and feels like one of director John Ford’s Calvary westerns, minus stars John Wayne and Victor McLaglen. Indeed, the rest of the Ford stock company are present, Ward Bond, Ben Johnson, and Harry Carey Jr., and you spend a good portion of the movie waiting, at least subconsciously, for Wayne or McLaglen to make their entrance. MORE »
Grade: B
Synopsis: An officer (Henry Fonda) aboard a World War II cargo ship longs for a transfer to the front, something his tyrannical captain (James Cagney) won’t allow.
Considering all the drama involved behind the scenes, it’s amazing Mister Roberts is even watchable, let alone that it’s as good as it is. For starters, to studio wanted a younger lead, looking to Marlon Brando, William Holden, and Tyrone Power instead of Henry Fonda, who won a Tony Award in the original Broadway play. Fonda only got the part after director John Ford insisted, only to later come to blows with the director during production over how the role should be played. This, combined with an emergency gall-bladder operation led to Ford being replaced by Mervyn LeRoy, who finished the film. As if that wasn’t enough, the studio then brought in Joshua Logan, who’d directed and co-wrote the Broadway production to reshoot some sequences. Yet, despite no less than three directors, the film still works. MORE »
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