John Ford Essay, Research Paper

John Ford

Dorothy R. Donahoo

English 2145

Dr. Klink

04/03/99

John Ford was an American motion-picture director. Winner of four Academy Awards, and is known as one of America’s great film directors. He began his career in the film industry around 1913. According to Ellis, Ford’s style is evident in both the themes he is drawn toward and the visual treatment of those themes, in his direction of the camera and in what’s in front of it. Although he began his career in the silent film area and continued to work fruitfully for decades after the thirties, Ford reached creative maturity in the thirties. Ford, unlike other directors continued to do some of his finest work after the nineteen thirties. Nevertheless, he shaped his art into personal and full expression during those precedent-setting years. (Pg.200)

Ford directed more than two hundred movies throughout his career. Following in his brother’s foot steps; Ford produced, directed, and wrote many films. Throughout his career, which spanned nearly fifty years, he worked for such studios as Universal, Fox Film Corporation, RKO, United Artists, 20th Century Fox, Republic Pictures, and Warner Brothers. John Ford was born to Irish immigrants on February 1, 1894 or 1895, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. His birth name was Sean Aloysius O’Fearna (Feeney). He changed his name when he began his career in the film industry. John’s brother, Frances Ford took him under his wing and showed him the ropes. He started out in Hollywood by doing stunt work, camera work, and film editing. In addition, Ford performed in such movies as Lucille Love, Girl of Mystery (1914), The Mysterious Rose (1914), The Broken Coin (1915), The Hidden City (1915), The Bandit’s Wager (1916), The Lumber Yard Gang (1916), and Chicken-Hearted Jim (1916). He even played one of the Klansman extras in D.W. Griffith’s historical epic, The Birth of a Nation (1915). Ford also performed and was assistant director in the film The Doorway of Destruction (1915). However, by 1917, he was working almost entirely as a director.

According to MacIntyre, the first studio John directed for was Universal Studios. During his early days in cinema, many of his films were short Westerns. His first film with Universal in 1917 was, The Soul Herder starring Harry Carey Sr. Carey would become a lifelong friend of Ford. Most of his early films were short Westerns, many of them starring Carey and occasionally Hoot Gibson. During the next couple of years 1917-1921, Ford would direct a number of Westerns for Universal Studios. In addition, he wrote, directed, and starred in at least three of the films The Trail of Hate (1917), The Tornado (1917), and The Scrapper (1917). However, the majority of his time with Universal was spent directing. (Pg. 1 of web pg.)

In 1921, John moved to Fox Film Corporation and directed such stars as John Gilbert, Tom Mix, Madge Bellamy, Henry B. Walthall, Janet Gaynor, and George O’Brien. In addition, Ford discovered O’Brien. Through the 1920’s, he began assembling such talent as John Wayne, Fred Kohler, Victor McLaglen, and J. Farrell MacDonald. According to Sklar, the turning point in Ford’s career occurred when he directed his first historical epic, The Iron Horse (1924). A brilliant storyteller, Ford soon developed a distinctive style as a director, displaying not only a consistent point of view but also thematic continuity over time. Ford gave his films more than grandness he celebrated everyday people. It was a formula that he would repeat film after film with great success. Ford was a director that was able to work within the changing studio structure and still express his own individuality. Other films Ford directed while at Fox Film Corporation were Cameo Kirby (1923) starring John Gilbert, Three Bad Men (1926) starring O’Brien, and Hangman’s House (1928) starring June Collyer and Victor McLaglen. However, In order to save money during the changing structure of the studio system and the depression, Fox replaced Ford in 1931 with three directing teams. This saved Fox almost fifty percent of the salary of Ford. (Pg. 218-19, 417-18)

Ford’s next move would be to RKO studios. During the next couple of years, Ford directed at least a dozen films. His breakthrough as a director came in 1935, when he convinced Merian C. Cooper, production chief at RKO studio’s, to let him film Liam O’Flaherty’s novel The Informer. This was during the early years of sound. The Informer relates chiefly, among Ford’s preoccupations, to his Irishness. The film was known as the first great American art film. The Informer was the first of many Oscars and honors Ford received throughout his career.

Ford’s next move would be to United Artist in 1938, where he directed StageCoach starring John Wayne in1939. Ford gave this film the shape and unity of The Covered Wagon by focusing on the adventures of a single stage and its occupants. In 1940, Ford’s monumental epic The Grapes of Wrath based on John Steinbeck’s novel about migrant farmers in the Great Depression. In 1941, he produced, How Green Was My Valley, based on John Llewellyn’s novel of the Welsh depressed areas.

Ford had emerged in the silent era as a director of Westerns, and he bought to his mature work a developed view of American history. Through out his career as an actor, director, film producer, writer and cinematographer his first major recognition came with a best director award for The Informer. However, his most enduring works from the period were on American themes, i.e. Stagecoach, Drums Along the Mohawk, Young Mr. Lincoln, and The Gapes of Wrath. Ford has often been regarded as an outdoor director, with special affinities for the American landscape.

According to, Http://us.imdb.com/name?Ford,+John, below is a list of films John

Ford’s films that he was involved with in one way or another.

John Ford Filmography

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Director filmography

(1970s) (1960s) (1950s) (1940s) (1930s) (1920s) (1910s)

1. Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend (1970)

2. 7 Women (1966)

… AKA Seven Women (1966)

3. Young Cassidy (1965) (uncredited)

4. Cheyenne Autumn (1964)

5. Donovan’s Reef (1963)

6. How the West Was Won (1962) (segment “Civil War, The”)

7. Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The (1962)

8. Flashing Spikes (1962) (TV)

9. Two Rode Together (1961)

10. Sergeant Rutledge (1960)

11. Horse Soldiers, The (1959)

12. Korea (1959)

13. Gideon’s Day (1958)

… AKA Gideon of Scotland Yard (1958)

14. Last Hurrah, The (1958)

15. “Wagon Train” (1957) TV Series

… AKA “Major Adams, Trail Master” (1957)

16. Wings of Eagles, The (1957)

17. Rising of the Moon, The (1957)

18. Searchers, The (1956)

19. Rookie of the Year (1955) (TV)

20. Mister Roberts (1955)

21. Long Gray Line, The (1955)

22. Bamboo Cross, The (1955) (TV)

23. Mogambo (1953)

24. Sun Shines Bright, The (1953)

25. Quiet Man, The (1952)

26. What Price Glory (1952)

27. This Is Korea (1951)

28. Rio Grande (1950)

29. Wagon Master (1950)

30. When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)

31. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

32. Pinky (1949) (uncredited)

33. 3 Godfathers (1948)

34. Fort Apache (1948)

… AKA War Party (1948)

35. Fugitive, The (1947)

36. My Darling Clementine (1946)

37. They Were Expendable (1945)

38. December 7th (1943)

… AKA December 7th: The Movie (1991) (video title) (restored version)

39. We Sail at Midnight (1943)

40. Battle of Midway, The (1942)

41. Torpedo Squadron (1942)

42. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

43. Tobacco Road (1941)

44. Sex Hygiene (1941)

45. Long Voyage Home, The (1940)

46. Grapes of Wrath, The (1940)

47. Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

48. Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)

49. Stagecoach (1939)

50. Four Men and a Prayer (1938)

51. Submarine Patrol (1938)

52. Hurricane, The (1937)

53. Wee Willie Winkie (1937)

54. Mary of Scotland (1936)

55. Plough and the Stars, The (1936)

56. Prisoner of Shark Island, The (1936)

57. Informer, The (1935)

58. Whole Town’s Talking, The (1935)

… AKA Passport to Fame (1935)

59. Steamboat ‘Round the Bend (1935)

… AKA Steamboat Bill (1935)

60. Lost Patrol, The (1934)

61. Judge Priest (1934)

62. World Moves On, The (1934)

63. Doctor Bull (1933)

64. Pilgrimage (1933)

65. Air Mail (1932)

… AKA Airmail (1932)

66. Flesh (1932)

67. Arrowsmith (1931)

68. Brat, The (1931)

69. Seas Beneath, The (1931)

70. Up the River (1930)

71. Born Reckless (1930)

72. Men Without Women (1930)

73. Salute (1929)

74. Black Watch, The (1929)

75. Strong Boy (1929)

76. Riley the Cop (1928)

77. Hangman’s House (1928)

78. Four Sons (1928)

79. Mother Machree (1928)

80. Napoleon’s Barber (1928)

81. Upstream (1927)

82. Blue Eagle, The (1926)

83. Three Bad Men (1926)

84. Shamrock Handicap, The (1926)

85. Thank You (1925)

86. Fighting Heart, The (1925)

87. Kentucky Pride (1925)

88. Lightnin’ (1925)

89. Hearts of Oak (1924)

90. Iron Horse, The (1924)

91. North of Hudson Bay (1923) (as Jack Ford)

92. Cameo Kirby (1923)

93. Three Jumps Ahead (1923) (as Jack Ford)

94. Face on the Bar-Room Floor, The (1923) (as Jack Ford)

95. Hoodman Blind (1923)

96. Silver Wings (1922) (as Jack Ford) (prologue only)

97. Little Miss Smiles (1922) (as Jack Ford)

98. Village Blacksmith, The (1922) (as Jack Ford)

99. Jackie (1921) (as Jack Ford)

100. Action (1921) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Let’s Go (1921)

101. Wallop, The (1921) (as Jack Ford)

102. Freeze-Out, The (1921) (as Jack Ford)

103. Big Punch, The (1921) (as Jack Ford)

104. Desperate Trails (1921) (as Jack Ford)

105. Sure Fire (1921) (as Jack Ford)

106. Girl in Number 29, The (1920) (as Jack Ford)

107. Hitchin’ Posts (1920) (as Jack Ford)

108. Just Pals (1920) (as Jack Ford)

109. Prince of Avenue A, The (1920) (as Jack Ford)

110. Rider of the Law (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Jim of the Rangers (1919)

111. Ace of the Saddle (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Last Outlaw, The (1919)

112. Riders of Vengeance (1919) (as Jack Ford)

113. Bare Fists (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Man Who Wouldn’t Shoot, The (1919)

114. Fight for Love, A (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Hell’s Neck (1919)

115. By Indian Post (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Love Letter, The (1919)

116. Fighting Brothers, The (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA His Buddy (1919)

117. Gun Fightin’ Gentleman, A (1919) (as Jack Ford)

118. Gun Law (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Posse’s Prey, The (1919)

119. Gun Packer, The (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Out Wyoming Way (1919)

120. Marked Men (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Trail of Shadows (1919)

121. Outcasts of Poker Flat, The (1919) (as Jack Ford)

122. Roped (1919) (as Jack Ford)

123. Rustlers (1919) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Even Money (1919)

124. Delirium (1918)

125. Hell Bent (1918) (as Jack Ford)

126. Phantom Riders, The (1918) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Range War, The (1918)

127. Scarlet Drop, The (1918) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Hill Billy (1918)

128. Thieves’ Gold (1918) (as Jack Ford)

129. Three Mounted Men (1918) (as Jack Ford)

130. Wild Women (1918) (as Jack Ford)

131. Woman’s Fool, A (1918) (as Jack Ford)

132. Bucking Broadway (1917) (as Jack Ford)

133. Cheyenne’s Pal (1917) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Cactus My Pal (1917)

… AKA Dumb Friend, A (1917)

134. Marked Man, A (1917) (as Jack Ford)

135. Red Saunders Plays Cupid (1917)

136. Scrapper, The (1917) (as Jack Ford)

137. Secret Man, The (1917) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Round Up, The (1917)

… AKA Up Against It (1917)

138. Soul Herder, The (1917) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Sky Pilot, The (1917)

139. Straight Shooting (1917) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Cattle War, The (1917)

… AKA Joan of the Cattle Country (1917)

… AKA Straight Shootin’ (1917)

140. Tornado, The (1917) (as Jack Ford)

141. Trail of Hate (1917)

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Producer filmography

(1960s) (1950s) (1940s) (1930s) (1920s)

1. 7 Women (1966)

… AKA Seven Women (1966)

2. Cheyenne Autumn (1964)

3. Donovan’s Reef (1963)

4. Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The (1962)

5. Two Rode Together (1961)

6. Last Hurrah, The (1958)

7. Sun Shines Bright, The (1953)

8. Quiet Man, The (1952)

9. Rio Grande (1950)

10. Wagon Master (1950)

11. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

12. Mighty Joe Young (1949) (executive)

… AKA Mr. Joseph Young of Africa (1949)

13. 3 Godfathers (1948)

14. Fort Apache (1948)

… AKA War Party (1948)

15. Fugitive, The (1947)

16. They Were Expendable (1945)

17. Battle of Midway, The (1942)

18. Stagecoach (1939)

19. Informer, The (1935)

20. Lost Patrol, The (1934)

21. Iron Horse, The (1924)

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Actor filmography

(1970s) (1950s) (1940s) (1920s) (1910s)

1. American West of John Ford, The (1971) (TV) …. Himself

… AKA Great American West of John Ford, The (1971) (TV)

2. Directed by John Ford (1971) …. Himself

3. Tales of Hoffmann (1951) …. Nathaniel (Prologue and Epilogue)

4. At the Front (1943) …. Himself

5. Big Time (1929) …. Himself

6. Purple Mask, The (1917) (unconfirmed)

7. Scrapper, The (1917) (as Jack Ford) …. Buck, the scrapper

8. Tornado, The (1917) (as Jack Ford) …. Jack Dayton

9. Trail of Hate (1917) (as Jack Ford) …. The lieutenant

10. Bandit’s Wager, The (1916) (as Jack Ford)

11. Chicken-Hearted Jim (1916) (as Jack Ford) …. Roughneck crewman

… AKA Chicken-Hearted Bill (1916)

12. Lumber Yard Gang, The (1916) (as Jack Ford) …. Cecil’s brother

13. Peg o’ the Ring (1916) (as Jack Ford) …. Dr. Lund Sr.’s accomplice

14. Birth of a Nation, The (1915) (as Jack Ford) …. Klansman

… AKA Birth of the Nation; Or The Clansman, The (1915) (second copyright title)

… AKA Clansman, The (1915) (USA: Los Angeles premi?re title)

15. Broken Coin, The (1915) (as Jack Ford)

16. Doorway of Destruction, The (1915) (as Jack Ford) …. Frank

17. Hidden City, The (1915) (as Jack Ford) …. Lt. Johns’ brother

18. Three Bad Men and a Girl (1915) (as Jack Ford) …. Jim

19. Mysterious Rose, The (1914) (as Jack Ford) …. ‘Bull’ Feeney

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Writer filmography

(1950s) (1940s) (1930s) (1920s) (1910s)

1. Wagon Master (1950) (story)

2. Battle of Midway, The (1942)

3. Last Outlaw, The (1936) (story)

4. Up the River (1930) (uncredited)

5. Men Without Women (1930) (story Submarine)

6. Three Bad Men (1926)

7. Three Jumps Ahead (1923) (as Jack Ford)

8. Big Punch, The (1921) (as Jack Ford)

9. Under Sentence (1920) (story) (as Jack Ford)

10. Riders of Vengeance (1919) (as Jack Ford)

11. Gun Fightin’ Gentleman, A (1919) (story) (as Jack Ford)

12. Gun Packer, The (1919) (story) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Out Wyoming Way (1919)

13. Hell Bent (1918) (as Jack Ford)

14. Scarlet Drop, The (1918) (story) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Hill Billy (1918)

15. Cheyenne’s Pal (1917) (story) (as Jack Ford)

… AKA Cactus My Pal (1917)

… AKA Dumb Friend, A (1917)

16. Marked Man, A (1917) (story) (as Jack Ford)

17. Scrapper, The (1917) (as Jack Ford)

18. Tornado, The (1917) (as Jack Ford)

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Miscellaneous crew filmography

(1960s) (1950s) (1930s) (1910s)

1. Alamo, The (1960) (director: second unit) (uncredited)

2. Hondo (1953) (director: second unit) (uncredited)

3. Bullfighter and the Lady (1951) (uncredited advisor)

4. Adventures of Marco Polo, The (1938) (director: second unit) (uncredited)

5. Lucille Love – The Girl of Mystery (1914) (props) (production assistant)

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Assistant Director filmography

1. Craving, The (1918) (assistant director) (as Jack Ford)

2. Broken Coin, The (1915) (assistant director)

3. Doorway of Destruction, The (1915) (assistant director)

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Cinematographer filmography

1. Battle of Midway, The (1942)

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Editor filmography

1. Battle of Midway, The (1942)

Filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Miscellaneous crew, Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Stunts

Stunts filmography

1. Lucille Love – The Girl of Mystery (1914) (stunts)

1. Ellis, J.C., A History of Film. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1985

2. Griffith, Richard and Mayer, Arthur, The Movies. New York, Simon and Schuster, 1970

3. Karr, K., The American Film Heritage. Washington D.C.: Acropolis Books LTD. 1972

4. MacIntyre, Diane, The Silents Majority, On-line Journal of Silent Film, at [email protected]. All rights reserved. Copyright ? 1997-98, 03/01/1999

5. Robinson and Lloyd, The Illustrated History of the Cinema. New York, N.Y.: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1986

6. Sklar, Robert, Film an International History of the Medium. New York, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1993

7. Http://us.imdb.com/name?Ford,+John, 03/01/1999

Ford, John. Orig. Sean Aloysius O’ Feeney -’fe-ne\ . 1895-1973. American motion-picture director, b. Cape Elizabeth, Me. Director of The Iron Horse (1924), The Informer (1935, Academy Award), Stagecoach (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940, Academy Award), Tobacco Road (1941), How Green Was My Valley (1941, Academy Award), My Darling Clementine (1946), Wagonmaster (1950), Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952, Academy Award), Mister Roberts (1955), The Searchers (1956), How the West Was Won (1962), Cheyenne Autumn (1964), etc.