There are only a few classic American directors that have the distinction to be called one of the greatest of all time, and John Ford is in that esteem category. His talent of perfectly illustrating on film the American Frontier (1800s to early 1900s) is not just entertaining, exciting, and romanticized, but his films are laced with folklore, cultural relevance, and history that make him a one-of-a-kind director in the western genre. Back in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Ford established himself early on as a top auteur of western films, and made some of the best movies that represented American values. In Ford’s extraordinary take on the classic story of Wyatt Earp, he constructs the film in a new direction. “Most westerns puts the emphasis on the showdown. My Darling Clementine builds up to the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral, but it is more about everyday things - haircuts, romance, friendship, poker, and illness” (Ebert 304). The film begins with the lively tune of “Oh My Darling, Clementine” sung over the opening credits, an American folk ballad by Percy Montrose (1884), that sets the tone of the entire film. The year is 1882 and “former lawman Wyatt Earp, who, after cleaning up Dodge City, arrives in the outskirts of Tombstone with his brothers Morgan (Ward Bond), Virgil (Tim Holt), and James (Don Garner), planning to sell their cattle and settle down as gentlemen farmers“ (Fandango), west toward California. But that is not the case, soon after arriving in town their cattle are rustled away from them, and the youngest brother James is killed in the theft. “Wyatt, disgusted by crime and cattle rustling, eventually agrees to take the marshalling job until he can gather enough evidence to bring to justice the scurrilous Clanton clan, headed by smooth-talking but shifty-eyed Old Man Clanton (Walter Brennan). Almost immediately, Wyatt runs afoul of consumptive, self-hating gambling boss Doc Holliday (Victor Mature, in perhaps his best performance). When Doc’s erstwhile sweetheart, Clementine (Cathy
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His four Academy Awards for Best Director remain a record. One of the films for which he won the award, How Green Was My Valley, also won Best Picture. During World War II, Commander John Ford, served in the United States Navy and as head of the photographic unit for the Office of Strategic Services, made documentaries for the Navy Department” (Wikipedia). Ford’s own filmmaking style was evident with his Westerns and war movies in that he “rarely used camera movements in his films, reserving them only for very specific moments. Also avoided close-ups as much as possible. (He) rarely shot a scene with more than two takes and frequently cast (actors) John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara, Ward Bond, and James Stewart, (whose) characters are often morally grey individuals trying to survive a harsh world “ (IMDb, …show more content…
In the film, My Darling Clementine, the climatic showdown of the famous gunfight at the end of the movie seems more like a natural coincidence and part of the lavish Arizona background than a main focal point. “Ford’s ability to communicate through images rather than relying on the script, which he insisted be reduced to a bare minimum” (Schneider 65). During Ford’s career, he “directed more than 140 films (although most of his silent films are now lost) and he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential film-makers of his generation“
His four Academy Awards for Best Director remain a record. One of the films for which he won the award, How Green Was My Valley, also won Best Picture. During World War II, Commander John Ford, served in the United States Navy and as head of the photographic unit for the Office of Strategic Services, made documentaries for the Navy Department” (Wikipedia). Ford’s own filmmaking style was evident with his Westerns and war movies in that he “rarely used camera movements in his films, reserving them only for very specific moments. Also avoided close-ups as much as possible. (He) rarely shot a scene with more than two takes and frequently cast (actors) John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara, Ward Bond, and James Stewart, (whose) characters are often morally grey individuals trying to survive a harsh world “ (IMDb, …show more content…
In the film, My Darling Clementine, the climatic showdown of the famous gunfight at the end of the movie seems more like a natural coincidence and part of the lavish Arizona background than a main focal point. “Ford’s ability to communicate through images rather than relying on the script, which he insisted be reduced to a bare minimum” (Schneider 65). During Ford’s career, he “directed more than 140 films (although most of his silent films are now lost) and he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential film-makers of his generation“