Men like my father cannot die. They are with me still — real in memory as they were in flesh, loving and beloved forever. How green was my valley then.
– Huw Morgan, How Green Was My Valley
For me, the magic of cinema is embodied in the works of one director: John Ford. His films sparked a lifelong passion for history, particularly military history, igniting within me as a young teenager captivated by the flickering images on our old black and white television. It was through John Ford Films that I began to understand the power of storytelling and the visual poetry of filmmaking.
I vividly recall the afternoon I first encountered Ford’s cavalry masterpiece, Rio Grande. The sheer beauty of its narrative and cinematography was mesmerizing. Unlike anything I’d seen before, it painted a portrait of America’s mythical past with such classic elegance. As the credits rolled, a name caught my eye: John Ford. That moment marked the beginning of a profound and enduring fascination with this cinematic giant and his incredible body of work – the world of John Ford films opened up to me.
Later in my career, as Director of the Presidio Army Museum in San Francisco, my appreciation for John Ford films deepened in unexpected ways. I had the privilege of meeting and working with veterans of World War II, men who had actually been subjects in Ford’s wartime documentaries. One particularly memorable encounter was with retired Colonel John Eifler in 1984. Visiting his den, my gaze was drawn to a framed, autographed photograph of Admiral John Ford hanging on the wall. The inscription read, “To Colonel John Eifler, with much admiration,” and was signed by John Ford himself. The photo depicted Ford in his World War II captain’s uniform, dated during the war. Colonel Eifler recounted how Ford had documented his legendary commando operation in Burma, OSS Detachment 101. This connection to history through John Ford films became even more tangible when I befriended General Ray Peers, the second commander of OSS Detachment 101, who also featured in Ford’s documentary. General Peers shared with me a cherished gift from Ford: a large photo album filled with Ford’s combat photographs from Burma, which became the heart of an exhibit I curated in 1985 honoring OSS Detachment 101.
John Ford (born February 1, 1894, and passing on August 31, 1973) stands, in my estimation, as one of the most significant film directors of all time. His filmography is a treasure trove of American cinema, boasting titles that have resonated through generations. Among my personal favorites in the vast collection of John Ford films are: Stagecoach (1939), a landmark Western that redefined the genre; Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), a powerful biographical drama; Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), a thrilling historical epic; The Grapes of Wrath (1940), a poignant adaptation of Steinbeck’s masterpiece; How Green Was My Valley (1941), a deeply moving family saga; My Darling Clementine (1946), another iconic Western; Fort Apache (1949), a complex portrayal of the cavalry; Wagon Master (1950), a beautifully understated Western; The Quiet Man (1952), a charming romantic drama set in Ireland; The Searchers (1956), considered by many to be his greatest Western and a profound exploration of obsession; and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962), a classic deconstruction of the Western myth. This selection merely scratches the surface of the brilliance found within John Ford films.
Ford’s career spanned over half a century, during which he directed an astounding number of films – over 140 in total. His contributions to cinema have been recognized with numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards for Best Director. He received this prestigious award for The Informer (1935), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), and The Quiet Man (1952), solidifying his place among the directorial elite and highlighting the consistent excellence of John Ford films.
My personal connection to John Ford films extends beyond simply watching them. As a young teenager in the early 1960s, fueled by my passion, I would take the bus to Hollywood and visit the legendary Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard. There, amidst stacks of movie memorabilia, I would spend my hard-earned allowance, or money saved from washing cars, on stills and posters from John Ford films. In those days, original stills from classic movies could be acquired for just a couple of dollars. Occasionally, when I had some extra cash, I would splurge on lobby cards, half-sheet posters, and even, on rare and treasured occasions, a full-size movie poster. These pieces of movie history remain among my most cherished possessions, and even now, as I write this, I glance at several of them hanging on my walls, each a tangible link to the world of John Ford films that captivated me so many years ago.
As a tribute to this cinematic master, I am committed to sharing more about John Ford films on this website. I will be posting screenplays for all the films that earned John Ford Academy Awards for Best Director or Best Picture. Accompanying these screenplays will be a curated selection of movie stills, including iconic scenes from his films and captivating portraits of John Ford himself. This website is my personal homage to a truly great artist, and I hope you, as fellow film enthusiasts, will enjoy exploring the content as I continue to add new material from my collection. Thank you for visiting, and I welcome your comments and thoughts on the enduring legacy of John Ford films.
Eric Saul
