News

February 06, 2021

An Evening with John Ford

John Ford and I share two things in common: our birthdays (February 1 – he in 1894, me some years later) and poor eyesight (both of us with glasses, though he stepped it up a notch with an eye patch in 1955). Where we differ is that John Ford was one of the founding and most influential directors in Hollywood and had a career that spanned 60 years, including turns as film actor, writer, producer, and – on rare occasions – singer, while I have a cat named “Gentleman.”

John Ford was born John Martin Feeney in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. When later asked what brought him to Hollywood, he said, “The train,” though technically he was following in his older brother Frank’s footsteps as the primary hub for American film production moved from New York to California in the early 20th century. Frank renamed himself Francis Ford and began acting in films in 1909, then started directing in 1912. John followed a similar path, first renaming himself Jack Ford, then John Ford and appearing as an actor in his brother’s films starting in 1913 before he directed his first of 147 films in 1917. Along with D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille, John Ford helped established the tradition of American narrative fiction film. When Orson Welles was asked for his three favorite directors, he said, “John Ford, John Ford, and John Ford.”

John Ford never apologized for making entertainment rather than art, though he still managed to earn 6 Academy Awards. Until film critics in the 1960s focused their attention on Citizen Kane (1941), Ford’s The Informer (1935) was widely considered the best American film ever made, though it has not aged as well despite its six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and four wins, including Best Director and Best Writing. Even so, Ford is best remembered for his westerns – especially for the nine Ford westerns starring John Wayne, starting with Stagecoach (1939) and including The Searchers (1956), regarded by many as the best western of all time (though my personal favorite is an earlier Ford/Way collaboration, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, from 1949).

Of course, some of Ford’s best films aren’t westerns, including The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, and The Quiet Man, all of which earned Ford Best Director Oscars. Ford still holds the record for the most Oscars for directing, including an unprecedented four in a row when you include his Oscars for documentary filmmaking during WWII. Ford was honored with the first ever American Film Institute Life Achievement Award in April of 1973, just four months prior to his death on August 31. At the ceremony, he was also presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Though known for his abrasive personality and aggressive style (he regularly mocked John Wayne for not having fought in WWII and once punched Henry Fonda while on the set of Mister Roberts (1955)), he bucked the Hollywood trend and remained married to the same woman, Mary, for 53 years from 1920 until his death (though John was Mary’s second husband, having divorced her previous husband of two years before marrying John).

John Ford’s complete works and appearances from 1918 to 1973 can all be found in the EIDR registry, with links to other resources for further study and viewing.

John Ford’s Filmography 

No. Title Year EIDR ID
1 The Honor of the Regiment 1913 10.5240/ABF4-6B97-F8A7-A525-BDA4-V
2 A Study in Scarlet 1914 10.5240/17C2-F223-E8DB-7EFE-2D75-7
3 Lucille Love: The Girl of Mystery 1914 10.5240/779F-DD21-7A5E-237F-67E3-I
4 The Call of the Waves 1914 10.5240/F357-36DF-79C9-7F07-90E1-Q
5 The District Attorney’s Brother 1914 10.5240/77FF-16A7-D9CC-AF3A-97F1-9
6 The Mysterious Hand 1914 10.5240/5415-7625-0725-D928-54F8-Q
7 The Mysterious Rose 1914 10.5240/3882-4A2D-D1AF-E7B8-FCE1-M
8 Smuggler’s Island 1915 10.5240/8998-3D5E-C85E-CE04-1D6D-R
9 The Birth of a Nation 1915 10.5240/3D9C-C1EE-09B9-5C43-315D-U
10 The Broken Coin 1915 10.5240/4883-C4B8-FEE7-D085-1096-X
11 The Campbells Are Coming 1915 10.5240/C63B-1DA7-39D3-3FF5-8B78-E
12 The Doorway of Destruction 1915 10.5240/1391-B9A4-8BC2-EE72-4B51-H
13 The Hidden City 1915 10.5240/E7EA-1021-B707-79AF-C756-E
14 Three Bad Men and a Girl 1915 10.5240/1689-D701-9EAE-D3ED-78B2-Q
15 Chicken-Hearted Jim 1916 10.5240/C3C6-EE53-EB48-0F85-DE58-L
16 The Adventures of Peg o’ the Ring 1916 10.5240/ADB8-B468-4AB4-953B-344F-V
17 The Bandit’s Wager 1916 10.5240/F714-99B9-AE0A-1770-AEA2-I
18 The Purple Mask 1916 10.5240/1475-27F3-C6E5-4232-11F3-Y
19 The Yellow Streak 1916 10.5240/2583-0230-5FA6-2F52-EA22-Z
20 A Marked Man 1917 10.5240/6182-E41C-511F-E4EC-B70C-Z
21 Bucking Broadway 1917 10.5240/13B7-B700-6D3C-82C2-4D0F-Q
22 Cheyenne’s Pal 1917 10.5240/04C7-3C7C-8AED-EF8A-1A97-8
23 Straight Shooting 1917 10.5240/98B0-E0F6-C0B8-CE24-E807-3
24 The Scrapper 1917 10.5240/228B-76A1-26D5-BA9B-A36A-O
25 The Secret Man 1917 10.5240/99EA-E9D3-BFBF-ED48-CCBD-0
26 The Soul Herder 1917 10.5240/F636-434E-736D-863D-866C-N
27 The Tornado 1917 10.5240/4136-7482-74E2-D48F-2A98-P
28 The Trail of Hate 1917 10.5240/02C6-0A81-CE81-66A2-3AAF-U
29 A Woman’s Fool 1918 10.5240/3B41-C4E3-0731-74E5-8425-9
30 Hell Bent 1918 10.5240/3254-0882-1EC8-4A73-0A4D-5
31 The Craving 1918 10.5240/522B-8B03-A633-D377-4F30-4
32 The Phantom Riders 1918 10.5240/F6AC-CEA8-EC3E-F9B5-21C2-5
33 The Scarlet Drop 1918 10.5240/0056-EB77-D7B5-20B2-83E6-Z
34 Thieves’ Gold 1918 10.5240/0675-A49B-B6AA-725D-6A96-T
35 Three Mounted Men 1918 10.5240/618D-3E30-64F3-E6C4-DCE5-2
36 Wild Women 1918 10.5240/B554-EECE-0BA5-D014-0DC5-6
37 A Fight for Love 1919 10.5240/F374-F6D8-D947-316A-B30B-0
38 A Gun Fightin’ Gentleman 1919 10.5240/5777-9841-1C6C-19AD-73FA-H
39 Ace of the Saddle 1919 10.5240/6E0F-BE47-3BEC-214D-D218-Q
40 Bare Fists 1919 10.5240/3AAF-DD34-A640-58CB-22A7-W
41 By Indian Post 1919 10.5240/7C23-972F-6BE8-28A1-7901-B
42 Gun Law 1919 10.5240/41ED-B3CE-1926-6E0B-3E4B-Y
43 Marked Men 1919 10.5240/2BFF-9BE1-0CC8-D82E-0F73-F
44 Rider of the Law 1919 10.5240/BE1D-3E4D-080B-2640-3687-T
45 Riders of Vengeance 1919 10.5240/5069-3411-B116-6FC1-2F58-K
46 Roped 1919 10.5240/E6FA-3AA2-32C6-A1DF-904C-L
47 Rustlers 1919 10.5240/402C-5D1C-E182-A936-D754-H
48 The Fighting Brothers 1919 10.5240/D757-E6C2-FD6F-E9CD-BDA5-E
49 The Gun Packer 1919 10.5240/5740-CA1D-3633-FC76-0061-C
50 The Last Outlaw 1919 10.5240/B9A8-3F52-CCDB-3438-7812-A
51 The Outcasts of Poker Flat 1919 10.5240/5CA5-1068-338B-8776-ADC1-E
52 Hitchin’ Posts 1920 10.5240/3C51-A9C7-833A-048D-FAED-N
53 Just Pals 1920 10.5240/6DDF-4CC3-504C-90DC-B411-0
54 The Girl in Number 29 1920 10.5240/F845-1857-F705-ABFD-AF86-T
55 The Prince of Avenue A 1920 10.5240/2652-9BBE-6678-5584-4A76-J
56 Under Sentence 1920 10.5240/060D-D150-40AA-837D-3F9F-L
57 Action 1921 10.5240/0000-AB84-382E-3671-3BC2-O
58 Desperate Trails 1921 10.5240/74DF-D962-161D-6EA9-CB9C-8
59 Jackie 1921 10.5240/E237-5DBB-1980-A763-B006-P
60 Sure Fire 1921 10.5240/12D2-5BA9-1177-4C73-3B7E-0
61 The Big Punch 1921 10.5240/EC2E-00AB-C46B-5326-B0E6-V
62 The Freeze-Out 1921 10.5240/B3DC-E517-F798-5478-3469-9
63 The Wallop 1921 10.5240/E06D-8D94-E2D3-2D5E-DC8D-0
64 Little Miss Smiles 1922 10.5240/9B62-2AF7-FC62-4937-FEF7-J
65 Silver Wings 1922 10.5240/E84A-F64D-5144-6860-4330-2
66 The Village Blacksmith 1922 10.5240/8C99-D93A-48B8-6754-57E1-5
67 Cameo Kirby 1923 10.5240/8537-9B41-8CFF-18BC-EE55-M
68 Hoodman Blind 1923 10.5240/A57D-7B7E-983D-A401-DAB0-U
69 North of Hudson Bay 1923 10.5240/3765-7166-D25F-1733-8D94-4
70 The Face on the Bar-Room Floor 1923 10.5240/4996-A72D-B458-E8F1-909C-A
71 Three Jumps Ahead 1923 10.5240/31E5-53D8-BE13-4C96-7C16-H
72 Hearts of Oak 1924 10.5240/A3E7-5611-4B8D-27FF-82F0-U
73 The Iron Horse 1924 10.5240/1BF9-9A56-4624-4D79-BFB1-8
74 Kentucky Pride 1925 10.5240/4820-7AEC-AB9E-335B-504F-L
75 Lightnin’ 1925 10.5240/D11A-685E-9212-70CA-3DDE-B
76 Thank You 1925 10.5240/42C7-EA88-7EF6-3FB5-47B9-E
77 The Fighting Heart 1925 10.5240/5764-458F-4B2D-1FDB-7B2E-L
78 3 Bad Men 1926 10.5240/891C-CF40-56D6-8E49-F102-W
79 The Blue Eagle 1926 10.5240/9655-7383-9876-4547-B03D-S
80 The Shamrock Handicap 1926 10.5240/CBF2-96CE-E52D-F73D-DDF2-R
81 What Price Glory 1926 10.5240/B6AB-5161-9F8F-5AC6-6943-E
82 Mother Machree 1927 10.5240/2521-ECC1-5CD0-87CB-C165-E
83 Upstream 1927 10.5240/0867-EE98-01F6-30A7-5C6C-0
84 Four Sons 1928 10.5240/F37E-9BD5-BAE5-E0B9-36C2-T
85 Hangman’s House 1928 10.5240/8A1E-954F-F043-1313-1A37-Q
86 Napoleon’s Barber 1928 10.5240/7DA9-0884-F4D1-1BF0-E4F6-F
87 Riley the Cop 1928 10.5240/04F5-7F33-1140-8A23-EFB1-V
88 Big Time 1929 10.5240/906A-E68E-3770-3353-5FC2-8
89 Salute 1929 10.5240/2066-66E7-DB9A-3597-1D12-T
90 Strong Boy 1929 10.5240/B1B2-E3DE-FCD5-22FA-9634-9
91 The Black Watch 1929 10.5240/329E-13CD-CCA9-3105-3F9F-4
92 Born Reckless 1930 10.5240/B855-0D59-F07A-23D5-9DA0-H
93 Men Without Women 1930 10.5240/3E9B-FA41-4271-D236-76D0-I
94 Up the River 1930 10.5240/2102-0EB4-E8CF-6B74-2E60-E
95 Arrowsmith 1931 10.5240/09EF-1302-DAE9-8316-0966-B
96 Seas Beneath 1931 10.5240/7654-034E-58FE-2CEA-B642-Y
97 The Brat 1931 10.5240/DE4A-F981-7FC7-BE6C-4A31-H
98 Air Mail 1932 10.5240/0BA4-A771-3C85-954D-E9ED-K
99 Flesh 1932 10.5240/ED69-7337-00D1-3661-E9E1-2
100 Doctor Bull 1933 10.5240/9806-8EE6-9A75-EB9E-F5B1-1
101 Pilgrimage 1933 10.5240/47E3-C112-1A77-B15F-205D-0
102 Judge Priest 1934 10.5240/3CD8-1592-A412-189D-5593-6
103 The Lost Patrol 1934 10.5240/8EAE-2E82-4CDC-6E54-0285-6
104 The World Moves On 1934 10.5240/8D2A-9250-0149-2084-9F8B-8
105 Steamboat Round the Bend 1935 10.5240/7C8B-8833-986C-C10D-9F4C-N
106 The Informer 1935 10.5240/3899-7B45-24F8-8D20-88CD-L
107 The Whole Town’s Talking 1935 10.5240/675F-A8EB-AAD2-9DC9-FC03-T
108 Mary of Scotland 1936 10.5240/C5A2-40B5-CCC9-ADDD-1564-D
109 The Last Outlaw 1936 10.5240/4721-F104-E716-A31C-B530-D
110 The Plough and the Stars 1936 10.5240/2141-41C0-F356-3C0E-A617-Y
111 The Prisoner of Shark Island 1936 10.5240/45C0-614D-9BB9-D493-0044-W
112 The Hurricane 1937 10.5240/516F-C314-04C5-0664-3263-C
113 Wee Willie Winkie 1937 10.5240/90BC-AAA9-5386-7899-9F06-J
114 Four Men and a Prayer 1938 10.5240/4CEF-06B6-0D01-F913-A3C3-3
115 Submarine Patrol 1938 10.5240/0468-B085-070D-2B96-2F49-D
116 The Adventures of Marco Polo 1938 10.5240/A881-749F-8E37-9D9D-222A-8
117 Drums Along the Mohawk 1939 10.5240/B3D7-7D70-2121-6812-74A3-M
118 Stagecoach 1939 10.5240/772C-4F5A-AB08-1465-F4E7-2
119 Young Mr. Lincoln 1939 10.5240/086F-8BF4-74C7-8612-4CE5-L
120 The Grapes of Wrath 1940 10.5240/FE81-7109-81B0-A824-E6D6-3
121 The Long Voyage Home 1940 10.5240/198E-6A90-79EC-FC96-64FA-5
122 How Green Was My Valley 1941 10.5240/726E-15EC-2513-9B10-4988-T
123 Tobacco Road 1941 10.5240/6D21-CBEA-90A3-7BB8-89F5-G
124 Sex Hygiene 1942 10.5240/68E9-E5C9-AF01-D6F8-AA7F-J
125 The Battle of Midway 1942 10.5240/5FA4-DAE6-87C0-533E-386B-A
126 The News Parade of the Year 1942 1942 10.5240/9914-B131-F6D3-D6B7-4E6B-T
127 Torpedo Squadron 1942 10.5240/F681-1728-525F-F7B9-E6D8-0
128 At the Front in North Africa with the U.S. Army 1943 10.5240/E5AD-7888-EA1F-7094-ECE4-H
129 December 7th 1943 10.5240/3D8C-DA03-742D-2262-F62A-O
130 German Industrial Manpower 1943 10.5240/293C-6B66-DA6F-2FB2-1590-4
131 How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines 1943 10.5240/B339-05DE-FE53-E1D2-B5AB-L
132 Show-Business at War 1943 10.5240/B228-4FFB-36D6-72F6-5F3B-B
133 We Sail at Midnight 1943 10.5240/F567-C3CC-D314-E942-1657-V
134 Undercover 1944 10.5240/D82A-1867-38EC-C73E-B5DC-2
135 Nazi Concentration and Prison Camps 1945 10.5240/6F00-EAA0-7CFF-47ED-3DB8-I
136 They Were Expendable 1945 10.5240/B51A-BD17-A166-AE32-A685-C
137 It’s Your America 1946 10.5240/D4BA-1EC2-9930-7211-BA83-F
138 My Darling Clementine 1946 10.5240/1E7F-0C55-DB6B-739A-28B1-Y
139 The Fugitive 1947 10.5240/F79C-78EA-B730-6B02-6230-S
140 3 Godfathers 1948 10.5240/DAF7-073C-0B94-0707-9EEC-3
141 Fort Apache 1948 10.5240/410D-23A4-F3B6-E7E2-D87E-5
142 Fireside Theatre 1949 10.5240/072F-1C4A-FEAC-CE99-339A-P
143 Mighty Joe Young 1949 10.5240/19CE-4387-D038-CC39-C319-B
144 Pinky 1949 10.5240/29E3-3AF5-65AD-0011-F23F-4
145 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon 1949 10.5240/ACD9-279C-1E36-9641-654C-H
146 Rio Grande 1950 10.5240/6515-218B-9A4C-EF21-6677-1
147 Wagon Master 1950 10.5240/D131-C729-D3BA-61E5-39E3-8
148 When Willie Comes Marching Home 1950 10.5240/51C6-6650-8238-D334-0AF9-W
149 Bullfighter and the Lady 1951 10.5240/D097-C44C-D8CF-3A6B-07BF-C
150 Screen Snapshots: Reno’s Silver Spur Awards 1951 10.5240/2D59-6BED-C6A6-3A36-7E6F-H
151 The Screen Director 1951 10.5240/C507-423A-E5C2-5BAF-2424-Z
152 This Is Korea! 1951 10.5240/3821-AD08-5294-34DA-97CE-I
153 The Quiet Man 1952 10.5240/8252-B1AE-4C7B-184D-724F-I
154 What Price Glory 1952 10.5240/D9BA-05B3-2A29-EBC3-24D7-5
155 Hondo 1953 10.5240/712E-99CA-DAD0-117C-4217-G
156 Mogambo 1953 10.5240/9C3D-228B-42ED-32C5-2C55-B
157 The Sun Shines Bright 1953 10.5240/C4F7-131F-D0E3-0FD5-0857-B
158 Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre 1955 10.5240/A729-8EB2-26A7-2529-0E05-3
159 Mister Roberts 1955 10.5240/6EC9-D678-FF05-49D3-CDC5-7
160 Screen Directors Playhouse 1955 10.5240/955D-3863-97C2-EC69-A2EB-J
161 The Long Gray Line 1955 10.5240/6678-E863-3B94-0210-98C3-Q
162 The Searchers 1956 10.5240/CF1D-D550-7E56-B5FB-3380-8
163 The Rising of the Moon 1957 10.5240/A5F5-6D5D-F147-606A-CCD5-P
164 The Wings of Eagles 1957 10.5240/B101-8F5C-AC9A-0121-6FBE-T
165 Gideon of Scotland Yard 1958 10.5240/09A6-0615-5220-7813-66D8-M
166 The Last Hurrah 1958 10.5240/E45C-927B-F92A-AFBA-0A81-M
167 Wide Wide World 1958 10.5240/8C39-ECFF-937C-94DF-2F74-T
168 Korea 1959 10.5240/1E65-862E-DC31-5A68-6BC1-R
169 The Horse Soldiers 1959 10.5240/503D-6D55-88B9-60B7-37B1-G
170 Sergeant Rutledge 1960 10.5240/A422-A7CF-F211-3ED8-AC21-F
171 The Alamo 1960 10.5240/EA90-4821-9BA5-9D4B-FE1A-0
172 Wagon Train 1960 10.5240/52AB-3B6B-C793-8A1D-A969-8
173 This Is Your Life 1961 10.5240/69C7-2C2F-E175-DC76-210A-2
174 Two Rode Together 1961 10.5240/6D8A-9D12-6C8D-A159-1F93-7
175 Alcoa Premiere 1962 10.5240/5B62-6241-2274-D4C3-8347-U
176 How the West Was Won 1962 10.5240/3F68-AA63-8E18-E927-5227-M
177 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 1962 10.5240/19FA-8DA6-4B2F-C1FA-2451-O
178 Donovan’s Reef 1963 10.5240/B2B0-7836-E48E-A0F4-678B-G
179 Taiwan: Island of Freedom 1963 10.5240/5F71-7524-75AA-D7E9-9A67-O
180 Cheyenne Autumn 1964 10.5240/17DA-5238-3288-AC61-43F7-Y
181 Young Cassidy 1965 10.5240/B21F-83A5-9D8E-2899-9CA3-O
182 7 Women 1966 10.5240/7327-9838-11DB-3196-631E-4
183 Cinéastes de notre temps 1966 10.5240/D5C5-ED3F-3DE5-F9D2-511A-2
184 Film Night 1970 10.5240/9D80-D493-159A-0382-9507-W
185 Directed by John Ford 1971 10.5240/3409-8CEC-D1C0-C1A9-E143-T
186 John Ford – Filmemachen als Job 1971 10.5240/8B72-59DE-2A6A-CA46-CE42-X
187 The American West of John Ford 1971 10.5240/6A4B-F1D4-1BFB-8EA5-6991-K
188 Vietnam! Vietnam! 1971 10.5240/F06C-D93A-7BB3-8D8B-262C-L
189 The American Film Institute Salute to John Ford 1973 10.5240/B1E5-A3FA-E401-0113-F792-9