Sergeant Yorkis a 1941 Americanbiographical filmabout the life ofAlvin C. York,one of the most decorated American soldiers ofWorld War I.Directed byHoward Hawksand starringGary Cooperin the title role, the film was a critical and commercial success, and becamethe highest-grossing film of 1941.In 2008,Sergeant Yorkwas selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registryby theLibrary of Congressas being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[2][3]
| Sergeant York | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Howard Hawks |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Sergeant York: His Own Life Story and War Diary by |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Sol Polito |
| Edited by | William Holmes |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 134 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.7 million[1] |
| Box office | $8.3 million[1] |
The film was based on York's diary, as edited byTom Skeyhill,[4]and adapted byHarry Chandlee,Abem Finkel,John Huston,Howard E. Koch,and Sam Cowan (uncredited). York refused, several times, to authorize a film version of his life story, but finally yielded to persistent efforts to finance the creation of an interdenominational Bible school. The story that York insisted on Cooper for the title role comes from a telegram that producer Jesse L. Lasky wrote to Cooper pleading with him to accept the part, to which he signed York's name.[5]
Cooper went on to win theAcademy Award for Best Actorfor his performance, while the film also wonBest Film Editingand was nominated in nine other categories, including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Walter Brennan), and Supporting Actress (Margaret Wycherly). TheAmerican Film Instituteranked the film 57th in its100 most inspirational American movieslist; it also rated Alvin York 35th in its list of the top50 heroes in American cinema.
Plot
editBefore America's entry into World War I, Alvin York is a poor, young farmer in ruralTennessee,living with his widowed mother, sister, and younger brother. Alvin's leisure time is spent fighting and getting drunk with friends. Alvin's goal is to purchase a piece of farmland, fertile "bottomland". Alvin works hard to acquire the price for the land, and is given an extension by the owner. Alvin's sharpshooting skills enable him to raise the money needed, but the owner reneges, making Alvin angry and bitter. En route to seek revenge, Alvin and his mule are struck by lightning. The incident prompts Alvin to rejoinhis church.
When the U.S. enters World War I, Alvin seeks exemption as aconscientious objector,which is denied. Alvin is torn between fighting for his country and thebiblical prohibition against killing.His sympathetic commanding officer gives him leave to go home and come to a decision. Alvin reconciles his moral conflict after reading the biblical injunction to"render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
During theMeuse–Argonne offensive,York's qualms vanish when he sees his friends and comrades being killed as they assault a strong German position. With his superiors dead or incapacitated, he takes charge. He infiltrates the German lines by himself and finds a position that lets himenfiladethe main German defensive trench. He kills so many German soldiers that they eventually surrender to him en masse. One of the prisoners of war treacherously grenades Alvin's good friend, "Pusher" Ross, and is gunned down by York. He and the handful of survivors from his unit lead their many captives behind their lines, but have a hard time finding anyone to take the Germans off their hands. The officer who finally does is astonished to learn that so few men captured so many of the enemy.
York is decorated and hailed as a national hero, feted in Europe, New York, and Washington DC, but he desires to return home. He rejects commercial offers that would make him wealthy, explaining that he could not take money for doing his duty. York returns home to marry his fiancée, Gracie. To his surprise, the state has purchased the bottomland farm and built a house for Gracie and him.
Cast
edit- Gary CooperasAlvin C. York
- Walter Brennanas Pastor Rosier Pile
- Joan Leslieas Gracie Williams
- George Tobiasas "Pusher" Ross, a soldier from New York City and one of Alvin's friends
- Stanley RidgesasMajor Buxton
- Margaret Wycherlyas Mother York
- Ward Bondas Ike Botkin
- Noah Beery Jr.as Buck Lipscomb
- June Lockhartas Rosie York, Alvin's sister
- Dickie Mooreas George York, Alvin's brother
- Clem Bevansas Zeke
- Howard Da Silvaas Lem
- Charles TrowbridgeasCordell Hull
- Harvey Stephensas Captain Danforth
- David Bruceas Bert Thomas, another of Alvin's soldier friends
- Charles Esmondas German Major
- Joseph Sawyeras Sergeant Early
- Pat Flahertyas Sergeant Harry Parsons
- Robert Porterfieldas Zeb Andrews
- Erville Aldersonas Nate Tomkins
Reception
editSergeant Yorkwas a success at the box office and became thehighest-grossing film of 1941.This was influenced by theattack on Pearl Harbor,which occurred while the film was still playing in theaters. The film's patriotic theme helped recruit soldiers; young men sometimes went directly from the movie theater to military enlistment offices.[6]: 156–157 After its initial release, the film was frequently reshown at theaters all over America during the war as a quick replacement for box-office flops and as a theme program for bond sales and scrap drives.
According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $6,075,000 domestically and $2,184,000 internationally.[1]
On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,the film holds an 88% rating based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10.[7]
Accolades
edit
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards[8][9] | Outstanding Motion Picture | Hal B. WallisandJesse L. Lasky | Nominated |
| Best Director | Howard Hawks | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Gary Cooper | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Walter Brennan | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Margaret Wycherly | Nominated | |
| Best Original Screenplay | Harry Chandlee,Abem Finkel,John HustonandHoward Koch | Nominated | |
| Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration – Black-and-White | John HughesandFred M. MacLean | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography – Black-and-White | Sol Polito | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | William Holmes | Won | |
| Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture | Max Steiner | Nominated | |
| Best Sound Recording | Nathan Levinson | Nominated | |
| National Board of Review Awards[10] | Best Acting | Gary Cooper | Won |
| National Film Preservation Board | National Film Registry | Inducted | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards[11] | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Gary Cooper | Won | |
The film was nominated by theAmerican Film Institutefor its 2006list of most inspiring movies.[12]
References
edit- ^abcWarner Bros financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1,Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television,(1995) 15:sup1, 1–31 p. 22doi:10.1080/01439689508604551
- ^"Complete National Film Registry Listing".Library of Congress.RetrievedMay 8,2020.
- ^"Cinematic Classics, Legendary Stars, Comedic Legends and Novice Filmmakers Showcase the 2008 Film Registry".Library of Congress.RetrievedMay 8,2020.
- ^"Sergeant York Review".AllMovie.RetrievedJuly 25,2008.
- ^Lee, David D. (1985).Sergeant York: An American Hero.Le xing ton, Kentucky:University Press of Kentucky.p. 105ff.ISBN978-0813190280.
- ^Kennett, Lee (1985).For the duration...: the United States goes to war, Pearl Harbor-1942.New York City:Scribner's.ISBN0-684-18239-4.
- ^"Sergeant York (1941)".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedNovember 28,2020.
- ^"The 14th Academy Awards (1942) Nominees and Winners".oscars.org.RetrievedAugust 13,2011.
- ^"NY Times: Sergeant York".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.2012. Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2012.RetrievedDecember 14,2008.
- ^"1941 Award Winners".National Board of Review.RetrievedJuly 5,2021.
- ^"1941 Awards".New York Film Critics Circle.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 23,2016.
- ^"AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers Nominees"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on April 2, 2019.RetrievedAugust 14,2016.
Further reading
edit- Michael E. Birdwell,Celluloid Soldiers: The Warner Bros. Campaign against Nazism(NY: New York University Press, 1999)
- McCarthy, Todd,Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood(NY: Grove Press, 1997), ch. 22: "Sergeant York"
- Robert Brent Toplin,History by Hollywood: The Use and Abuse of the American Past(Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1996)
External links
edit
- Sergeant Yorkessay by Donna Ross atNational Film Registry
- Sergeant Yorkat theTCM Movie Database
- Sergeant YorkatIMDb
- Sergeant Yorkat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Sergeant YorkatBox Office Mojo
- Sergeant YorkatRotten Tomatoes
- Sergeant York And His People,by Sam Cowan, 1922, fromProject Gutenberg
- Alvin York and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive,by Douglas Mastriano, Military History magazine, Sept 2006. (Corporal York's actions as seen from the German perspective.)
- Photos and details of the discovery of the site where York earned the Medal of Honor,Discovered October 21, 2006, by the Sergeant York Discovery Expedition.
- Craig S. Smith (October 26, 2006)."Proof offered of Sergeant York's war exploits".International Herald Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon February 21, 2009.RetrievedNovember 22,2011.
- Sergeant Yorkessay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, A&C Black, 2010ISBN0826429777,pages 333–335
