The Long Gray Line

The Long Gray Line
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John Ford
Screenplay by	Edward Hope
Based on	Bringing Up the BrassbyMartin Maher and Nardi Reeder Campion
Produced by	Robert Arthur
Starring	Tyrone Power Maureen O'Hara
Narrated by	Tyrone Power
Cinematography	Charles Lawton Jr.
Edited by	William A. Lyon
Music by	George Duning
Color process	Technicolor
Production company	Rota Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	February 10, 1955(1955-02-10)(New York City)
Running time	137 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1,748,000 (estimated)
Box office	$4.1 million (US)

The Long Gray Lineis a 1955 AmericanCinemascopeTechnicolorbiographicalcomedy-dramafilminCinemaScopedirected byJohn Fordbased on the life ofMarty Maherand his autobiography,Bringing Up the Brass,co-written withNardi Reeder Campion.Tyrone Powerstars as the scrappy Irish immigrant whose 50-year career atWest Pointtook him from adishwasherto anon-commissioned officerand athletic instructor.

Maureen O'Hara,one ofFord'sfavorite leading ladies, plays Maher's wife and fellowimmigrant,Mary O'Donnell. The film co-starsWard BondasHerman Koehler,the Master of the Sword (athletic director) and Army's head football coach (1897–1900), who first befriends Maher.Milburn Stoneappears asJohn J. Pershing,who in 1898 swears Maher into the Army.Harry Carey Jr.,makes a brief appearance as the young cadetDwight D. Eisenhower.(Eisenhower wrote the foreword toBringing Up the Brass.)Philip Careyplays (fictional) Army football player and future general Chuck Dotson. In addition, actressBetsy Palmermakes her screen debut as Kitty Carter.

The phrase "The Long Gray Line" is used to describe, as a continuum, all graduates and cadets of theUnited States Military AcademyatWest Point,New York. Many of the scenes in the film were shot on location at West Point, including the "million dollar view"of theHudson Rivernear the parade grounds. The film was the last one in which actorRobert Francisappeared before his death at age 25 in an air crash. His rising stardom had reached third billing behind Power and O'Hara at the time of his death.

Plot

Facing forced retirement,Master SergeantMartin Maher goes to theWhite Houseto appeal to thecommander in chief,West Point graduate, and5-star general,President Dwight D. Eisenhower,who gives Marty a warm welcome and listens to his story.

Arriving fromCounty Tipperary,Ireland, in 1898, Marty begins bussing tables. After two months he has nothing to show for it, because he is docked for every dish he breaks. When he learns thatenlistedmen only worry about theguardhouse,he enlists in the U.S. Army.CaptainKoehler,Master of the Sword,is impressed with his fist-fighting and brings him on as an assistant in athletics instruction.

Marty meets Mrs. Koehler's cook, Mary O'Donnell, just arrived from Ireland. The Koehlers advise Mary not to engage in conversation with Marty until he re-enlists and proposes, for fear their two fiery Irish tempers will clash. They marry and settle into a house on campus. Marty becomes acorporal,and Mary saves enough money to bring his father and brother to America. Captain Koehler makes Marty a swimming instructor—after teaching him how to swim.

Mary gives birth to a boy. The cadets serenade Marty and give him a cadet saber for Martin Maher III, class of 1936. The doctor arrives with heartbreaking news. The newborn boy has died. While Mary sleeps, Marty gets drunk. The cadets go off limits to bring him home, and report themselves for doing so. In the morning Mary tells Marty she can never have another child.

The cadets become the sons the Mahers will never have. Over time, Marty earns the love and respect of men such asOmar Bradley,James Van Fleet,George Patton,andDwight D. Eisenhower(to whom he gives advice on slowing hair loss). Marty introduces cadet "Red" Sundstrom, who is struggling with math, to a post school teacher, Kitty Carter. She offers to tutor Red. They marry after graduation in 1917, and Red goes off towarwith his classmates.

The casualty lists come in. Marty marks the losses in theyearbookswith a black ribbon marking the page of each former cadet who is killed in action. Peace comes, and while the campus erupts with joy, a grim-faced Marty places a ribbon on Red's page. Red has won theMedal of Honorand an automatic appointment to the academy for his infant son.

Cut to the swearing in of James "Red" Sundstrom, Jr. and his classmates. Marty has guided three generations of cadets. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the church service is interrupted by the news of Japanese raid onPearl Harborand the United States' likely entry intoWorld War II,Red confesses to Marty that he was married over Thanksgiving weekend. The bride’s parents had the marriage annulled, but it means expulsion for Red if it is discovered. Deeply disappointed, Marty is filled with pride when Sundstrom does the honorable thing by resigning and enlisting in the Army. Because of his training, he ships out immediately.

Mary wants to view one of the parades she so loves but is too weak. Marty helps her to the porch. She takes out herrosaryand quietly dies while Marty is fetching her shawl and medicine.

Christmas Eve, 1944. Marty prepares for a quiet evening alone but is joined by a group of cadets. He picks the all-time West Point football team while they fix his dinner. Kitty arrives with Red, Jr., whose medals make the cadets whistle. He hasearned his captain's barsinEuropeand wants Marty to pin them on.

The president tells General Dotson to call the point and find out what theSNAFUis. Marty gives an aide a bottle of hair restorer for the president. Dotson tells Marty he is AWOL and flies him back to the point, where the superintendent and Dotson hustle him onto the crowded parade ground. Slightly bemused by the attention, Marty notices the first tune:Garryowen.“This is for you, Marty. The cadets asked for it” the superintendent says. The film concludes with a full dress parade in Marty's honor. All the people Marty loves, both living and dead, step up to honor him. The band playsAuld Lang Syne,which brings tears to Marty's eyes—and to Dotson's.

Cast

• Tyrone PowerasMartin Maher
• Maureen O'Haraas Mary O'Donnell
• Robert Francisas James N. Sundstrom, Jr.
• Donald Crispas Old Martin
• Ward Bondas CaptainHerman Koehler
• Betsy Palmeras Kitty Carter
• Philip Careyas Charles "Chuck" Dotson (as Phil Carey)
• William Leslieas James Nilsson "Red" Sundstrom
• Harry Carey Jr.asDwight D. Eisenhower
• Patrick Wayneas Abner "Cherub" Overton
• Sean McCloryas Dinny Maher
• Peter Gravesas Corporal Rudolph Heinz
• Milburn Stoneas CaptainJohn J. Pershing
• Erin O'Brien-Mooreas Mrs. Koehler (as Erin O'Brien Moore)
• Walter D. Ehlersas Mike Shannon
• Willis Boucheyas Major Thomas

Reception

VarietycalledThe Long Gray Line"a standout drama on West Point".Bosley CrowtherofThe New York Timescalled the film sentimental but a rich and rousing tribute to West Point, and likens Power's Martin Maher to "Mr. Chipswith a brogue. "

OnRotten Tomatoesthe film has a 90% rating based on 10 reviews.

Inaccuracies

• Maher was not sworn in by U.S. Army CaptainJohn J. Pershing.Pershing was a West Point instructor in 1897, but between 1898 and 1899 he was serving in Cuba and the Philippines.
• The representation of Maher's family at West Point is incorrect, even showing his over-aged father trying to enlist in the US Army in 1917. Although Maher's father did come to West Point, he had died in 1912. Maher had three brothers, not one, who also served in the U.S. Army: one private and two NCOs.
• Cadet Sundstrom was created for the film. The only historically real West Point graduate to be awarded theMedal of HonorduringWorld War IwasEmory Jenison Pikefrom the Class of 1901. He, like the fictional Sundstrom, received the award posthumously. However, it is factually correct that any child of a Medal of Honor recipient is eligible for an appointment to the United States Military Academy.
• Maher did not appeal to the sitting U.S. president (Dwight Eisenhowerin the film) to stay with the U.S. Army beyond compulsory retirement age. Maher actually retired from the U.S. Army in 1928 after 30 years service. He then remained at West Point as a civilian employee until 1946.
• Maher's wife died in 1948, not earlier as shown in the film.
• Vicente Lim,who is shown graduating with the class of 1915, actually graduated in 1914.

See also

• List of American films of 1955
• List of bo xing films

External links

• The Long Gray Lineat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films
• The Long Gray LineatIMDb
• The Long Gray Lineat theTCM Movie Database
• The Long Gray LineatAllMovie